School Chooser

Avonbourne Girls Academy

Secondary · ages 11-19MixedAcademy1,160 pupilsSixth formBournemouthBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
School Chooser Score
84
Above
similar schools
Likely range 79 to 89
Out of 100. Better than 96% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, October 2024
Strong pass in English and maths62%England 46%
Attendance92.8%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families24%About the same as most schools in England
Places378 spare1,160 pupils, 1,538 places
Pupils per teacher14.9School workforce census

Avonbourne Girls Academy is a converter academy in Bournemouth for boys and girls aged 11 to 19. It has 1,160 pupils and room for 1,538. About 24 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 84 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 96% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2024, no overall grade.

Harewood Avenue, Bournemouth, BH7 6NY01202 398451avonbourneacademy.org.ukMrs Michelle Dyer principalAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 15 October 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Outstanding
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Outstanding
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
7 June 2023UngradedSchool remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

222 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score53.0
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths62%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths79%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11+0.40In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 46.346.320182019: 44.044.020192022: 59.659.620222023: 52.152.120232024: 48.748.720242025: 53.053.02025
Since 2018: +6.7Declining overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11222186132126176150
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 853.048.752.159.644.046.350.846.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8+0.40+0.75+1.16+0.10+0.23
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths62%60%57%71%34%38%56%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths79%75%76%89%55%61%75%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score4.754.434.685.303.964.164.564.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry51%47%39%34%80%82%43%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged43.035.944.451.038.241.4
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged56.252.755.462.945.848.1
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers32.432.745.423.923.9
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers64.865.374.058.063.2

Subjects

Results came out for 17 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

History80%grades 9 to 5, England 52% · 251st of 3,126 schools
Art and Design83%grades 9 to 5, England 58% · 388th of 2,818 schools
English Literature77%grades 9 to 5, England 58% · 356th of 3,202 schools
English Language72%grades 9 to 5, England 54% · 380th of 3,210 schools

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Music (48% here, 61% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, music.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
English Language221 entries · 6th of 22 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
72%England 54%
English Literature220 entries · 6th of 22 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
77%England 58%
Mathematics220 entries · 9th of 22 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
67%England 53%
Combined Science185 entries · 9th of 19 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
44%England 36%
Geography117 entries · 9th of 22 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
58%England 51%
History111 entries · 5th of 22 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
80%England 52%
French109 entries · 10th of 17 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
69%England 60%
Art and Design80 entries · 6th of 17 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
83%England 58%
Dance52 entries · 2nd of 2 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
60%England 58%
Religious Studies39 entries · 7th of 16 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
77%England 60%
Design & Technology37 entries · 6th of 13 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
62%England 50%
Biology35 entries · 10th of 15 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
91%England 82%
Physics34 entries · 5th of 15 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
97%England 82%
Chemistry33 entries · 6th of 15 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
97%England 81%
Media / Film / TV28 entries · 4th of 5 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
54%England 55%
Other Modern Languages24 entries · 2nd of 2 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
54%England 49%
Music21 entries · 4th of 6 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
48%England 61%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
English Language22135%72%81%54%380 of 3,210
English Literature22043%77%86%58%356 of 3,202
Mathematics22023%67%85%53%531 of 3,211
Combined Science18510%44%68%36%848 of 3,084
Geography11728%58%68%51%930 of 3,116
History11147%80%83%52%251 of 3,126
French10926%69%80%60%759 of 1,974
Art and Design8026%83%94%58%388 of 2,818
Dance5231%60%85%58%45 of 74
Religious Studies3941%77%85%60%412 of 1,825
Design & Technology3714%62%68%50%429 of 1,478
Biology3549%91%97%82%1,014 of 2,570
Physics3438%97%100%82%592 of 2,546
Chemistry3342%97%100%81%597 of 2,537
Media / Film / TV2811%54%68%55%302 of 580
Other Modern Languages2454%54%54%49%287 of 454
Music2114%48%62%61%278 of 395

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

79 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeD+24.6 points per entry
A level progress-0.81Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better0%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished90%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students79202330143182
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry24.5527.7930.7537.7827.3229.44
Average A level gradeD+C-CB-C-C
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS24.0326.2728.6037.8825.8229.65
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects0%0%0%0%3%9%
A level progressA level value added-0.81+0.05+0.11+0.10
Applied general courses: points per entry32.50
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed90%100%83%41%65%60%

A level subjects

17 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsMathematics24Psychology23Biology20English Literature13Chemistry12Business Studies12History11Fine Art10Design and Technology (Product Design)9Geography8Physics8Media / Film / TV Studies7Government and Politics7English Language7Spanish6Religious Studies5Mathematics (Further)5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Mathematics24 entries · 13% A* or A · 67% passed
21%England 60%
Psychology23 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
26%England 46%
Biology20 entries · 5% A* or A · 65% passed
10%England 49%
English Literature13 entries · 0% A* or A · 92% passed
15%England 52%
Chemistry12 entries · 8% A* or A · 83% passed
8%England 53%
Business Studies12 entries · 0% A* or A · 75% passed
0%England 47%
History11 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
27%England 55%
Fine Art10 entries · 30% A* or A · 100% passed
70%England 65%
Design and Technology (Product Design)9 entries · 11% A* or A · 100% passed
22%England 38%
Geography8 entries · 13% A* or A · 88% passed
25%England 51%
Physics8 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
63%England 51%
Media / Film / TV Studies7 entries · 14% A* or A · 100% passed
14%England 46%
Government and Politics7 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
29%England 55%
English Language7 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
29%England 44%
Spanish6 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 59%
Religious Studies5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 50%
Mathematics (Further)5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 76%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
43.056.2
Gap 13.2England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
41%69%
Gap 28 ptsEngland 22 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Open to all. There is no entrance test.

