Until 31 March 2011, Hele’s was a community school funded by the Local Education Authority (LEA), which is Plymouth City Council.

[1] The school has a voluntary Combined Cadet Force with Navy, Army and RAF sections.

Cadets in the CCF are given the option to take part in the annual Ten Tors Challenge on Dartmoor.

In September 2000, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) designated the school as a specialist Language College.

The Governors of Hele's School consulted with parents and unanimously voted to apply to become an Academy, effective from 1 April 2011.