Paignton Academy

About Paignton Academy

Paignton Academy is an academy converter in Paignton, Torbay, England, for pupils aged 11–16. It has 1,582 pupils on roll. It is part of THE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST. At GCSE, pupils achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 38.5 (2025/26). 34.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.5% have English as an additional language.

School Information

Local Authority

Torbay →

School Type

Academy converter

Phase

Secondary

Age Range

Ages 11–16

Gender

Mixed

Pupils / Capacity

1,582 / 1,590 (99%)

Sixth Form

Does not have a sixth form

Religious Character

Does not apply

Admissions Policy

Non-selective

Last Ofsted Inspection

3 December 2024

Who attends this school — useful context if you’re considering teaching here.

Source: DfE School Census, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Official Department for Education results, pupil destinations and attendance.

Progress 8 isn’t published for this year group: their Key Stage 2 baseline (2021 SATs) was cancelled during the pandemic, so a progress measure can’t be calculated. GCSE figures are provisional and may be revised.

Source: Department for Education performance tables, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Some independent schools’ qualifications (e.g. IGCSEs) are not all reflected in these figures.

Staffing at this school, with the trend over recent years — useful if you’re considering working here.

Data for the 2024/25 academic year (trend lines show 3 years). Source: DfE School Workforce Census, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. State-funded schools only.

How this school is funded and where the money goes — per pupil.

Source: DfE school finance returns (CFR for council-maintained schools, AAR for academies), 2024-25, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Per-pupil figures are calculated from total income/expenditure.

Contact Details

Address

Waterleat Road, Paignton, Torbay, TQ3 3WA

Phone

01803403005

Head Teacher

Derwyn Williams

Website

http://www.paigntonacademy.org

Academy Trust

Frequently asked questions

What type of school is Paignton Academy?

Paignton Academy is an academy converter in Paignton, Torbay, England, for pupils aged 11–16.

How many pupils does Paignton Academy have?

Paignton Academy has 1,582 pupils on roll, according to Department for Education data.

How does Paignton Academy perform at GCSE?

Pupils at Paignton Academy achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 38.5 in 2025/26.

Is Paignton Academy part of an academy trust?

Yes — Paignton Academy is part of THE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST.

Where is Paignton Academy?

Paignton Academy is located at Waterleat Road, Paignton, Torbay, TQ3 3WA.