Headteacher’s Welcome
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Coombeshead Academy, a proud member of Education South West and a school at the heart of Newton Abbot, committed to helping every student flourish. Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make, and I want to reassure you that at Coombeshead we are dedicated to caring for, challenging, and inspiring every young person who joins our community.
At Coombeshead, our mission is clear: “Together We Grow, Together We Achieve.” We live this daily through our values – Belong. Believe. Become. – and through the simple expectations of the Coombeshead Way: Turn up and be ready. Work hard. Be nice. These principles guide every part of school life and help ensure that our students thrive both academically and personally.
We are proud of the strong foundations that define us:
- Great Teaching – Our students benefit from exceptional teachers and a broad, ambitious curriculum. Every lesson is designed to challenge, inspire, and support, enabling young people to achieve their very best. The quality of teaching and learning at Coombeshead is a strength we are immensely proud of, and it is a key reason why we are now one of the highest-achieving schools in the area.
- Routines and High Expectations – Our systems create a safe, purposeful, and focused environment where every student can thrive. With consistency, respect, and encouragement, we maximise learning time and build positive habits that prepare students for life beyond school.
- Enrichment and Opportunity – Life at Coombeshead extends far beyond the classroom. Students have access to an extensive range of opportunities including sport, music, drama, and the school show, as well as clubs such as science, art, and debate. We are proud of our leadership pathways too, with roles such as school council representatives, tour guides, reading buddies, and anti-bullying ambassadors. Regular trips and visits – from local experiences to national and international travel – broaden horizons and create memories that last a lifetime.
Our commitment goes beyond academic achievement. We are passionate about nurturing the whole child: helping students to grow in confidence, resilience, and independence while learning the importance of teamwork, respect, and community. That’s why we invest in innovative strategies such as Lesson 6, where Year 11 students stay for an additional hour of tailored teaching and support every day to prepare them fully for their GCSEs. This, alongside our outstanding curriculum and dedicated staff, ensures that every child has the support they need to succeed.
Our values of Belong, Believe, Become are at the heart of this journey:
- Belong – Every student is part of Team Coombeshead. From the moment they arrive, they are welcomed into a supportive community where friendships are built, differences are celebrated, and no one is left behind.
- Believe – We encourage every student to know “you can achieve!” Our staff nurture confidence and resilience, so that students learn to persevere, take risks, and believe in their own potential.
- Become – We inspire ambition. Whether a student dreams of university, a particular career, success in sport, or pursuing the arts, we want them to become the best version of themselves, leaving us with the skills, qualifications, and self-belief to take the next step with pride.
As a member of Education South West, we benefit from the expertise and collaboration of a family of schools while retaining our unique identity and close connection to the Newton Abbot community. This combination ensures that our students receive both the personalised support of a local school and the wider opportunities that come from being part of a forward-thinking trust.
At Coombeshead Academy, you will find a welcoming and inclusive environment where every child is cared for as an individual, challenged to be their best, and celebrated for who they are. We look forward to working in partnership with you to ensure your child grows into a confident, well-educated, and well-rounded young person, fully prepared for the exciting opportunities ahead.
Helen Coulson
Headteacher
Coombeshead Academy
Latest News
View all✨Our weekly round-up is early as there is so much going on at Coombeshead Academy! See what our amazing students have been up to, below✨
🤩Top row: our Year 7 students were selected as part of our final term of celebrating success. Rather than their normal timetabled lesson, a select students who have shown excellent success this academic year took part in a pool party! Congratulations to our Year 7 cohort on a very successful year!🤩
🤩A taster of our incredible sports days: a more in-depth post will be coming out early next week so watch this post but I could not resist sharing at least one!🤩
🤩‘Shrek the Musical’ has been absolutely sensational and so incredibly received: we are filled with pride at the depth our students have gone to make the show such a success! There is still a little bit more time to get last minute tickets to tonight’s final extravaganza!🤩
🤩The year 12 Maths students spent the day at Plymouth University on Tuesday. The aim of the day was to give students ideas as to how they could use their A level in maths in future careers. The first session was all about fluid engineering. Students worked with Pelton Turbines, which are used in hydro power. The aim of their experiment was to adjust the water flow rate into the turbine to reach the optimal ratio, where minimal energy is being wasted but there is still enough force to power the turbine. Session 2 was focused on learning how to use micro-bit to programme autonomous vehicles to travel around a race track, and session 3 was a carousel of Maths problems, with each group having to solve as many of the problems as they could in the allocated time, with Coombeshead solving 9 of them. The students all had a great time, and the sessions helped them all to decide exactly what they want to apply to study at University next year.🤩
🤩Finally, a special shout-out to Year 8 Diversity Ambassador for his outstanding commitment to promoting diversity in school. He has come up with the ambitious idea of contacting the embassies of all the countries represented at Coombeshead Academy (over 40 of them!) to collect their national flags and celebrate the global diversity within our school community. During the May half-term, he even travelled to London to support his project and was invited to have tea at the Philippine Embassy! What a fantastic example of initiative and cultural awareness. Well done! 👏🌍
✨Our weekly round-up is early as there is so much going on at Coombeshead Academy! See what our amazing students have been up to, below✨ 🤩Top row: our Year 7 students were selected as part of our final term of celebrating success. Rather than their normal timetabled lesson, a select students who have shown excellent success this academic year took part in a pool party! Congratulations to our Year 7 cohort on a very successful year!🤩 🤩A taster of our incredible sports days: a more in-depth post will be coming out early next week so watch this post but I could not resist sharing at least one!🤩 🤩‘Shrek the Musical’ has been absolutely sensational and so incredibly received: we are filled with pride at the depth our students have gone to make the show such a success! There is still a little bit more time to get last minute tickets to tonight’s final extravaganza!🤩 🤩The year 12 Maths students spent the day at Plymouth University on Tuesday. The aim of the day was to give students ideas as to how they could use their A level in maths in future careers. The first session was all about fluid engineering. Students worked with Pelton Turbines, which are used in hydro power. The aim of their experiment was to adjust the water flow rate into the turbine to reach the optimal ratio, where minimal energy is being wasted but there is still enough force to power the turbine. Session 2 was focused on learning how to use micro-bit to programme autonomous vehicles to travel around a race track, and session 3 was a carousel of Maths problems, with each group having to solve as many of the problems as they could in the allocated time, with Coombeshead solving 9 of them. The students all had a great time, and the sessions helped them all to decide exactly what they want to apply to study at University next year.🤩 🤩Finally, a special shout-out to Year 8 Diversity Ambassador for his outstanding commitment to promoting diversity in school. He has come up with the ambitious idea of contacting the embassies of all the countries represented at Coombeshead Academy (over 40 of them!) to collect their national flags and celebrate the global diversity within our school community. During the May half-term, he even travelled to London to support his project and was invited to have tea at the Philippine Embassy! What a fantastic example of initiative and cultural awareness. Well done! 👏🌍
🌟 Our Coombeshead Students Shine in Student-led Q&A Activity! 🌟
A selection of our lovely students recently took the reins of our social media and ran their very own Q&A activity in which they reflected on their experiences here at Coombeshead. They worked hard together to create thoughtful questions and provide well-reasoned answers whilst also leading how they wanted it to be filmed. They are really keen to do a follow up video and would love to know what you would like to see next? A day in the life of a student, perhaps? Let us know in the comments!
It was fantastic to see such enthusiasm, creativity, and teamwork throughout making this video and I’d like to say a big well done for their excellent effort, confidence, and participation: we're proud of the authenticity and determination you continue to show every day! 👏📚
🌟 Our Coombeshead Students Shine in Student-led Q&A Activity! 🌟 A selection of our lovely students recently took the reins of our social media and ran their very own Q&A activity in which they reflected on their experiences here at Coombeshead. They worked hard together to create thoughtful questions and provide well-reasoned answers whilst also leading how they wanted it to be filmed. They are really keen to do a follow up video and would love to know what you would like to see next? A day in the life of a student, perhaps? Let us know in the comments! It was fantastic to see such enthusiasm, creativity, and teamwork throughout making this video and I’d like to say a big well done for their excellent effort, confidence, and participation: we're proud of the authenticity and determination you continue to show every day! 👏📚
A little Coombeshead Weekly round-up
From left to right:
✨ A little sneak peek... ✨ Year 11 Prom night was full of unforgettable moments – including a helicopter landing 🚁- and we couldn't resist sharing this little teaser! 💃🕺Here's a first glimpse of an amazing evening filled with laughter, glamour, and memories that will last a lifetime. The full gallery is coming at the beginning of next week, so keep an eye on this page! 📸
Simon building his skill set in Music and Technology with The Community Exe programme: a University of Exeter initiative designed to support teenage boys to help them achieve future goals and leave school with the necessary skills to become an Exeter scholar.
Our wonderful student leaders showcasing and valuing the diverse backgrounds and identities represented within our school community. Celebrating diversity is about encouraging a positive and inclusive school culture and environment, where we feel that we all belong, and ensuring that all students are equipped to live in a diverse and globalised society.
This June, our library is celebrating Pride Month by highlighting a fantastic collection of books that celebrate diversity, identity, acceptance and belonging. Stories have the power to help us understand different experiences and inspire empathy: both incredible traits. Pop into the library to explore our Pride Month display, borrow a book, and celebrate the importance of kindness and just being yourself.
What better way to cool off after a hot day and week than with an ice lolly☀️We hope everyone is keeping safe, staying hydrated, and finding ways to beat the heat! Our wonderful students and staff have shown such resilience this week☀️
A little Coombeshead Weekly round-up From left to right: ✨ A little sneak peek... ✨ Year 11 Prom night was full of unforgettable moments – including a helicopter landing 🚁- and we couldn't resist sharing this little teaser! 💃🕺Here's a first glimpse of an amazing evening filled with laughter, glamour, and memories that will last a lifetime. The full gallery is coming at the beginning of next week, so keep an eye on this page! 📸 Simon building his skill set in Music and Technology with The Community Exe programme: a University of Exeter initiative designed to support teenage boys to help them achieve future goals and leave school with the necessary skills to become an Exeter scholar. Our wonderful student leaders showcasing and valuing the diverse backgrounds and identities represented within our school community. Celebrating diversity is about encouraging a positive and inclusive school culture and environment, where we feel that we all belong, and ensuring that all students are equipped to live in a diverse and globalised society. This June, our library is celebrating Pride Month by highlighting a fantastic collection of books that celebrate diversity, identity, acceptance and belonging. Stories have the power to help us understand different experiences and inspire empathy: both incredible traits. Pop into the library to explore our Pride Month display, borrow a book, and celebrate the importance of kindness and just being yourself. What better way to cool off after a hot day and week than with an ice lolly☀️We hope everyone is keeping safe, staying hydrated, and finding ways to beat the heat! Our wonderful students and staff have shown such resilience this week☀️
A MASSIVE congratulations to all the students who were recognised at this year's Coombeshead Academy Awards Ceremony! 🌟 Your hard work, dedication, and achievements have truly paid off and we are SO proud of everything you have accomplished. We look forward to seeing all that you achieve in the future and just want to say thank you to the staff, families, and supporters who have encouraged them along the way. 🎉👏
A MASSIVE congratulations to all the students who were recognised at this year's Coombeshead Academy Awards Ceremony! 🌟 Your hard work, dedication, and achievements have truly paid off and we are SO proud of everything you have accomplished. We look forward to seeing all that you achieve in the future and just want to say thank you to the staff, families, and supporters who have encouraged them along the way. 🎉👏
Yesterday, we said goodbye to our wonderful year 11s on the grass with a BBQ and shirt-signing. We hope they have a well-deserved break over summer, and cannot wait to catch up at prom (25th June) and celebrate on Results Day (20th August)!