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Academy sponsor led · Devon

The Ilfracombe Church of England Academy

  • 11–18Ages
  • 1,016Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Church of EnglandReligious character
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 139553URN

Worth Road, Ilfracombe, EX34 9JB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

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

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.1per place
0.3 below Devon median (1.4)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in DevonSelective

140 applications for 131 places · 35th of 36 in Devon
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
50.7of 90
7th of 40 in Devon
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 13 January 2026Published 26 April 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected 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. 13 January 2026
    Report card · 7 Expected standard
  2. 10 May 2023
    Graded inspection: Requires improvement

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
1.1applications per place, Year 7
0.3 below Devon median (1.4) 1.2 below England median (2.2)

140 applications · 131 places offered · 131 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

  1. 2026 1.1; Devon median median 1.4
  2. 2025 1.1; Devon median median 1.4
  3. 2024 1.0; Devon median median 1.4
  4. 2023 1.1; Devon median median 1.4
  5. 2022 1.1; Devon median median 1.3
  6. 2021 1.0; Devon median median 1.4
  7. 2020 1.1; Devon median median 1.3
  8. 2019 1.0; Devon median median 1.4
  9. 2018 1.0; Devon median median 1.3
  10. 2017 1.0; Devon median median 1.4
  11. 2016 1.0; Devon median median 1.5
  12. 2015 0.9; Devon median median 1.5
  13. 2014 1.0; Devon median median 1.5
More applications per place than the Devon median in 0 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Devon 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 20261311401.11311.00
Sep 20251561661.11561.00
Sep 20241361401.01230.90
Sep 20231761881.11750.99
Sep 20221721921.11731.01
Sep 20211841871.01720.93
Sep 20201932071.11870.97
Sep 20191701731.01530.90
Sep 20181731731.01630.94
Sep 20171661581.01480.89
Sep 20161671611.01420.85
Sep 20151481380.91220.82
Sep 20141481461.01320.89

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

182 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)50.77th of 40 in Devon
Grade 5 or above in English and maths53%10th of 40 in Devon
Grade 4 or above in English and maths79%
  • This school
  • Devon median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.48
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)18250.753%79%–
2024/2517847.951%74%–
2023/2417450.859%79%+0.48
2022/2316942.839%59%−0.54

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 sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
139553 · 878/4001
Trust
Athena Learning Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Religious character
Church of England
Capacity
1,200 pupils · 1,016 on roll
Free school meals
27.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 May 2013
Replaced
Ilfracombe Arts College (URN 113513)
Address
Worth Road, Ilfracombe, EX34 9JB
Local authority
Devon · North Devon

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