Clyst Vale Community College is a mainstream secondary school in Exeter, Devon, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 186 of its 944 pupils (19.7%) were getting SEN support and 63 (6.7%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 944 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Devon.
19.7% get SEN support
186 of 944 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Higher than the England average.
6.7% have an EHC plan
63 of 944 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health63
- Speech, language and communication53
- Autism48
- Moderate learning difficulty35
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia27
- Hearing impairment9
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 944 (places for 1,124)
- Headteacher
- Ms Sara Jacobs
- Part of
- Blackdown Education Partnership
- Free school meals
- 22.8% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Devon
- School reference (URN)
- 136638
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Devon council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, December 2022
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in December 2022.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Station Road, Broadclyst, Exeter, EX5 3AJ
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Ellen Tinkham School Special school · Ages 3–19 · Ofsted: Good 2.3 miles
- St Luke's Church of England School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 2.4 miles
- Vranch House School Independent · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 3.0 miles
- Wynstream Primary School Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 4.3 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Broadclyst Community Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 15.6%, EHC plans 1.5% 0.6 miles
- St Martin's CofE Primary & Nursery School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 14.5%, EHC plans 5.9% 1.4 miles
- Westclyst Community Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 14.5%, EHC plans 2.5% 1.4 miles
Questions about Clyst Vale Community College
How many pupils at Clyst Vale Community College have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 186 of the 944 pupils (19.7%) were getting SEN support and 63 (6.7%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Clyst Vale Community College?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (63 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (53 pupils) and autism (48 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Clyst Vale Community College?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Clyst Vale Community College?
Through Devon council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Clyst Vale Community College?
You can ask for Clyst Vale Community College to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Clyst Vale Community College have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is St Luke's Church of England School, about 2.4 miles away.
Where is Clyst Vale Community College?
Station Road, Broadclyst, Exeter, EX5 3AJ, in Devon.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.