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Academy converter · Plymouth

Coombe Dean School

  • 11–18Ages
  • 1,000Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 136558URN

Charnhill Way, Elburton, Plymouth, PL9 8ES · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Mar 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
3.0per place
1.1 above Plymouth median (2.0)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in PlymouthSelective

517 applications for 170 places · 1st of 17 in Plymouth
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
46.6of 90
7th of 18 in Plymouth
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 3 March 2026Published 8 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 3 March 2026
    Report card · 2 Strong standard, 5 Expected standard
  2. 22 March 2022
    Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
3.0applications per place, Year 7
1.1 above Plymouth median (2.0) 0.8 above England median (2.2)

517 applications · 170 places offered · 262 named it first

  1. 2026 3.0; Plymouth median median 2.0
  2. 2025 2.8; Plymouth median median 1.9
  3. 2024 2.8; Plymouth median median 1.9
  4. 2023 2.5; Plymouth median median 1.9
  5. 2022 2.6; Plymouth median median 2.0
  6. 2021 3.1; Plymouth median median 1.9
  7. 2020 2.3; Plymouth median median 1.8
  8. 2019 3.1; Plymouth median median 2.0
  9. 2018 3.0; Plymouth median median 2.0
  10. 2017 2.7; Plymouth median median 1.9
  11. 2016 3.1; Plymouth median median 2.1
  12. 2015 2.9; Plymouth median median 2.0
  13. 2014 2.7; Plymouth median median 2.2
More applications per place than the Plymouth median in 13 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Plymouth median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20261705173.02621.54
Sep 20251694722.82361.40
Sep 20241754972.81931.10
Sep 20231754442.51660.95
Sep 20221493932.61090.73
Sep 20211404273.1910.65
Sep 20201673782.3970.58
Sep 20191765443.11700.97
Sep 20181745293.01741.00
Sep 20171654452.71360.82
Sep 20161785463.12141.20
Sep 20151755062.91881.07
Sep 20141654452.71580.96

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

160 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)46.67th of 18 in Plymouth
Grade 5 or above in English and maths48%8th of 18 in Plymouth
Grade 4 or above in English and maths69%
  • This school
  • Plymouth median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.16
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)16046.648%69%–
2024/2516949.249%76%–
2023/2415248.653%75%+0.16
2022/2316345.140%75%+0.01

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
136558 · 879/4181
Trust
Westcountry Schools Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,180 pupils · 1,000 on roll
Free school meals
19.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 April 2011
Replaced
Coombe Dean School (URN 113538)
Address
Charnhill Way, Elburton, Plymouth, PL9 8ES
Local authority
Plymouth

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources