Bridgwater College Academy
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Bridgwater College Academy is a sponsored academy in Bridgwater for boys and girls aged 3 to 16. It has 1,561 pupils and room for 1,880. About 36 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 1 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 0% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in March 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.
Parkway, Bridgwater, TA6 4QY01278 727327bridgwatercollegeacademy.orgHeadteacher Laura Campbell/ Sarah Evans head teacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted visited on 10 March 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.
Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.
Ofsted has serious worries about this school. It is in special measures.
Earlier inspections (2)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 10 May 2023 | S5 Inspection | Requires improvement |
| 5 February 2020 | Ungraded | School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next |
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
187 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 187 | 166 | 163 | 155 | 121 | 109 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 31.9 | 33.0 | 34.8 | 40.4 | 37.9 | 43.5 | 44.3 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | -0.80 | -0.45 | -0.41 | -0.15 | +0.21 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 16% | 21% | 20% | 32% | 26% | 38% | 41% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 36% | 38% | 36% | 54% | 49% | 60% | 62% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 2.85 | 3.07 | 3.01 | 3.27 | 3.09 | 3.68 | 3.87 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 80% | 85% | 25% | 10% | 7% | 11% | 33% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 24.2 | 25.8 | 30.5 | 31.6 | 31.3 | 36.9 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 36.1 | 36.3 | 37.1 | 44.7 | 41.1 | 47.2 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 17.9 | 21.5 | 27.9 | 22.9 | 24.9 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 60.1 | 57.0 | 66.6 | 53.8 | 62.5 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 14 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.
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Physics (8% here, 82% across England), Biology (16% here, 82% across England), Chemistry (16% here, 81% across England), Spanish (12% here, 54% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Literature | 178 | 3% | 25% | 48% | 58% | 3,150 of 3,202 |
| English Language | 178 | 9% | 32% | 49% | 54% | 2,993 of 3,210 |
| Mathematics | 177 | 2% | 19% | 44% | 53% | 3,176 of 3,211 |
| Spanish | 154 | 3% | 12% | 26% | 54% | 1,918 of 1,941 |
| Combined Science | 154 | 1% | 14% | 26% | 36% | 2,887 of 3,084 |
| Geography | 122 | 3% | 15% | 33% | 51% | 3,054 of 3,116 |
| Art and Design | 111 | 14% | 57% | 81% | 58% | 1,523 of 2,818 |
| History | 67 | 9% | 30% | 42% | 52% | 2,783 of 3,126 |
| Computer Science | 38 | 0% | 13% | 16% | 56% | 1,823 of 1,861 |
| Physics | 26 | 4% | 8% | 27% | 82% | 2,543 of 2,546 |
| Chemistry | 25 | 4% | 16% | 32% | 81% | 2,529 of 2,537 |
| Biology | 25 | 4% | 16% | 32% | 82% | 2,562 of 2,570 |
| Religious Studies | 17 | 18% | 47% | 59% | 60% | – |
| Other Modern Languages | 8 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 49% | – |
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.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
81 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 81 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 67 | 80 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 25% | 46% | 49% | 48% | 39% | 50% | 60% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 0% | 4% | 7% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 100.0 | 100.0 | 101.0 | 101.0 | 99.0 | 99.0 | 105.1 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 99.0 | 101.0 | 101.0 | 104.0 | 101.0 | 102.0 | 103.7 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 101.0 | 101.0 | 100.0 | 101.0 | 100.0 | 101.0 | 104.5 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 46% | 56% | 63% | 52% | 45% | 54% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 42% | 63% | 59% | 77% | 64% | 69% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 38% | 71% | 65% | 63% | 67% | 66% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -1.7 | -2.3 | -3.2 | -1.9 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -1.1 | +0.5 | -1.2 | +1.2 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 9% | 38% | 31% | 41% | 34% | 40% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 37% | 52% | 60% | 57% | 45% | 63% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
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. 6 of the 7 gaps are 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
At the end of primary school, 2025
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.
353 places were empty (19% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have grown by 3% since 2021/22.
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 Somerset council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
What parents say
From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 76 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for secondary schools with enough answers to publish.
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.
Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 19 pupils, for autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, other needs, physical disability, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, specific learning difficulties, visual impairment.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Somerset with autism provision.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.0 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.7 (England 28.2).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (144), Moderate learning difficulty (135), language and communications needs (87), Autistic spectrum disorder (45), Specific learning difficulty (25), Physical disability (9).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 1,561 | 1,576 | 1,595 | 1,568 | 1,514 | 1,422 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 36% | 36% | 36% | 35% | 36% | 34% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 20% | 20% | 18% | 16% | 16% | 16% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 24% | 22% | 26% | 33% | 23% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 90.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 10.0% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 10.8% | 5.5% | 5.7% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 5.2% | 6.6% | 6.4% | 6.6% | 3.6% | 3.4% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 4.8% | 5.4% | 5.3% | 4.2% | 2.0% | 2.3% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 27.2% | 32.5% | 31.7% | 31.8% | 14.9% | 13.5% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 100.0 | 102.1 | 60.2 | 18.2 | 17.9 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 15 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 3 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 163 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 80%, compared with 91% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 87% | 87% | 88% | 96% |
| Education | 83% | 76% | 76% | 89% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 5% | 7% | 6% |
| Work | 3% | 7% | 4% | 1% |
| Not in education, work or training | 9% | 12% | 10% | 4% |
Staff
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025.
The area around the school
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Centre Somerset College Group | Further education | 420 m | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| St John and St Francis Church School | Academy | 840 m | 421 | Good 2022 | 42 | Compare |
| Eastover Primary School | Council | 850 m | 403 | Good 2023 | 54 | Compare |
| Willowdown Primary School | Academy | 0.8 miles | 361 | Report card 2026 | 30 | Compare |
| Northgate Primary School | Free school | 1.1 miles | 258 | Report card 2026 | 67 | Compare |
| Chilton Trinity School | Academy | 1.3 miles | 990 | No overall grade 2024 | 40 | Compare |
| Robert Blake Academy | Academy | 1.3 miles | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Polden Bower School | Foundation special school | 1.3 miles | 260 | Good 2024 | – | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Bridgwater College Academy with the 50 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 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 1 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 1% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 1 to 2. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | well below | -0.27 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 187 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | well below | -0.60 | Ofsted report card, 0.5 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | well below | -0.26 | DfE progress measure; 187 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.13 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well below | -0.10 | 2024/25; 1,539 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well below | -0.19 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 187 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | below | -0.04 | 163 pupils |
| What parents say | 5% | well below | -0.10 | Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 76 responses |
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 Bridgwater College Academy a good school?
The figures are weak. Bridgwater College Academy scores 1 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 0% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 1 to 2, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is Bridgwater College Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 10 March 2026 it rated teaching as urgent improvement, achievement as urgent improvement, behaviour and attendance as urgent improvement, leadership as urgent improvement.
How good are Bridgwater College Academy's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 16% 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 31.9, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are Bridgwater College Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 25% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Bridgwater College Academy have?
1,561 pupils aged 3 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,880 places, so it is 83% full.
Is Bridgwater College Academy oversubscribed?
Probably not. 353 places were empty in 2024/25 (19% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Bridgwater College Academy?
Pupils were in school 90.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 27% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
What do parents say about Bridgwater College Academy?
46% of the 76 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 53% say their child is happy there. Across England, 77% of parents would recommend their child's school.
How big are the classes at Bridgwater College Academy?
The average class had 24.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 4% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Bridgwater College Academy have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, other needs, physical disability, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, specific learning difficulties, visual impairment. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
Does Bridgwater College Academy have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship; 87% of 2022/23 leavers were still in education, work or training six months on.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Parkway, Bridgwater, TA6 4QY
- Telephone
- 01278 727327
- Website
- www.bridgwatercollegeacademy.org
- Head Teacher
- Headteacher Laura Campbell/ Sarah Evans
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 3-16, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- None
- Multi-academy trust
- Bridgwater & Taunton College Trust (8 schools)
- Local authority
- Somerset
- Ward
- Bridgwater North & Central
- Constituency
- Bridgwater
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2012 (new provision)
- URN
- 138375 · LAESTAB 9334001 · UKPRN 10038345
- Formerly
- Sedgemoor Manor Infants' School, Sedgemoor Manor Community Junior School, East Bridgwater Community School
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.