Bodmin College
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,236 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.0
Academy converter
Helston Community College
- Pupils on roll
- 1,297of 1,712 places
- Free school meals
- 20.6%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 214
- Ofsted
- Good, 9 November 2022Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Helston Community College (URN 112043, until 1 February 2017).
What the data says
Of the 209 pupils who finished Year 11 at Helston Community College in 2023, 40% stayed on in Helston Community College’s own sixth form (Cornwall average 15%), 37% went to a further education college and 8% started an apprenticeship.
Food Preparation and Nutrition is unusually popular at GCSE: 31% of the year group took it, against 8% of pupils across England.
Apprenticeships are a real route from here: 8% of leavers started one, roughly twice the England figure of 3%.
Among the 96 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 29% went to university (Cornwall 24%, England 37%), and 19% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Cornwall and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Helston Community College | Cornwall | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 209 | 5,628 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 91% | 91% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 78% | 81% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 40% | 15% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | 11% | 13% |
| — further education college | 37% | 54% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 8% | 5% | 3% |
| Employment | 4% | 5% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 8% | 7% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 1% | 2% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Helston Community College | Cornwall | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 96 | 5,169 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 83% | 78% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 29% | 24% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 19% | 14% | 19% |
| Further education | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 9% | 7% |
| Employment | 45% | 38% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 11% | 18% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Helston Community College | Cornwall | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 43.6 | 45.2 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 47% | 43% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 63% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 17% | 28% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.68 | 3.89 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 20% | 23% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 33.5 | 33.0 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 46.2 | 48.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 1% | 3% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 214 | 100% | 88% | 14% | 22% | 68% |
| English Language | 214 | 100% | 89% | 14% | 20% | 67% |
| English Literature | 207 | 97% | 86% | 7% | 21% | 67% |
| Combined Science | 155 | 72% | 65% | 2% | 9% | 49% |
| Geography | 95 | 44% | 41% | 13% | 25% | 65% |
| History | 93 | 43% | 41% | 17% | 26% | 57% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 67 | 31% | 8% | 15% | 21% | 78% |
| Business Studies | 57 | 27% | 18% | 5% | 20% | 56% |
| Biology | 54 | 25% | 23% | 35% | 45% | 93% |
| Physics | 53 | 25% | 23% | 36% | 46% | 96% |
| Chemistry | 53 | 25% | 23% | 42% | 47% | 96% |
| Art and Design | 52 | 24% | 7% | 6% | 24% | 63% |
| Design and Technology | 46 | 21% | 11% | 0% | 23% | 61% |
| Spanish | 30 | 14% | 19% | 30% | 27% | 73% |
| French | 12 | 6% | 18% | 42% | 29% | 92% |
| Computer Science | 11 | 5% | 13% | 0% | 30% | 55% |
| Drama | 10 | 5% | 7% | 20% | 27% | 50% |
| Music | 9 | 4% | 5% | 67% | 33% | 89% |
| Italian | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| Photography | 1 | 0% | 6% | — | 19% | — |
| Religious Studies | 1 | 0% | 31% | — | 32% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports / Movement Science | 62 | 100% | — |
| Building / Construction Operations (General / Combined) | 51 | 85% | — |
| Health Studies | 30 | 50% | — |
| Tourism | 24 | 40% | — |
| Multimedia | 22 | 37% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 11 | 18% | — |
| Beauty Care / Services | 6 | 10% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Helston Community College | Cornwall | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 187 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 60 | 1,724 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 33.21 | 34.99 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 25% | 15% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 18 | 30% | 31% |
| Physics | 17 | 28% | 12% |
| Chemistry | 17 | 28% | 17% |
| Biology | 15 | 25% | 20% |
| English Language and Literature | 13 | 22% | 2% |
| Geography | 9 | 15% | 10% |
| D and T Engineering | 8 | 13% | 0% |
| History | 7 | 12% | 13% |
| Geology | 6 | 10% | 0% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Media Studies | — | — | 4% |
| Music | — | — | 0% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 20 | 33% | — |
| Medical Science | VRQ Level 3 | 12 | 20% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 12 | 20% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | 9 | 15% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 8 | 13% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 8 | 13% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 10% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma at Level 3 | 6 | 10% | — |
| Art and Design | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
| Tourism | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Music performance: Group | VRQ Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Psychology | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Geology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Geology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Nutrition / Diet | VRQ Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Mathematics (Numeracy) | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Cornwall
Brannel School
Academy sponsor led · 888 pupils
72% stayed in education · Attainment 8 41.6
Budehaven Community School
Foundation school · sixth form · 1,145 pupils
77% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.4
Callington Community College
Academy converter · sixth form · 887 pupils
75% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.0
Camborne Science and International Academy
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,751 pupils
80% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.7
Cape Cornwall School
Academy sponsor led · 302 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 38.4
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.