OFSTED
27 January 2026
Latest inspection
Latest published outcome
Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum & teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Attendance & behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development
Expected standard
Leadership & governance
Expected standard
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
22 September 2021
Graded inspection
Good
Published
21 October 2021
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Gloucestershire
Trust
THE ATHELSTAN TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
816
816 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
405
49.6% of pupils
Male pupils
411
50.4% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
9.3 pts
above England
School
34.1%
Forest of Dean
22.1%
South West
20.1%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
16.3 pts
below England
School
4.0%
Forest of Dean
5.1%
South West
10.7%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.3 pts
above England
School
2.3%
Forest of Dean
1.0%
South West
1.5%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
91.7%
748
Any other White background
2.2%
18
African
1.6%
13
White and Asian
0.9%
7
Any other Mixed background
0.7%
6
White and Black Caribbean
0.7%
6
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
25.4%
207 of
816 pupils
4.5 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
4.5 pts
above
England
6.0%
0.1 pts
above
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
43.1
3.9 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.02 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
8.30%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
2.08 pts
higher than
England
School
8.30%
Forest of Dean
6.05%
South West
6.20%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
24.90%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
9.09 pts
higher than
England
School
24.90%
Forest of Dean
15.81%
South West
15.08%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
2.85%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
1.05 pts
higher than
England
School
2.85%
Forest of Dean
1.14%
South West
1.90%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
74.5%
17.8 pts
below England
The Dean Academy
74.5%
Forest of Dean
95.4%
South West
88.7%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.