Growing numbers at the all-age village school necessitated the building of a secondary school in Ivybridge. This was part of the reorganisation of education in Devon, which saw the phasing out of all-age schools.
The first meeting of the new school’s governors was held at Ivybridge County Primary School on 19 June 1957. Work on the new school began in the same year.
Ivybridge Secondary Modern School was officially opened on Friday 11th July, 1958 by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Sir Edward Boyle, who planted a commemorative tree near the school flagstaff. Mr K. A. Baker was the Headmaster.