Secondary school

The Spires College

  • Foundation School
  • ages 11–18
  • Mixed
  • Torbay
  • TQ1 3PE
  • Sixth form
Ofsted Good · inspected Apr 2017

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 1,848 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 57%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 66%66%2016/17: top 68%2017/18: top 44%44% · 2017/182018/19: top 70%2021/22: top 68%2022/23: top 76%2023/24: top 61%2024/25: top 57%No exams

A-level results

#189 of 224 South West sixth forms, state and independent, 2024/25

Independent and selective (grammar) schools choose their pupils, so high results partly reflect who gets in, not only teaching. Some independent schools don't publish results.

Against South West

Attainment 844.5 · South West 45.55/10 Middle+11 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths51.4% · South West 44.2%8/10 Above+47.9 pts since 21/22
EBacc point score3.88 · South West 3.985/10 Middle+19.1 pts since 21/22
Progress 8 · 2023/24-0.15 · South West −0.024/10 Below−28.9 pts since 18/19
A level points per entry28.02 · South West 33.672/10 Well below South West−15 pts since 21/22
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 47.9 · 196 pupils · South West 50.22016/17: 42.9 · 149 pupils · South West 45.62017/18: 47 · 133 pupils · South West 45.72018/19: 42.5 · 105 pupils · South West 45.82021/22: 44.9 · 148 pupils · South West 47.52022/23: 40.8 · 205 pupils · South West 45.42023/24: 43.6 · 211 pupils · South West 45.32024/25: 44.5 · 183 pupils · South West 45.4547.940.8No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 30% · 149 pupils · South West 39%2017/18: 44% · 133 pupils · South West 40%2018/19: 29% · 105 pupils · South West 39%2021/22: 38% · 148 pupils · South West 46%2022/23: 34% · 205 pupils · South West 42%2023/24: 40.3% · 211 pupils · South West 44.1%2024/25: 51.4% · 183 pupils · South West 44.2%51.4%29%No exams
A level points per entry
2015/16: 21.2 · 70 pupils · South West 29.292016/17: 17.57 · 57 pupils · South West 30.032017/18: 24.22 · 59 pupils · South West 30.252018/19: 23.93 · 45 pupils · South West 31.572021/22: 34.82 · 37 pupils · South West 36.992022/23: 28.39 · 38 pupils · South West 33.142023/24: 26.9 · 39 pupils · South West 33.012024/25: 28.02 · 40 pupils · South West 33.6734.8217.57No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in67.3%
134 of 199 who put it first2014 · 100.0%2026 · 67.3%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st199134
2nd23143
3rd13017

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2006–2022

  1. 2006Satisfactory
  2. 2010Good
  3. 2013Inadequate
  4. 2015Requires improvement
  5. 2017Good
  6. 2022Remains Good

5 strong areas

  • Outcomes for pupils
  • Effectiveness of leadership and management
  • Personal development, behaviour and welfare
  • 16 to 19 study programmes
  • Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

0 weak areas

5 areas graded

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 20261,154
Free school meals (past 6 years)30.8%
First language not English6.9%
SEN support20.0%
EHC plan5.5%
Absence (sessions missed)8.6%
Persistently absent pupils23.9%

Girls 48.5%Boys 51.5%

88.5% full · 1,304 places · 106 in sixth form

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher14.7
Pupils per adult9.7
  • Classroom teachers 70
  • Leadership 8.3
  • Teaching assistants 20.8
  • Other support 32.2

Teachers 78.3 FTE · Whole workforce 131.3 · 146 people

Financials · 2025/26

Income per pupil£8,871
Spend per pupil£9,173
Staff spend per pupil£6,893
Reserve per pupil£1,179
  • +£1,360,540revenue reserve
  • −£347,809in-year balance

Grants £8,817 · self-generated £312 · premises £1,216 per pupil

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

211 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained90.5%
  • Education88.2%
  • Apprenticeship1.4%
  • Employment0.9%
  • Not sustained7.1%
  • Unknown2.4%

After sixth form (16–18)

51 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained86.3%
  • Education43.1%
  • Higher education41.2%
  • Apprenticeship9.8%
  • Employment33.3%
  • Not sustained7.8%
  • Unknown5.9%