School Chooser

St Cuthbert Mayne School

Secondary · ages 11-18MixedRoman Catholic/Church of England1,001 pupilsSixth formTorquayTorbay
School Chooser Score
18
Below
similar schools
Likely range 13 to 24
Out of 100. Better than 34% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, April 2025
Strong pass in English and maths26%England 46%
Attendance88.6%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families41%Far more than most schools
Places114 spare1,001 pupils, 1,115 places
Pupils per teacher16.2School workforce census

St Cuthbert Mayne School is a Roman Catholic/Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Torquay for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 1,001 pupils and room for 1,115. About 41 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 18 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 34% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Trumlands Road, Torquay, TQ1 4RN01803 328725st-cuthbertmayne.co.ukMr James Down headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 23 April 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

149 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score39.7
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths26%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths51%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11-0.75In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 39.439.420182019: 36.836.820192022: 36.936.920222023: 36.836.820232024: 37.337.320242025: 39.739.72025
Since 2018: +0.3Steady overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018TorbayEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11149174144162155160
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 839.737.336.836.936.839.449.746.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8-0.75-0.80-0.91-0.64-0.39
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths26%21%23%27%17%21%53%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths51%43%44%41%45%49%69%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score3.323.143.012.802.883.074.354.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry15%10%6%2%6%8%29%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged29.727.928.928.030.033.1
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged45.442.141.842.540.041.8
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers24.122.923.616.722.5
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers51.345.258.849.449.2

Subjects

Results came out for 18 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

Art and Design72%grades 9 to 5, England 58% · 770th of 2,818 schools

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Social Studies (11% here, 54% across England), Design & Technology (16% here, 50% across England), Geography (29% here, 51% across England), Mathematics (32% here, 53% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, computer science.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics144 entries · 9th of 9 in Torbay
32%England 53%
English Language144 entries · 6th of 9 in Torbay
41%England 54%
English Literature140 entries · 6th of 9 in Torbay
49%England 58%
Religious Studies140 entries · 5th of 6 in Torbay
46%England 60%
Combined Science128 entries · 6th of 9 in Torbay
34%England 36%
Geography73 entries · 7th of 9 in Torbay
29%England 51%
History52 entries · 5th of 9 in Torbay
46%England 52%
French31 entries · 3rd of 4 in Torbay
52%England 60%
Social Studies27 entries · 3rd of 3 in Torbay
11%England 54%
Media / Film / TV26 entries · 2nd of 2 in Torbay
46%England 55%
Design & Technology25 entries · 6th of 6 in Torbay
16%England 50%
Art and Design25 entries · 6th of 8 in Torbay
72%England 58%
47%England 56%
56%England 52%
Physics13 entries
85%England 82%
Chemistry13 entries
77%England 81%
Biology13 entries
92%England 82%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics1449%32%61%53%2,895 of 3,211
English Language1448%41%56%54%2,491 of 3,210
English Literature14010%49%62%58%2,090 of 3,202
Religious Studies14016%46%57%60%1,449 of 1,825
Combined Science1286%34%48%36%1,592 of 3,084
Geography736%29%44%51%2,667 of 3,116
History5212%46%56%52%1,856 of 3,126
French3113%52%71%60%1,335 of 1,974
Social Studies274%11%33%54%1,029 of 1,043
Media / Film / TV264%46%65%55%385 of 580
Design & Technology254%16%28%50%1,361 of 1,478
Art and Design2528%72%96%58%770 of 2,818
Computer Science1911%47%68%56%
Food Preparation & Nutrition186%56%78%52%
Physics138%85%100%82%
Chemistry1315%77%100%81%
Biology1331%92%100%82%
Other Modern Languages60%0%0%49%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

66 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeC28.9 points per entry
A level progress+0.03Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
Stayed and finished40%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students66566250121143
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry28.8626.0027.1630.5627.6426.70
Average A level gradeCC-C-CC-C-
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS25.1928.3326.4727.6426.73
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects0%0%0%4%2%
A level progressA level value added+0.03-0.05-0.28+0.01
Applied general courses: points per entry34.2533.2832.9638.33
T levels: points per entry32.78
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed40%77%78%77%68%93%

A level subjects

2 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsMedia / Film / TV Studies9Mathematics6
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Media / Film / TV Studies9 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
22%England 46%
Mathematics6 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
17%England 60%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
29.745.4
Gap 15.7England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
11%35%
Gap 24 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
38.041.5
Gap 3.5England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test. As a Roman Catholic/Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places983 pupils for 1,235 places, 2024/25
80% full