Nearly full1,180 pupils for 1,197 places, 2024/25
99% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have grown by 29% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll1,160Census January 2026
Places1,53875% full
Pupils from low-income families23%24% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English30%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support18%213 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%17 pupils with a plan
Average class size17.160 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils8%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)24%£258,500 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls75 / 1,085
White British pupils54%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (54), Specific learning difficulty (52), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (45), Autistic spectrum disorder (25), language and communications needs (22), Moderate learning difficulty (13).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,1601,1881,1159899161,458
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals23%23%22%23%23%18%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language30%33%32%31%32%21%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support15%15%13%11%11%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%1%0%0%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.8% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance92.8%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school20.2%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils7.22024/25, 4 permanent exclusions
Missed without permission3.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.2%8.6%9.5%8.0%4.7%4.8%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.1%4.8%5.9%5.0%3.1%3.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence3.1%3.8%3.6%2.9%1.6%1.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence20.2%22.6%28.3%22.0%11.4%11.4%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate7.211.014.124.19.5
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions43454

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 132 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training92%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 79%, compared with 97% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training92%94%88%88%
Education86%86%85%87%
Apprenticeship2%3%2%1%
Work4%6%2%1%
Not in education, work or training8%2%9%8%

After sixth form

Where the 19 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training68%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 50%, compared with 77% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training83%England 72%
Top-third universities17%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship0%England 6%
Higher technical course8%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND
Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training68%57%66%
Education63%39%54%
Apprenticeship0%0%0%0%
Work5%17%13%
Not in education, work or training21%4%2%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers77.7full-time equivalent, 84 people
Pupils per teacher14.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers99%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants13.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£54,214
Teachers who left in the year11%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher4.62024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,246England £7,965. Total £8.6m
Income per pupil£7,570England £8,423. Total £9.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,839England £4,444
Money in reserve12%A healthy amount put by: £1.1m, £894 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£386kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,246spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m8012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate78 per 1,000 people15% lower than the England average
Typical house price£335,000Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Nearest bus stop100 mAvonbourne School, 8 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Avonbourne Boys' AcademyAcademy50 m846Outstanding 202385Compare
The Bishop of Winchester AcademyAcademy1.2 miles1,162Good 202361Compare
Bournemouth School for GirlsAcademy (grammar)1.4 miles1,290Outstanding 202496Compare
Bournemouth SchoolAcademy (grammar)1.5 miles1,320Outstanding 202499Compare
St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive SchoolAcademy1.9 miles1,967Good 202358Compare
Twynham SchoolAcademy2.0 miles1,651Good 202471Compare
Livingstone Academy BournemouthFree school2.1 miles1,006Good 202466Compare
Glenmoor AcademyAcademy2.8 miles902Not inspected97Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Avonbourne Girls Academy with the 49 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats96%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the very top of its group. Its score of 84 is 37 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 7 · middle 47 · highest 95100

No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 84 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 84% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 79 to 89. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%above
+0.09
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 222 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well above
+0.34
Ofsted grade, 1.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.13
DfE progress measure; 222 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.07
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.05
2024/25; 1,067 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well above
+0.16
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 222 pupils
What pupils do next5%in line
+0.00
132 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Avonbourne Girls Academy a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Avonbourne Girls Academy scores 84 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 96% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 79 to 89, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Avonbourne Girls Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Avonbourne Girls Academy not judged at its last full inspection on 15 October 2024.

How good are Avonbourne Girls Academy's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 62% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 53.0, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How many pupils does Avonbourne Girls Academy have?

1,160 pupils aged 11 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,538 places, so it is 75% full.

Is Avonbourne Girls Academy oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

What is attendance like at Avonbourne Girls Academy?

Pupils were in school 92.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 20% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Avonbourne Girls Academy?

The average class had 17.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 8% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Avonbourne Girls Academy have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was D+. 17 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Harewood Avenue, Bournemouth, BH7 6NY
Telephone
01202 398451
Website
avonbourneacademy.org.uk
Principal
Mrs Michelle Dyer
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Secondary school, ages 11-19, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Multi-academy trust
United Learning Trust (98 schools)
Local authority
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Ward
Littledown & Iford
Constituency
Bournemouth East
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 June 2012 (academy converter)
URN
138193 · LAESTAB 8395404 · UKPRN 10037404

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from