Pilton Community College

Pilton Community College has made significant progress since its last inspection, moving from a previous grade of requires improvement to now being rated as good overall. The school provides a good quality of education and fosters a positive learning environment where pupils feel happy and safe, with strong relationships between staff and students. The leadership demonstrates a clear vision for enhancing education, focusing on both academic success and personal development. The school's ambitious curriculum, which prepares pupils well for further qualifications, has been enhanced by effective support from trustees and local governors.

Strengths

• Strong relationships between staff and pupils contribute to a positive school culture.
• Leaders have high expectations of pupil behavior, resulting in a calm and orderly environment.
• The curriculum is broad, ambitious, and well-sequenced, supporting knowledge retention.
• Teachers benefit from professional development, allowing for effective teaching strategies.
• Special educational needs pupils receive tailored support, particularly in the resource base.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils do not have sufficient understanding of mental health and well-being.
• Younger pupils lack a detailed understanding of careers and future options.
• Some pupils struggle to debate and discuss issues confidently.

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 Pilton Community College attended 88.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 31.4% 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, 16.5% of pupils at Pilton Community College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 Pilton Community College had 17.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.8% 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, 14.2% of pupils at Pilton Community College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 8.1% 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 Pilton Community College received £7,813 and spent £8,544 for each of its 1,164 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £810,000 (£696 per pupil).

Across all 35 schools of The Harbour Schools Partnership, income was £6,261 and spending £6,333 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 Barnstaple · Devon local authority: places and applications

Pilton Community College is part of The Harbour Schools Partnership, which runs 36 schools. The nearest others:

• Ashleigh CofE Primary School Barnstaple
• Sticklepath Community Primary Academy Barnstaple
• The Park Community School Barnstaple
• Eden Park Academy Barnstaple
• Newport Community School Primary Academy Barnstaple
• Roundswell Community Primary Academy Barnstaple
• Orchard Vale Community School Barnstaple
• Holywell Church of England School Barnstaple
• Fremington Primary School Barnstaple
• Marwood School Barnstaple

What is Pilton Community College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Pilton Community College is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was Pilton Community College last inspected by Ofsted?

Pilton Community College was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does Pilton Community College have?

Pilton Community College has 1,165 pupils on roll.

What age range does Pilton Community College cover?

Pilton Community College for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Pilton Community College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 42.8, and 37% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Pilton Community College?

Pilton Community College is at Chaddiford Lane, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 1RB.