252 places were empty (20% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 3% since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (194 offers for 195 places). 80 families put it down as their first choice and 79 of them got in (99%).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeFirst choices who got inHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Secondary1958022319499%all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll1,001Census January 2026
Places1,11590% full
Pupils from low-income families40%41% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English16%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%171 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%22 pupils with a plan
Average class size23.342 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils10%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)41%£414,700 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls494 / 507
White British pupils75%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (81), Specific learning difficulty (30), Moderate learning difficulty (25), language and communications needs (25), Autistic spectrum disorder (22), Other difficulty or disability (5).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,0019921,0211,030955916
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals40%39%40%38%35%30%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language16%15%13%10%6%6%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support14%16%16%21%20%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%2%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 88.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance88.6%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school31.4%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils73.72024/25, 4 permanent exclusions
Missed without permission5.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence11.4%15.8%14.9%15.6%8.1%8.3%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence6.2%8.9%9.4%10.6%5.1%5.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence5.3%6.9%5.5%4.9%3.0%2.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence31.4%39.1%43.2%50.8%25.2%25.7%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate73.7114.570.639.624.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions4915105

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 144 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training89%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 89%, compared with 89% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training89%87%91%92%
Education88%82%86%90%
Apprenticeship0%2%2%2%
Work1%4%3%0%
Not in education, work or training8%10%5%7%

After sixth form

Where the 58 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training85%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 82%, compared with 85% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training63%England 72%
Top-third universities3%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship2%England 6%
Higher technical course3%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 67% went on to degree-level study or training.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training85%76%78%
Education53%36%44%
Apprenticeship2%7%8%3%
Work29%33%27%
Not in education, work or training10%17%9%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers61.8full-time equivalent, 66 people
Pupils per teacher16.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers99%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants22.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£54,126
Teachers who left in the year7%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.92024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£8,630England £8,524. Total £8.6m
Income per pupil£8,714England £8,454. Total £8.6m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,518England £4,610
Money in reserve6%Not much put by: £527k, £531 per pupil. England 5%
Money in against money out+£83kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£8,630spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m36612 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate78 per 1,000 people14% lower than the England average
Typical house price£250,000Torbay
Nearest bus stop110 mCuthbert Mayne School, 16 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Torquay AcademyAcademy880 m1,472Not inspected60Compare
The Spires CollegeFoundation0.7 miles1,154Good 202249Compare
Torquay Girls' Grammar SchoolAcademy (grammar)1.1 miles1,058Outstanding 202395Compare
Torquay Boys' Grammar SchoolAcademy (grammar)1.2 miles1,087Report card 202691Compare
Paignton AcademyAcademy4.4 miles1,568No overall grade 20248Compare
South Devon UTCUniversity technical college4.7 miles184Report card 20268Compare
Teignmouth Community School, Exeter RoadAcademy4.9 miles748No overall grade 202422Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Cuthbert Mayne School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats34%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 18 is 16 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 4 · middle 34 · highest 77100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Cuthbert Mayne School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
The Spires CollegeFoundation0.7 miles1,154Good 202249Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 18 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 18% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 13 to 24. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%below
-0.19
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 149 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.02
Ofsted grade, 1.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.26
DfE progress measure; 149 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.08
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.13
2024/25; 993 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.11
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 149 pupils
What pupils do next5%below
-0.03
144 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is St Cuthbert Mayne School a good school?

The figures are weak. St Cuthbert Mayne School scores 18 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 34% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 13 to 24, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Cuthbert Mayne School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Cuthbert Mayne School not judged at its last full inspection on 23 April 2025.

How good are St Cuthbert Mayne School's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 26% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 39.7, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does St Cuthbert Mayne School have?

1,001 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,115 places, so it is 90% full.

Is St Cuthbert Mayne School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 252 places were empty in 2024/25 (20% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St Cuthbert Mayne School?

Pupils were in school 88.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 31% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Cuthbert Mayne School?

The average class had 23.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 10% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does St Cuthbert Mayne School have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C. 2 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Trumlands Road, Torquay, TQ1 4RN
Telephone
01803 328725
Website
www.st-cuthbertmayne.co.uk
Headteacher
Mr James Down
Type of school
Roman Catholic/Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic/Church of England, Diocese of Exeter
Local authority
Torbay
Ward
St Marychurch
Constituency
Torbay
Setting
Urban: Further from a major town or city
URN
113551 · LAESTAB 8804601 · UKPRN 10006143

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from