Schools by area › Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole › St Aldhelm's Academy
St Aldhelm's Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Herbert Avenue, Poole BH12 4HS · staldhelms-academy.co.uk · 01202 732500
On the mapSearch near BH12 4HS
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Mar 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 33.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 50.5, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.5
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 808
- 90% of 900 places
- Local authority
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 45.4%
- First language not English
- 18.2%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 70 families put the school first and 152 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 152 | 70 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 177 | 120 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 173 | 121 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 175 | 123 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 175 | 100 | 0.6 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 33.6, and 22.4% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole it was 50.5, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼33.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼22.4% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼44.9% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼13.5% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.84 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 6.7 | +2.6 |
| Sixth form college | 1.2 | — |
| Further education | 63.4 | −1.4 |
| Other education | 3.7 | +2.1 |
| Apprenticeship | 4.3 | +0.2 |
| Employment | 3.7 | −4.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 12.8 | +2.1 |
| Activity not captured | 4.3 | −2.3 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
| 2015/16 | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied general | 6 | — | -1.16 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected St Aldhelm's Academy on 10 March 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Needs attention
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Urgent improvement
- Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention
- Personal development and well-being: Needs attention
- Leadership and governance: Needs attention
- Inspected
- 10 Mar 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Needs attention |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Urgent improvement |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and well-being | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Nov 2021
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2021Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Mar 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Oct 2014Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate 16 to 19 study programmes Inadequate
What parents said
41% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (76 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 41%
- Positive
- 26%
- Replies
- 76
- 9% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 100% who raised concerns
based on 37 parents (49%) whose child was bullied
based on 31 parents (41%) with SEND