Brixham College

Brixham College is at a pivotal point in its journey, navigating significant challenges, particularly in pupil achievement, which has been below average for the past two years. Despite this, the school has demonstrated a commitment to improving its services, especially in safeguarding and personal development, which are areas that have been acknowledged positively. The leadership is relatively new, featuring a principal who commenced in January 2026, and the school is under the auspices of the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, which is actively working to implement necessary changes and support for staff and students alike.

Strengths

• A comprehensive values curriculum that addresses local and national issues.
• Pupils develop useful knowledge of financial matters and reflect on personal beliefs in philosophy lessons.
• Well-organized careers programme that informs students about various post-school options.
• Strong efforts in safeguarding, allowing pupils to feel safe and supported.

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement in national tests has been below average for two consecutive years.
• Persistent absence rates remain high, affecting overall attendance.
• Writing skills among pupils are underdeveloped and need targeted intervention.
• Support for pupils with SEND is inconsistent, leading to low confidence among families.

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 Brixham College attended 88.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 33.9% 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, 11.9% of pupils at Brixham College 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 Brixham College had 16.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.3% 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, 14.5% of pupils at Brixham College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.7% 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 Brixham College received £8,340 and spent £8,677 for each of its 1,053 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £14,000 (£13 per pupil).

Across all 19 schools of The Thinking Schools Academy Trust, income was £8,363 and spending £8,363 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 Brixham · Torbay local authority: places and applications

Brixham College is part of The Thinking Schools Academy Trust, which runs 25 schools. The nearest others:

• Furzeham Primary School Brixham
• Curledge Street Academy Paignton
• Paignton Academy Paignton
• Kings Ash Academy Paignton
• Plympton Academy Plymouth
• Plymouth High School for Girls Plymouth
• Penbridge Infant School Portsmouth
• The Portsmouth Academy Portsmouth
• New Horizons Primary School Portsmouth
• Penbridge Junior School Portsmouth

What is Brixham College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Brixham College is Needs attention, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Brixham College last inspected by Ofsted?

Brixham College was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Brixham College have?

Brixham College has 1,012 pupils on roll.

What age range does Brixham College cover?

Brixham College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Brixham College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 37.5, and 23% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Brixham College?

Brixham College is at Higher Ranscombe Road, Brixham, Devon, TQ5 9HF.