School profile

Plympton Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Plymouth, PL7 2RS

Requires improvement

Map showing Plympton Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,682 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,996 of 2,536

Worse than 78% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Plympton Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 19 Mar 2024

Ofsted rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Sixth form provision
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils984 of 1,350 places
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Shaun Willis
TrustTHE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityPlymouth
Opened01 Apr 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136556.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolPlymouthEngland
Attainment 8 score45.846.846.2
Grade 4 or above in English and maths70.2%67.6%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and maths45.9%49.8%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and maths10.5%13.5%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths63%63.3%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4181--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolPlymouthEngland
Average points per A-level entry28.4534.4335
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels32.1234.9435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better0%16.9%17.5%
A-level progress score-0.56--
A-level progressBelow average--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study68--
Average applied general gradeMerit+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils984
Girls482
Boys502
Eligible for free school meals21.2%
First language not English2.1%
SEN support45
EHC plan32
Average class size24.1

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Pupils ethnicity

White British
94.4%
Other White
1.3%
Other mixed
0.7%
White and Asian
0.6%
White and Black Caribbean
0.5%
African
0.5%
White and Black African
0.3%
Other Black
0.3%
Other ethnic group
0.3%
Other Asian
0.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed. Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means missing 50% or more.

MeasureThis schoolPlymouthEngland
Overall absence10.2%9.2%8%
Persistent absence27.4%25.5%21.6%
Severe absence6.1%4.5%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)110
Applications (Year 7)249
First preference applications (Year 7)91
First preference offers (Year 7)91
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)13

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Capacity

2024/25
MeasureThis school
School places1,350
Pupils on roll1,067
Unfilled places21%
Sixth form places300
Sixth form pupils on roll127

Source: DfE, School capacity, Academic year 2024/25, published 19 Mar 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher17.2
Pupils per adult12.6
Teachers (FTE)57.26
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.96
Support staff (FTE)28.28
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2560.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2553.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255.5

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25
MeasureThis school
Suspension rate29.8%
Pupils with one or more suspensions9.4%
Permanent exclusion rate0.5%
Permanent exclusions5

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destination93.9%
Staying in education82.2%
School sixth form42.1%
Further education39.6%
Apprenticeship7.1%
Employment4.6%
Not sustained3.6%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destination85.9%
Higher education38%
Employment33.8%
Apprenticeship11.3%
Not sustained11.3%
Further education2.8%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Plympton Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miPrimarySt Mary's Priory Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miPrimarySt Mary's Priory CofE Infant & Nursery SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryBoringdon Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryPlympton St Maurice Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryChaddlewood Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miSecondaryHele's SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryGlen Park Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.0 miPrimaryYealmpstone Farm Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryWoodford Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.6 miPrimarySherford Vale School & NurseryFree schools
Good

Frequently asked questions about Plympton Academy

What is Plympton Academy's Ofsted rating?

Plympton Academy is rated Requires improvement by Ofsted, last inspected on 19 Mar 2024.

How does Plympton Academy rank in England?

Plympton Academy ranks 1,682 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 1,996 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 78% of schools).

How many pupils attend Plympton Academy?

Plympton Academy has 984 pupils aged 11 to 18, with capacity for 1,350.

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.