Admissions

See Our Prospectus

If you would like to apply for a place at Paignton Academy we would be delighted to hear from you.

We know how important choosing the right secondary school is for every parent and child and we strongly feel that the most important aspect about choosing a secondary school is meeting the students and the wider teaching staff.

We have a very successful and unique structure with our students being based across two smaller sites. We always welcome half of our incoming Year 7 students to the Borough Road site and half to the Waterleat Road site. The students remain on these sites for the duration of their five years. We are one school, spread across two sites.

How to Apply

September 2025/26 Admissions

For information pertaining to applying to Paignton Academy for a school place for your child, please use the Torbay Council online admissions form.

Paignton Academy follows Torbay Council’s admissions policies and procedures.
Parents wishing to apply for a place should first click HERE. 

Copies of the admissions policies, information for parents, application forms and other information can be found at the Torbay Council Website.

In Year Admissions

For students changing or moving school in-year (i.e. not at the start of Year 7) it can be a socially and academically challenging time.  The purpose of the Admissions and New Student Support team is to assist young people who start in-year at the Academy and who may need help to settle in. 

What we do…

As the largest school in Torbay, it is not unusual for 80-90 students to join us at the Academy every year. To make sure the transition is as smooth as possible, we have established procedures in place. These include holding initial admission meetings; liaising with previous schools; organising the most appropriate sets for the students; arranging their timetables and the site they will attend.  The Academy has twin sites at Borough Road and Waterleat Road, with approximately 720 Years 7 to 11 students on each site. 

There are currently two members of staff in the department. We deal not only with the administration involved in joining the Academy but can also provide pastoral support during the first few weeks after starting. Our prime focus is to be inclusive and to ensure our new students are able to integrate successfully into the Academy and all it has to offer.

If you are considering moving your child to Paignton Academy please contact Admissions at Torbay Council on 01803 208908 or go to www.torbay.gov.uk to make an application.

Once an application has been processed by the Local Authority, all In Year Admissions will be assisted by our Admissions/ New Student Support Team.

If you would like to contact us prior to making an application email us at admissions@paigntonacademy.tsat.uk or call 01803 403705 for Admissions/New Student Support.

Please note – In-Year applications for students with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) should speak to and apply through the SEN department at the Local Authority on 01803 208274

Useful Documents:

Admission Arrangements 2024/25