Shebbear College
School summary
Founded in 1841, Shebbear College is a small Methodist boarding and day school set in rural Devon, taking pupils from age 4 right through to 18. With around 250 pupils and a pupil-to-teacher ratio of roughly nine, classes are intimate and pupils are well known to staff. The Independent Schools Inspectorate rated the school 'excellent' for both education and personal development, with all compliance requirements met. A notably high proportion of pupils receive SEN support, suggesting a community comfortable with individual needs being met.
Where every mark matters.
Places are limited and demand is high, so exam performance is what sets candidates apart. Passmate turns the months ahead into ten focused minutes a day on the exact topics this school tests.
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Latest results
GCSE grade 9-7
25%
National average 23%
A-level A*-A
25%
National average 28%
A-level A*-B
45%
National average 55%
Inspection reports
- ISI rating
- excellent
- ISI personal development
- excellent
- Last inspected
- 12 November 2024
Teaching & academics
Results sit a touch above the national average at GCSE, with 25% of grades at 9-7 against a national figure of 23%. At A-level the picture is more modest, with 25% of grades at A*-A and 45% at A*-B, both below national averages, so the small sixth form of 34 is best viewed as a supportive rather than hot-housing environment. The curriculum spans GCSE, A-level and BTEC, with psychology, geography and English literature popular at the top end, and the sciences and humanities well represented earlier on.
Languages
GCSE subjects
Head · Mr Charlie Jenkins
Sixth form
- Sixth-form pupils
- 34
Popular A-level subjects
Qualifications offered
Beyond the classroom
Sport is a clear strength, with football, rugby, netball, hockey, cricket and athletics all on offer. Scholarships across academics, art, music, sport, drama and performing arts point to a breadth of opportunity for pupils with particular talents. French and Spanish are taught for those keen on languages.
Main sports
School life & ethos
- Founded
- 1841
- Religious character
- Methodist
- Boarding
- Yes
- SEN support
- 24.17%
- EHC plans
- 1.67%
Mobile phone policy
Forms 1-3 and prep: phones handed in at registration, returned at 4:30pm. Form 4: phones stored in lockers during day. Form 5: phones kept but only used at break and lunch. Sixth form: phones kept but only used in sixth form centre.
Fees & bursaries
- Day fees (per year)
- £7,869 - £19,653
- Boarding fees (per year)
- £27,306 - £40,875
Some means-tested bursaries offered
Schools nearby
Kingsley School
Bideford, South West
Kingsley School Devon
Bideford, South West
Acorn School
Winkleigh, South West
Highgate Hill House School
Holsworthy, South West
On Track Education Barnstaple
Barnstaple, South West
On Track Education Services Ltd
Barnstaple, South West
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Answer as a child would. Left: what they see. Right: what it learns about them.
A small, nurturing Methodist school where every child is known and individual needs are taken seriously. Strong on personal development and sport, with day and boarding options for families wanting a close-knit setting in rural Devon.
That’s where Passmate comes in. Tutoring is the most effective thing in a child’s preparation - a well-tutored child can outperform the vast majority of their peers. Passmate works alongside your tutor, not instead of them: it learns how your child thinks, finds the gaps, and shows the tutor exactly where to spend each session - so the limited time you have lands on what actually decides a place.
Works alongside your child’s tutor - not instead of them.
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Shebbear College 11+: frequently asked questions
Compiled from public data. Last checked 5 June 2026.