Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available emoji_events #37 in Devon public Top 38% UK

Axe Valley Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Robert Crocker

corporate_fareBLACKDOWN EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP

location_onAxminster, EX13 5EA

language Visit Website phone 129732146

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2023

groups

Students

643

trending_up

Attainment 8

39.2

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GCSE Rank

#36 in Devon

#2,648 of 3,216 nationally

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Axe Valley Academy is a Academy sponsor led secondary school in Axminster, serving ages 11-16. Rated Good by Ofsted.

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School Summary

Axe Valley Academy is an academy sponsor led in Axminster, Devon, admitting pupils aged 11-16. It is part of BLACKDOWN EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP. The school has approximately 757 pupils on roll, of whom 30% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 39.2, placing the school #36 in Devon and #2,648 of 3,216 nationally. 30.40% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 8.4% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Good. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 16.7:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there was 1 permanent exclusion. The average suspension rate was 12.7 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

39.2

Grade 5+ E&M

30.40%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)8.4%

Entering EBacc28.30%

EBacc APS3.32

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.4

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

40.2

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc21.70%

EBacc APS3.43

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.22

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

44.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc31%

EBacc APS3.84

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.28

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc16%

EBacc APS3.67

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc29%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.38

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

43.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc23%

EBacc APS3.85

2018

Progress 8 Score

-0.1

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc29%

EBacc APS3.9

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

94%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)84%

Apprenticeships7%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

88%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)67%

Apprenticeships8%

Employment13%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)12%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

91%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)74%

Apprenticeships8%

Employment9%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)8%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

93%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)82%

Apprenticeships6%

Employment5%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

91%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)71%

Apprenticeships10%

Employment9%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)9%

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

19 September 2023

Inspection Report

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03 December 2019

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2023-09-19

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2019-12-03

Academy First Section 5 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2013-04-18

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2010-07-07

None Legacy

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Good

history Predecessor Link

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

11.6%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

4.4%(33 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 757 pupils. During this period, there were 88 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 11.6%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	757	88	11.6%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	758	105	13.9%	7.8%	1
2023/24 (Summer term)	690	61	8.8%	7.4%	1
2023/24 (Spring term)	685	67	9.8%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	686	90	13.1%	8.2%	3
2022/23 (Summer term)	641	48	7.5%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	643	40	6.2%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	638	30	4.7%	5.9%	1
2021/22 (Summer term)	587	45	7.7%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	581	48	8.3%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	576	30	5.2%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	583	11	1.9%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	582	4	0.7%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	579	43	7.4%	3.9%	1
2019/20 (Summer term)	590	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	590	22	3.7%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	585	31	5.3%	4.2%	1
2018/19 (Summer term)	624	20	3.2%	3.1%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	624	20	3.2%	3.8%	2
2018/19 (Autumn term)	629	29	4.6%	3.8%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	672	30	4.5%	3.4%	2
2017/18 (Spring term)	666	32	4.8%	3.0%	1
2017/18 (Autumn term)	673	41	6.1%	3.7%	1
2016/17 (Summer term)	705	21	3.0%	3.0%	2

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 82 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 45 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 38 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 30 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 18 pupils

Physical Disability 9 pupils

Visual Impairment 6 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 2 pupils

Profound & Multiple Learning 1 pupils

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Axe Valley Academy

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Secondary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Secondary Schools in Devon

Colyton Grammar School

Chulmleigh Community College

Ivybridge Community College

Braunton Academy

St Peter's Church of England Aided School

Uffculme School