Secondary school

Plympton Academy

  • Academy Converter
  • ages 11–18
  • Mixed
  • Plymouth
  • PL7 2RS
  • Sixth form
Ofsted Requires improvement · inspected Mar 2024

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 2,103 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 65%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 48%48%2016/17: top 46%46% · 2016/172017/18: top 62%2018/19: top 78%2021/22: top 72%2022/23: top 65%2023/24: top 70%2024/25: top 65%No exams

A-level results

#186 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 843.1 · South West 45.54/10 Below+5.3 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths43.8% · South West 44.2%5/10 Middle+7.9 pts since 21/22
EBacc point score3.57 · South West 3.983/10 Below+8.4 pts since 21/22
Progress 8 · 2023/24-0.39 · South West −0.022/10 Well below South West−17.9 pts since 18/19
A level points per entry28.45 · South West 33.672/10 Well below South West
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 50.4 · 137 pupils · South West 50.22016/17: 46.8 · 98 pupils · South West 45.62017/18: 43.7 · 107 pupils · South West 45.72018/19: 40.8 · 122 pupils · South West 45.82021/22: 44.2 · 169 pupils · South West 47.52022/23: 43.2 · 175 pupils · South West 45.42023/24: 41.6 · 197 pupils · South West 45.32024/25: 43.1 · 194 pupils · South West 45.4550.440.8No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 33% · 98 pupils · South West 39%2017/18: 26% · 107 pupils · South West 40%2018/19: 23% · 122 pupils · South West 39%2021/22: 44% · 169 pupils · South West 46%2022/23: 34% · 175 pupils · South West 42%2023/24: 36.5% · 197 pupils · South West 44.1%2024/25: 43.8% · 194 pupils · South West 44.2%44%23%No exams
A level points per entry
2015/16: 27.47 · 91 pupils · South West 29.292016/17: 25.91 · 79 pupils · South West 30.032017/18: 26.51 · 63 pupils · South West 30.252018/19: 27.35 · 42 pupils · South West 31.572021/22: 33.51 · 36 pupils · South West 36.992022/23: 26.45 · 59 pupils · South West 33.142023/24: 22.4 · 51 pupils · South West 33.012024/25: 28.45 · 42 pupils · South West 33.6733.5122.4No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in100.0%
91 of 91 who put it first2014 · 94.8%2026 · 100.0%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st9191
2nd11713
3rd411

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2006–2025

  1. 2006Goodas predecessor
  2. 2009Satisfactoryas predecessor
  3. 2014Requires improvement
  4. 2016Good
  5. 2020Requires improvement
  6. 2024Requires improvement
  7. 2025Ungraded visit

2 strong areas

  • Personal development
  • Behaviour and attitudes

3 weak areas

  • Quality of education
  • Sixth form provision
  • Effectiveness of leadership and management

5 areas graded · safeguarding effective

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026984
Free school meals (past 6 years)22.0%
First language not English2.4%
SEN support6.9%
EHC plan2.7%
Absence (sessions missed)10.6%
Persistently absent pupils27.9%

Girls 49.6%Boys 50.4%

72.9% full · 1,350 places · 129 in sixth form

Parent View

Earlier survey (before Nov 2025) · as at 2 Sep 2024 · 333 responses (29.1% of pupils)

  • My child is happy at this school44.8% agree
  • My child feels safe at this school45.4% agree
  • The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved24.3% agree
  • My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively · 43.8% not applicable26.7% agree
  • The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year34.2% agree
  • When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly · 7.2% not applicable32.7% agree
  • My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed24.1% agree
  • The school has high expectations for my child50.8% agree
  • My child does well at this school44.5% agree
  • The school lets me know how my child is doing46.6% agree
  • There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school70.9% agree
  • My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school74.8% agree
  • The school supports my child's wider personal development28.2% agree
  • I would recommend this school to another parent25.5% yes

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher17.2
Pupils per adult12.6
  • Classroom teachers 51.3
  • Leadership 6
  • Teaching assistants 9
  • Other support 19.3

Teachers 57.3 FTE · Whole workforce 85.5 · 96 people

Financials · 2024/25

Income per pupil£7,729
Spend per pupil£5,853
Staff spend per pupil£5,083
Reserve per pupil£330
  • +£356,000revenue reserve
  • +£2,022,000in-year balance

Grants £7,683 · self-generated £46 · premises £10 per pupil

Multi-academy trust: THE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST (26 academies) · trust reserve £3,198,000 · Reserves in a multi-academy trust belong to the trust; this academy's figures include the share of central costs the trust gives it

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

197 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained93.9%
  • Education82.2%
  • Apprenticeship7.1%
  • Employment4.6%
  • Not sustained3.6%
  • Unknown2.5%

After sixth form (16–18)

71 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained85.9%
  • Education40.8%
  • Higher education38%
  • Apprenticeship11.3%
  • Employment33.8%
  • Not sustained11.3%
  • Unknown2.8%