Schools in Torquay
Torquay is the largest town in the Torbay unitary authority, with 28 schools - 17 primaries and 5 secondaries. Torbay Council co-ordinates admissions and publishes catchment areas that reflect the town's hilly geography, with several distinct residential areas including Chelston, Babbacombe, and St Marychurch. Schools in the Torbay area serve a mixed population, and the authority has faced some pressure on school places due to changes in pupil numbers.
Torquay's secondary schools include Torquay Boys' Grammar School and Torquay Girls' Grammar School, both selective schools drawing from across Torbay and South Devon. Non-selective secondaries include The Spires College and St Cuthbert Mayne School (Catholic). Families should register for the Torbay grammar test in year 5 if considering selective education; grammar school applications are submitted separately from the main co-ordinated round.
School demand in Torquay
Across the 27 schools in Torquay with published capacity data, the average fill rate is 89%. 6 of them are currently at or above their published admission number, and at those schools catchment distance is likely to decide places at the next intake.
10 schools in Torquay have a religious character, so faith criteria sit alongside catchment distance in their admissions policies.
19 of the schools in Torquay are academies that set their own admissions criteria independently of Torbay, so check each school's policy directly rather than assuming the council default applies.
11 of the schools in Torquay have a current Ofsted rating, of which 11 are rated Good or Outstanding. Demand and catchment distance tend to be tightest at the highest-rated schools.
Primary schools in Torquay: 3 oversubscribed (17)
Homelands Primary School
Primary · Community school
Torquay · TQ1 4NT
Watcombe Primary School
Primary · Community school
Torquay · TQ2 8NU
Sherwell Valley Primary School
Primary · Community school
Torquay · TQ2 6ES
St Margaret's Academy
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ1 4PA
Shiphay Learning Academy
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ2 7NF
Ilsham Church of England Academy
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ1 2JQ
Ellacombe Church of England Academy
Primary · Academy sponsor led
Torquay · TQ1 1TG
Lift Barton Hill
Primary · Academy sponsor led
Torquay · TQ2 8JA
Torre Church of England Academy
Primary · Academy converter
TORQUAY · TQ1 4DN
All Saints Babbacombe CofE Primary School
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ1 3RN
St Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery School
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ1 4QH
Priory Roman Catholic Primary School, Torquay
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ1 4NZ
Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Primary School
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ2 6DB
Preston Primary School
Primary · Academy sponsor led
Torquay · TQ2 6UY
Warberry CofE Academy
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ1 1SB
Upton St James CofE Primary School
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ1 4AZ
Cockington Primary School
Primary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ2 6AP
Secondary Schools in Torquay (5)
The Spires College
Secondary · Foundation school
Torquay · TQ1 3PE
St Cuthbert Mayne School
Secondary · Voluntary aided school
Torquay · TQ1 4RN
Torquay Boys' Grammar School
Secondary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ2 7EL
Torquay Girls' Grammar School
Secondary · Academy converter
Torquay · TQ2 7DY
Torquay Academy
Secondary · Academy sponsor led
Torquay · TQ2 7NU
Other Schools in Torquay (6)
Abbey School
Not applicable · Other independent school
Torquay · TQ1 4PR
Mayfield School
Not applicable · Community special school
Torquay · TQ2 8NH
Combe Pafford School
Not applicable · Academy special converter
Torquay · TQ2 8NL
Eat That Frog C.I.C
Not applicable · Special post 16 institution
Torquay · TQ1 3DG
The Lodestar Academy
Not applicable · Academy alternative provision sponsor led
Torquay · TQ2 8JE
Phoenix Bay School
Not applicable · Other independent special school
Torquay · TQ12 6NQ
Catchment area boundaries for schools in Torquay are set by Torbay and updated each year. The "last distance offered", how far the furthest successful applicant lived, changes annually based on the number of applications received.