Braunton Academy

Braunton Academy has effectively maintained the high standards seen in its previous inspection. The school provides a supportive environment where pupils feel valued, safe, and motivated to learn. High expectations for both academic and personal development contribute to positive behaviors and a strong sense of community among students. Noteworthy strengths include the range of sporting and performing arts opportunities that allow pupils to explore their talents and develop essential life skills, including leadership and public speaking. Despite these strengths, there are areas for improvement, particularly in adapting the curriculum to meet the diverse needs of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). While the school has established effective procedures for inclusion, inconsistencies in teaching approaches sometimes hinder successful learning for these pupils. Continued focus on ensuring all students fully understand the material before moving forward will be essential for improving overall educational outcomes.

Strengths

• Strong sense of community and student support
• High expectations for academic and personal development
• Robust participation in sports and performing arts
• Effective reading support and emphasis on enjoyment
• Strong leadership and governance
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils
• Effective personal, social, and health education

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in teaching adaptations for pupils with SEND
• Incomplete understanding of topics before progression to complex knowledge

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 Braunton Academy attended 92.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 19.7% 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, 11.8% of pupils at Braunton Academy 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 Braunton Academy had 19.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.4% 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, 19.6% of pupils at Braunton Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.0% 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 Braunton Academy received £8,371 and spent £8,671 for each of its 841 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £864,000 (£1,027 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 North Devon · Devon local authority: places and applications

What is Braunton Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Braunton Academy is Good, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was Braunton Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Braunton Academy was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does Braunton Academy have?

Braunton Academy has 828 pupils on roll.

What age range does Braunton Academy cover?

Braunton Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Braunton Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.1, and 45% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Braunton Academy?

Braunton Academy is at Barton Lane, Braunton, Devon, EX33 2BP.