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Bideford College

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Sponsored academy

Abbotsham Road, Bideford EX39 3AR · bidefordcollege.uk · 01237 477611

On the mapSearch near EX39 3AR

Overview

Ofsted
Report card
May 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
GCSEs, 2024/25
45.7
average Attainment 8 score. Devon 45.4, England 46
Last distance offered
No limit
Year 7, September 2026 entry · Devon Council
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,455
65% of 2,232 places
Local authority
Devon
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
27.8%
First language not English
3%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Athena Learning Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Devon Council’s document.

For Year 7 in September 2026, 251 families put the school first and 250 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 282 (Places 282)282September 2023: 312 (Places 290)312September 2024: 276 (Places 276)276September 2025: 267 (Places 276)267September 2026: 251 (Places 250)251Places 250
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262502511▲100%
September 2025Sept 20252762671100%
September 2024Sept 20242762761100%
September 2023Sept 20232903121.1▲93%
September 2022Sept 2022282282199%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 45.7, and 50.4% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Devon it was 45.4, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (32.4 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 43.2 (England 46.3)43.22017/18: 38.3 (England 46.5)38.32018/19: 41.1 (England 46.7)41.12021/22: 43.5 (England 48.8)43.52022/23: 38.3 (England 46.3)38.32023/24: 42.5 (England 45.9)42.52024/25: 45.7 (England 46.0)45.7England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
●45.746.0
▲50.4%45.4%
▲69.3%64.8%
▲50.0%40.5%
●4.274.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form27.4−6.2
Further education52.1+4.3
Apprenticeship7.3+3.9
Employment4.3−0.9
Not in a lasting destination6−2.2
Activity not captured3+1.3

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 26.4 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 32.1 (England 31.1)C+2017/18: 29.7 (England 32.1)C2018/19: 26.7 (England 32.9)C-2021/22: 35.0 (England 37.9)B-2022/23: 28.0 (England 34.2)C-2023/24: 34.2 (England 34.4)C+2024/25: 32.4 (England 35.0)C+England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
63 studentsC+ (32.4)Above average +0.33
63 studentsC+ (32.5)Above average +0.31
32 studentsMerit+ (28.2)Average +0.20
23.5%AAB or better
94.4%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2483C+ (34.2)+0.24
2022/2364C- (28)—
2021/2267B- (35)—
2018/1980C- (26.7)-0.33
2017/1879C (29.7)+0.06
2016/1780C+ (32.1)+0.03
2015/16119C- (26.4)-0.10

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University38.8−6.2
Further education4.7−1.6
Apprenticeship5.9+2.1
Employment32.9−2.1
Not in a lasting destination14.1+5.3
Activity not captured3.5+2.2

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected Bideford College on 19 May 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.

Inspected
19 May 2026
Report card
Safeguarding
Met

Inspection reports

Graded areas

InclusionNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
Personal development and well-beingExpected standard
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jun 2022

Earlier inspections

Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 113516), which Ofsted links to this one.

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Jun 2022Good
    Quality of educationGood
    Behaviour and attitudesGood
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • Oct 2018Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    16 to 19 study programmesRequires improvement
    SafeguardingEffective
  • Jan 2015Inadequate
    Outcomes for pupilsInadequate
    Leadership and managementInadequate
    16 to 19 study programmesInadequate

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 113516)

What parents said

10% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (20 replies, to 7 April 2025).

Recommend
10%
Replies
20
1% · 7 Apr 2025
Child is happy at school▼10% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▼15% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼35% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼55% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼20% agreeEngland 88%
Told what child will learn▼25% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼45% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▼30% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▼50% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▼15% agreeEngland 80%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼5% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 100% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼8% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 65% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼10% agreeEngland 68%

based on 10 parents (50%) with SEND

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