Tor Bridge High

Tor Bridge High has undergone a rapid transformation under new leadership since the headteacher joined in January 2024. Inspectors found that sweeping improvements have revitalised the day-to-day experiences of pupils and staff, with rising attendance, increasingly mature behaviour, and achievement now similar to national averages. The school's mantra of 'keep it simple, execute it brilliantly' has focused staff on what matters most, and the trust provides highly effective support tailored to the school's needs. Safeguarding standards are met.

Strengths

• New leadership has quickly brought about sweeping improvements
• Trust provides highly effective support to leaders
• Pupils' attendance is rising and behaviour is increasingly mature and respectful
• Staff recognise the speed and depth of improvements secured by new leaders
• Disadvantaged pupils' strong GCSE passes in English and mathematics have improved dramatically

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' attendance remains below the national average, particularly for disadvantaged pupils
• Persistent absence among disadvantaged pupils remains too high
• Pupils do not acquire detailed knowledge of British institutions, such as Parliament and the court system
• Pupils would benefit from greater opportunity to deepen learning and develop confidence as speakers through discussion
• Teaching and outcomes require further improvement to reach above-average standards

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 Tor Bridge High attended 87.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 36.8% 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, 10.1% of pupils at Tor Bridge High were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 4 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 Tor Bridge High had 17.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.8% 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, 28.7% of pupils at Tor Bridge High were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.0% 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 Tor Bridge High received £9,563 and spent £9,112 for each of its 1,124 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £766,000 (£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

Tor Bridge High is part of The Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• Lipson Co-operative Academy Plymouth
• All Saints Church of England Academy 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 Tor Bridge High's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Tor Bridge High is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Tor Bridge High last inspected by Ofsted?

Tor Bridge High was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Tor Bridge High have?

Tor Bridge High has 1,121 pupils on roll.

What age range does Tor Bridge High cover?

Tor Bridge High for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Tor Bridge High's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 45.8, and 49% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Tor Bridge High?

Tor Bridge High is at Miller Way, Estover, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 8UN.