Coombe Dean School

Coombe Dean School is performing well overall, with notable strengths in leadership, curriculum design, and inclusive practices. The school offers a broad, ambitious curriculum that is effectively delivered by knowledgeable teachers, resulting in pupils being well-prepared for their next educational steps. The inclusive culture and strong support systems in place for pupils with additional needs have created a sense of community and belonging, allowing these students to thrive alongside their peers. However, there are some challenges in achieving consistently high published outcomes across all subjects, although improvements are being observed over time.

Strengths

• Broad and ambitious curriculum that builds on prior learning.
• Strong inclusion practices with effective support for SEND pupils.
• High-quality support for disadvantaged pupils, helping them to catch up.
• Well-structured teaching strategies that enhance learning and retention.
• Strong focus on literacy and communication skills across subjects.
• Positive relationships and a caring environment among pupils and staff.
• Effective career guidance and extracurricular opportunities fostering student aspirations.

Areas for Improvement

• Published outcomes across subjects are not fully reflective of student achievement.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Coombe Dean School attended 92.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 4.0% of pupils at Coombe Dean School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Coombe Dean School had 19.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 9.2% of pupils at Coombe Dean School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Coombe Dean School received £7,889 and spent £7,810 for each of its 1,003 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,597,000 (£1,593 per pupil).

Across all 31 schools of Westcountry Schools Trust, income was £7,571 and spending £7,467 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Plymouth · Plymouth local authority: places and applications

Coombe Dean School is part of Westcountry Schools Trust, which runs 31 schools. The nearest others:

• Plymstock School Plymouth
• Sherford Vale School & Nursery Sherford
• Morley Meadow Primary School Plymouth
• Oreston Community Academy Plymouth
• Wembury Primary School Plymouth
• Plympton St Maurice Primary School Plymouth
• Hele's School Plymouth
• Woodford Primary School Plymouth
• Boringdon Primary School Plymouth
• Chaddlewood Primary School Plymouth

What is Coombe Dean School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Coombe Dean School is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Coombe Dean School last inspected by Ofsted?

Coombe Dean School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Coombe Dean School have?

Coombe Dean School has 1,000 pupils on roll.

What age range does Coombe Dean School cover?

Coombe Dean School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Coombe Dean School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 46.6, and 48% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Coombe Dean School?

Coombe Dean School is at Charnhill Way, Elburton, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 8ES.