Somerset Studio School
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Somerset Studio School is a studio schools in Radstock for boys and girls aged 14 to 19. It has 152 pupils and room for 250. About 28 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 7 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 19% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.
Knobsbury Lane, Radstock, BA3 3NQ01761 438557somersetstudioschool.comMr Bruce Hain headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 25 January 2024 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
32 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 | Bath and North East Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 35 | 58 | 42 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 30.5 | 40.4 | 38.4 | 51.6 | 39.8 | 42.5 | 45.8 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | -0.31 | -0.61 | +0.31 | -0.56 | -0.37 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 13% | 32% | 31% | 49% | 21% | 33% | 44% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 31% | 48% | 48% | 63% | 47% | 60% | 64% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 2.13 | 2.77 | 2.39 | 3.31 | 3.07 | 3.75 | 4.05 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 7% | 36% | 38% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 27.2 | 38.1 | 33.6 | 46.6 | 30.0 | 33.2 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 31.6 | 41.5 | 40.2 | 53.1 | 42.3 | 45.8 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 28.4 | 12.2 | 44.6 | 17.9 | – | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | – | – | 68.4 | 51.7 | 56.1 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 8 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: Chemistry (10% here, 81% across England), Physics (14% here, 82% across England), Biology (20% here, 82% across England), English Literature (13% here, 58% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 31 | 3% | 23% | 48% | 53% | 3,129 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 31 | 3% | 16% | 32% | 54% | 3,197 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 30 | 3% | 13% | 33% | 58% | 3,198 of 3,202 |
| Design & Technology | 27 | 11% | 41% | 70% | 50% | 902 of 1,478 |
| Chemistry | 21 | 5% | 10% | 48% | 81% | 2,533 of 2,537 |
| Physics | 21 | 5% | 14% | 43% | 82% | 2,542 of 2,546 |
| Biology | 20 | 5% | 20% | 60% | 82% | 2,558 of 2,570 |
| Combined Science | 9 | 0% | 0% | 11% | 36% | – |
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
29 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 29 | 36 | 32 | 32 | 40 | 64 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | – | 35.56 | 27.50 | 27.65 | 26.56 | 22.50 |
| Average A level grade | z | B- | C- | C- | C- | D+ |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | – | – | – | – | – | 21.96 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | – | – | – | – | – | 0% |
| A level progressA level value added | – | +0.99 | – | – | +0.27 | +0.06 |
| Applied general courses: points per entry | – | 23.82 | 25.26 | 35.27 | – | – |
| T levels: points per entry | – | 31.34 | 25.16 | 25.30 | – | – |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | – | – | – | – | 75% | 89% |
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. 2 of the 3 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
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
Admissions policy not published.
162 places were empty (54% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same 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 Bath and North East Somerset 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.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (19), Autistic spectrum disorder (11), Specific learning difficulty (10), language and communications needs (6), Moderate learning difficulty (2), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (2).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 152 | 138 | 126 | 133 | 136 | 120 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 20% | 17% | 21% | 21% | 19% | 17% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 2% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 33% | 35% | 24% | 18% | 13% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 7% | 9% | 11% | 6% | 6% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 83.9% 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 | 16.2% | 17.1% | 14.8% | 14.2% | 5.9% | 8.5% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 10.9% | 13.2% | 10.3% | 10.4% | 4.4% | 6.6% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 5.3% | 3.9% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 1.5% | 1.9% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 56.8% | 47.9% | 48.6% | 58.4% | 19.4% | 22.7% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 41.3 | 38.1 | 24.8 | 41.9 | 15.8 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 29 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 88%, compared with 86% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 86% | 91% | 100% | 92% |
| Education | 66% | 80% | 86% | 84% |
| Apprenticeship | 10% | 6% | 10% | 6% |
| Work | 10% | 6% | 3% | 2% |
| Not in education, work or training | 10% | 6% | 0% | 8% |
After sixth form
Where the 30 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Where the ones heading for university went
Among students from low-income families, 29% went on to degree-level study or training and 0% to a top-third university.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 90% | 75% | 85% | – |
| Education | 23% | 22% | 55% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Work | 60% | 53% | 30% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 10% | 22% | 10% | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
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.
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
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writhlington School | Academy | 120 m | 894 | Good 2023 | 36 | Compare |
| Norton Hill Academy | Academy | 2.2 miles | 1,757 | No overall grade 2024 | 75 | Compare |
| Somervale Secondary School | Academy | 2.4 miles | 781 | Good 2022 | 62 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Somerset Studio School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Somerset Studio School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ansford Academy | Academy | 13.7 miles | 469 | Report card 2026 | 46 | Compare |
| Fairlands Middle School | Academy | 14.8 miles | 405 | No overall grade 2024 | 49 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 7 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 7% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 3 to 12. 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 | -0.23 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 32 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.02 | Ofsted grade, 2.6 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.20 | DfE progress measure; 32 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.32 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well below | -0.15 | 2024/25; 74 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well below | -0.16 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 32 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | below | -0.03 | 29 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | 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 Somerset Studio School a good school?
The figures are weak. Somerset Studio School scores 7 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 19% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 3 to 12, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is Somerset Studio School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Somerset Studio School good at its last full inspection on 25 January 2024.
How good are Somerset Studio School's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 13% 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 30.5, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished about half a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How many pupils does Somerset Studio School have?
152 pupils aged 14 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 250 places, so it is 61% full.
Is Somerset Studio School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 162 places were empty in 2024/25 (54% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Somerset Studio School?
Pupils were in school 83.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 57% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Somerset Studio School?
The average class had 15.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. No class had more than 30 pupils.
Does Somerset Studio School have a sixth form?
Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was z.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Knobsbury Lane, Radstock, BA3 3NQ
- Telephone
- 01761 438557
- Website
- www.somersetstudioschool.com
- Headteacher
- Mr Bruce Hain
- Type of school
- Studio schools (Studio schools, free schools)
- Phase
- Secondary school, ages 14-19, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- None
- Multi-academy trust
- Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership (44 schools)
- Local authority
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Ward
- Radstock
- Constituency
- Frome and East Somerset
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2015 (new provision)
- URN
- 142125 · LAESTAB 8004003 · UKPRN 10053993
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.
- 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.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- 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.