Skip to content
A free, independent guide for parents - updated each admissions cycle. 26,506 schools · England & Wales
catchment.school

Schools in Ilfracombe

Reviewed by the catchment.school editorial team · Last updated 15 March 2026

Ilfracombe is a coastal resort town on the North Devon coast, served by 6 schools coordinated by Devon County Council. The town's secondary school, Ilfracombe Academy, provides 11-18 education for pupils from the town and surrounding villages including Combe Martin and Berrynarbor.

Devon County Council applies a nearest-school tiebreaker for oversubscribed community schools after siblings and looked-after children. Rural schools in the Ilfracombe area are rarely as competitive as those in Exeter or Plymouth, but demand can increase seasonally as families relocate to the area.

Families new to the Ilfracombe area should register with Devon County Council's admissions service as soon as possible, particularly for in-year transfers where place availability may be limited. Free home-to-school transport is available for eligible pupils living beyond the statutory walking distance.

Primary Schools in Ilfracombe (5)

Secondary Schools in Ilfracombe (1)

Catchment area boundaries for schools in Ilfracombe are set by Devon and updated each year. The "last distance offered", how far the furthest successful applicant lived, changes annually based on the number of applications received.

Get admissions updates by email

Join parents who get catchment boundary changes and key admissions dates - free, once per term.

No spam. Unsubscribe any time.