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Schools in Torquay

A town in Torbay

  • Town
  • 28 schools and nurseries
  • 7,375 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were close to England in 2026. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Torquay at a glance

Behind England on attendance

How Torquay's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries2812 primary · 3 secondary · 9 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1160%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths46%Attainment 8 45.7, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary34%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school22%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Torquay

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Torquay primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Torquay

12 mainstream schools in Torquay, best first

Torre Church of England Academy

Torquay, TQ1 4DN · Academy · Primary · Ages 3 to 11

  • Ofsted:Strong standard in every area

Results well above the England average.

37 first choices, 39 offers made

Met the standard at 1184%

England 62%

Days missed
3.9%
Pupils
310
Pupils per teacher
23.4
View school Torre Church of England Academy

Warberry CofE Academy

Torquay, TQ1 1SB · Academy · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

20 first choices, 22 offers made

Met the standard at 1183%

England 62%

Days missed
4.7%
Pupils
368
Pupils per teacher
21.6
View school Warberry CofE Academy

Top Secondary Schools in Torquay

3 mainstream schools in Torquay, best first

Torquay Academy

Torquay, TQ2 7NU · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

342 first choices, 250 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1648.7

England 46.2

Days missed
10.0%
Pupils
1,472
Pupils per teacher
16.9
View school Torquay Academy

The Spires College

Torquay, TQ1 3PE · State · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

199 first choices, 194 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1645.1

England 46.2

Days missed
8.6%
Pupils
1,154
Pupils per teacher
14.7
View school The Spires College

St Cuthbert Mayne School

Torquay, TQ1 4RN · State · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good in every area

Results below the England average.

75 first choices, 189 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1642.0

England 46.2

Days missed
11.4%
Pupils
1,001
Pupils per teacher
16.2
View school St Cuthbert Mayne School

Nurseries in Torquay

9 in Torquay, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Torquay

5 in Torquay, by the school's Eduscope score

Torquay Academy

Torquay, TQ2 7NU · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

342 first choices, 250 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1648.7

England 46.2

Days missed
10.0%
Pupils
1,472
Pupils per teacher
16.9
View school Torquay Academy

The Spires College

Torquay, TQ1 3PE · State · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

199 first choices, 194 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1645.1

England 46.2

Days missed
8.6%
Pupils
1,154
Pupils per teacher
14.7
View school The Spires College

St Cuthbert Mayne School

Torquay, TQ1 4RN · State · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good in every area

Results below the England average.

75 first choices, 189 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1642.0

England 46.2

Days missed
11.4%
Pupils
1,001
Pupils per teacher
16.2
View school St Cuthbert Mayne School

Special Schools in Torquay

3 in Torquay. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Combe Pafford School

Torquay, TQ2 8NL · Academy · All-through · Ages 8 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
9.8%
Pupils
239
Pupils per teacher
7.1
View school Combe Pafford School

Mayfield School

Torquay, TQ2 8NH · Special · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
10.0%
Pupils
304
Pupils per teacher
6.0
View school Mayfield School

Private Schools in Torquay

1 in Torquay. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Abbey School

Torquay, TQ1 4PR · Independent · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
128
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Abbey School
The map

Every school in Torquay, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Homelands Primary School, Expected standard in every areaWatcombe Primary School, GoodThe Spires College, GoodSt Cuthbert Mayne School, Good in every areaAbbey School, InspectedMayfield School, GoodSt Margaret's Academy, GoodIlsham Church of England Academy, GoodEllacombe Church of England Academy, GoodLift Barton Hill, GoodTorquay Academy, GoodCombe Pafford School, GoodTorre Church of England Academy, Strong standard in every areaAll Saints Babbacombe CofE Primary School, GoodSt Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery School, GoodPriory Roman Catholic Primary School, Torquay, GoodWarberry CofE Academy, GoodUpton St James CofE Primary School, Requires improvement in 2 areasEat That Frog C.I.C, GoodFurrough Cross Pre-School, Expected standard in every areaHatfield Nursery, GoodWatcombe Children's Centre Nursery, GoodTops Babbacombe, GoodMama Bear's Day Nursery, OutstandingAbbey School Nursery, Expected standard or betterKiddi Caru Nursery, GoodSt Matthias Pre-School & Childcare Centre, GoodSt Marychurch Pre School, Good
  • Outstanding1
  • Good20
  • Not graded yet7
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

Postcodes

Browse Torquay by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Torquay vs England

How good are Torquay's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Torquay

TorquayEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 9 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    2 of the 2 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    60%

    England 62%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    46%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    22%

    England 18%

    Worse than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    34%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 14 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good14
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Torquay in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%60%80%20182019202320242025
60% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap20%35%50%2018201920222023202420252026
43% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%20%40%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
22% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Torquay has 28 schools and nurseries.

There are 2% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.

34% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Torquay's state schools each January.

Up 2% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Torquay34%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Torquay

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Questions

Questions parents ask about Torquay

How many schools are in Torquay?

Torquay has 28 schools, including 15 primary schools, 5 secondary schools, 9 nurseries, 1 independent school, 3 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Torquay?

The highest-ranked schools in Torquay on Eduscope are Torre Church of England Academy, Ilsham Church of England Academy, Warberry CofE Academy. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Torquay are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Torquay hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 14 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Torquay perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Torquay, 60% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Torquay?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Torquay is 15.7:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Torquay schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Torquay is 21.6%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Torquay?

There are 7,375 pupils enrolled across schools in Torquay, with 3,205 in primary and 4,170 in secondary. 34.0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Torquay?

There is 1 independent school in Torquay. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare it on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Torquay?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 28 schools in Torquay by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

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