The Spires CollegeTorquay Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Torquay.
Summary of the comparison
The Spires College and Torquay Academy are secondary schools in Torquay.
The Spires College scores 55 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Torquay Academy scores 57 out of 100 (grade C, average). Torquay Academy is ahead on our composite score.
The Spires College was judged Good and Torquay Academy was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 45.1 for The Spires College and 48.7 for Torquay Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at The Spires College (44.9 in 2021-22, 45.1 in 2025-26) and has held broadly level at Torquay Academy (48.2 in 2021-22, 48.7 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | TorquayThe Spires College | TorquayTorquay Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C55/100 | C57/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 5th of 8 in Torbay | 4th of 8 in Torbay Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Foundation school | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,154 | 1,472 | |
| Capacity | 1,304 | 1,400 | |
| Location | Torquay, TQ1 3PE | Torquay, TQ2 7NU | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 45.1 | 48.7 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 45.7% | 53.5% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 66.3% | 72.6% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 199 | 241 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 40 | 65 | |
| A-level average points | 28.0 | 32.2 Stronger figure | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C- | C+ | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 31.5 | 32.0 Stronger figure | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 10.0% | 14.6% Stronger figure | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,131 | 1,453 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 30.8% | 31.3% | |
| English as an additional language | 6.9% | 7.1% | |
| SEN support | 20.0% | 6.3% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 5.5% | 3.4% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 8.6% Stronger figure | 10.0% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 23.9% Stronger figure | 26.3% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
A-level average points
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
The Spires College
Torquay Academy
Full profiles: The Spires College · Torquay Academy