Dawlish College
Dawlish, EX7 0BY · Devon · secondary school
Check the area around this school
30th of 40 secondary schools in Devon we can score, 41 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 2.4/10 against 807 of them, against 2.4/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 27.6 · 11 | 30% | 0.34 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.09 · 43 | 25% | 1.08 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 39.1 · 16 | 10% | 0.16 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Dawlish College overview
How it's doing
Dawlish College was rated Good by Ofsted in 2024. In 2024/25, 25.0% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 38.9, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.09 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than peers nationally who started from the same place. Its results are much the same when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so the gap is not explained by intake (2.1 out of 10 against similar schools, 2.3 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 782 pupils against a stated capacity of 900. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific steps are taken to improve Progress 8 scores for students starting from similar backgrounds?
What Ofsted said about Dawlish College
Overview
Dawlish College has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. The school provides a ‘warm welcome’ and ensures pupils feel safe, supported, and ready for learning. Leaders have raised expectations, resulting in improved behaviour and a broad, ambitious curriculum that prepares pupils well for their future.
Strengths
- Pupils are ‘well supported by staff’ and ‘trust staff to help them when they have a concern’, creating a safe environment.
- The curriculum is ‘broad and ambitious’, with knowledge and skills ‘sequenced’ so new learning builds on what pupils already know.
- Staff identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) ‘quickly and accurately’, adapting learning effectively.
- The school checks reading proficiency precisely, ensuring pupils develop fluency through phonics and regular practice with a ‘wide range of texts’.
- Pupils benefit from a daily personal development programme and ‘electives’ that build confidence through activities like gardening and cooking.
Areas to improve
- In a few subjects, the school does not provide sufficient guidance for pupils to know ‘what they need to do to get better over time’.
- Some groups of pupils ‘do not attend school well enough’, which impedes their learning; the trust must continue work to improve attendance.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 40.6 |
| 2024/25 | 38.9 |
| 2025/26 | 39.1 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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