Lipson Co-operative Academy

Lipson Co-operative Academy is a larger-than-average secondary school in Plymouth, part of the Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust, with a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (44.83%) and above-average deprivation. A new headteacher has recently started. The inspection, carried out in April 2026, found the school performing well overall. Inclusion and leadership and governance are strong, and personal development and wellbeing is also strong. Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders are highly committed, know the school well, and have driven rapid improvements in areas such as reducing suspensions and increasing enrichment participation. Staff morale is high, and parents are positive. The school's inclusive ethos is a major strength: pupils' needs are identified quickly, support is well coordinated with families and agencies, and disadvantaged pupils, those with SEND, and those known to social care thrive. Personal development is extensive and tailored, with a strong careers programme and wide enrichment opportunities. Behaviour is good, bullying is rare, and pupils feel safe and respected. However, some areas require further work. Attendance remains a concern, with too many pupils persistently absent and overall absence above national averages. Achievement is broadly in line with national averages, but published outcomes at key stage 4 and 5 do not consistently reflect the quality of work seen in lessons. In post-16, overall attainment declined in 2025 and A-level average point scores were below national in 2024/25. Teaching is generally effective, but pupils do not always get enough opportunities to develop spoken language and deepen understanding through discussion.

Strengths

• Highly inclusive provision that identifies and meets pupils' needs quickly and accurately.
• Strong partnerships with families and external agencies to support pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils, and those known to social care.
• Effective use of pupil premium funding, with early intervention reducing suspensions and class removals.
• Well-planned alternative provision (The Lodge and The Pavilion) that helps pupils attend regularly and feel part of the school community.
• Exceptional leadership and governance with a clear vision, strong support and challenge, and a 'whatever it takes' approach.
• A highly effective culture of professional learning and coaching that improves teaching.
• Staff feel highly valued, with workload protected, and parents are very positive about the school.
• Extensive, thoughtfully tailored personal development programme covering relationships, citizenship, online safety, and finance.
• Excellent pastoral care and support, with pupils confident in seeking help from tutors and pastoral staff.
• A coherent and progressive careers programme from Year 7 to post-16, with strong local employer and university partnerships.
• Highly personalised support for vulnerable pupils in careers education.
• A wide range of enrichment opportunities, including cultural visits, performances, pupil leadership, and well-attended clubs.
• Pupils achieve well overall, broadly in line with national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils.
• Gaps in knowledge and skills, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, are closing quickly.
• Pupils with SEND make good progress and develop life skills, leaving as confident and resilient individuals.
• High expectations for behaviour, with clear routines, respectful interactions, and a rare incidence of bullying.
• Firm and consistent response to bullying and discriminatory language, creating a culture of mutual respect.
• A broad, ambitious, and well-sequenced curriculum with secure subject knowledge from teachers.
• Effective use of assessment to check understanding and adapt teaching, with targeted support for SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Post-16 provision meets students' needs, with bespoke support and expert teachers.
• Students in the sixth form produce high-quality work and participate in a wide range of enrichment activities.
• High-quality, individualised careers advice in the sixth form, with significantly increased numbers securing chosen destinations.
• Pupils are proud of their school, feel safe, and have mutually respectful relationships with staff.
• A strong sense of belonging and community ('Lipson family') that supports attendance and wellbeing.
• Music is a constant presence, and every child can learn a musical instrument.
• Pupils develop leadership skills, determination, and resilience through groups such as the Navy Cadet Force.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture of safeguarding.

Areas for Improvement

• Too many pupils have attendance below 90%, and persistent absence remains above national averages.
• Overall absence is above national averages.
• Published outcomes at key stage 4 and 5 do not consistently reflect pupils' detailed knowledge and skills.
• Pupils do not always receive enough opportunities to discuss their ideas and deepen understanding through spoken language.
• A-level average point score was below national average in 2024/25.
• Overall attainment in post-16 showed a reduction in 2025.
• Some pupils still miss too many days of school, impacting their overall attendance.

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 Lipson Co-operative Academy attended 90.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 29.4% 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, 7.7% of pupils at Lipson Co-operative Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Lipson Co-operative Academy had 16.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.2% 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, 15.3% of pupils at Lipson Co-operative Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.6% 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 Lipson Co-operative Academy received £8,783 and spent £8,723 for each of its 1,098 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £748,000 (£681 per pupil).

Across all 17 schools of The Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,641 and spending £7,750 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

Lipson Co-operative Academy is part of The Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• All Saints Church of England Academy Plymouth
• Tor Bridge High Plymouth
• Marine Academy Plymouth Plymouth
• Marine Academy Primary Plymouth
• Matford Brook Academy Exeter
• West Exe School Exeter
• Exwick Heights Primary School Exeter
• Queen Elizabeth's Crediton
• Isca Academy Exeter
• Exmouth Community College Exmouth

What is Lipson Co-operative Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lipson Co-operative Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Lipson Co-operative Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Lipson Co-operative Academy was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Lipson Co-operative Academy have?

Lipson Co-operative Academy has 1,131 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lipson Co-operative Academy cover?

Lipson Co-operative Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Lipson Co-operative Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 44.6, and 50% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Lipson Co-operative Academy?

Lipson Co-operative Academy is at Bernice Terrace, Lipson, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 7PG.