Academy sponsor led · Devon

Axe Valley Academy

11–16Ages
741Pupils
SecondaryPhase
144392URN

Chard Street, Axminster, EX13 5EA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.4per place

close to Devon median (1.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in DevonSelective

231 applications for 166 places · 17th of 36 in Devon

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

39.7of 90

Devon 45.9 England 46.0

36th of 40 in Devon

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 19 September 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		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

1.4applications per place, Year 7

close to Devon median (1.4) 0.8 below England median (2.2)

231 applications · 166 places offered · 157 named it first

2026 1.4; Devon median median 1.4
2025 1.4; Devon median median 1.4
2024 1.3; Devon median median 1.4
2023 1.4; Devon median median 1.4
2022 1.5; Devon median median 1.3
2021 1.6; Devon median median 1.4
2020 1.3; Devon median median 1.3
2019 1.5; Devon median median 1.4
2018 1.3; Devon median median 1.3
2017 1.4; Devon median median 1.4
2016 1.4; Devon median median 1.5; as the previous school
2015 1.6; Devon median median 1.5; as the previous school
2014 1.6; Devon median median 1.5; as the previous school

This school
Devon median

Dashed bars: as The Axe Valley Community College (URN 113497), the previous school.

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.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	166	231	1.4	157	0.95
Sep 2025	140	199	1.4	141	1.01
Sep 2024	169	227	1.3	165	0.98
Sep 2023	144	204	1.4	123	0.85
Sep 2022	141	216	1.5	129	0.91
Sep 2021	103	164	1.6	89	0.86
Sep 2020	136	174	1.3	114	0.84
Sep 2019	112	169	1.5	105	0.94
Sep 2018	106	135	1.3	79	0.75
Sep 2017	106	153	1.4	94	0.89
Sep 2016 *	124	178	1.4	106	0.85
Sep 2015 *	115	179	1.6	97	0.84
Sep 2014 *	132	207	1.6	119	0.90

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

117 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)39.736th of 40 in Devon

Devon 45.9 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths33%36th of 40 in Devon

Devon 45% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths56%

Devon 65% England 66%

This school
Devon median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.40

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	117	39.7	33%	56%	–
2024/25	138	39.2	30%	58%	–
2023/24	115	40.2	37%	65%	−0.40
2022/23	107	44.8	41%	66%	+0.22

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

Axe Valley AcademyThis school
This school

Good2023

1.4applications per place 39.7Attainment 8
The Woodroffe School
6.7 km · Dorset

Good2023

2.0applications per place 50.0Attainment 8
Colyton Grammar School
8.3 km · Devon

Outstanding2022

1.4applications per place 78.3Attainment 8 Selective
Holyrood Academy
10.5 km · Somerset

Good2023

1.2applications per place 42.9Attainment 8
Honiton Community College
14.0 km · Devon

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.1applications per place 44.5Attainment 8
The Sir John Colfox Academy
17.9 km · Dorset

Remains Good2023

1.4applications per place 45.9Attainment 8
Beaminster School
18.2 km · Dorset

Good2023

1.7applications per place 45.4Attainment 8
Wadham School
18.8 km · Somerset

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 41.7Attainment 8
Sidmouth College
19.3 km · Devon

2026

1.6applications per place 46.0Attainment 8

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: 144392 · 878/4021
Trust: Blackdown Education Partnership
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 750 pupils · 741 on roll
Free school meals: 29.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 April 2017
Replaced: The Axe Valley Community College (URN 113497)
Address: Chard Street, Axminster, EX13 5EA
Local authority: Devon · East Devon

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