Hele's School
Plymouth, PL7 4LT · Plymouth · secondary school
Check the area around this school
4th of 19 secondary schools in Plymouth we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 827 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 5.9/10 among them, against 6.8/10 nationally. 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 | 64.4 · 86 | 30% | 2.59 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.09 · 43 | 25% | 1.08 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 52.4 · 79 | 10% | 0.79 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Hele's School overview
How it's doing
Hele's School is rated Good by Ofsted following an inspection in 2023. In 2024/25, 54.4% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 50.7, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.09 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.4 out of 10 among them, against 6.2 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,378 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,349. 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 in Progress 8 scores relative to similar-intake schools? What specific support is available for students aiming to improve their Attainment 8 scores?
What Ofsted said about Hele's School
Overview
Hele’s School continues to be a good school, where pupils are proud and respectful, following high expectations set by leaders. The school offers a broad, aspirational curriculum with extensive extra-curricular opportunities, including the Combined Cadet Force and Ten Tors, fostering strong community engagement and leadership skills.
Strengths
- Pupils demonstrate ‘pride in the badge’ and are confident that leaders deal with bullying effectively, ensuring abusive language is not tolerated.
- Teachers ‘know the pupils very well’, providing effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) through careful tracking and subject-specific adaptations.
- The curriculum is ‘broad and aspirational’, with a high ambition for pupils to study the English baccalaureate suite and at least one language at GCSE level.
- An ‘ambitious wider reading curriculum’ has been introduced, with targeted interventions for pupils in the early stages of reading.
- Parents are ‘very positive about the school’, recognising the effective support and communication in place for their children.
Areas to improve
- Leaders need to ensure gaps in knowledge and skills for Year 8 and 9 pupils, caused by the restructuring of the curriculum, are addressed.
- Leaders need to consider how curriculum planning and workload can be managed proportionately, as some staff experience increased workloads and challenging demands.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff receiving regular training and responding quickly to concerns, ensuring pupils feel safe.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 47.3 |
| 2024/25 | 50.7 |
| 2025/26 | 52.4 |
| 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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