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Backwell School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Station Road, Backwell, Bristol BS48 3BX · backwellschool.net · 01275 463371

On the mapSearch near BS48 3BX

Overview

Ofsted
Good
2019 framework · inspected Jan 2020
GCSEs, 2024/25
52.7
average Attainment 8 score. North Somerset 46.8, England 46
Last distance offered
4.13 mi
6.65 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · Criterion 6 · North Somerset Council
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,595
92% of 1,728 places
Local authority
North Somerset
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
8.5%
First language not English
4.3%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Lighthouse Schools Partnership

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, the last place offered under “Criterion 6” went to a home 4.13 mi (6.65 km) from the school. Source: North Somerset Council’s document.

For Year 7 in September 2026, 276 families put the school first and 263 places were offered; 94% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

Demand for places

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 277 (Places 267)277September 2023: 295 (Places 263)295September 2024: 266 (Places 266)266September 2025: 269 (Places 263)269September 2026: 276 (Places 263)276Places 263
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262632761▲94%
September 2025Sept 20252632691▲98%
September 2024Sept 2024266266198%
September 2023Sept 20232632951.1▲88%
September 2022Sept 20222672771▲96%

Last distance offered

Year 7 – Criterion 6Distance
September 20264.13 mi6.65 km

Offer-day round; later rounds (places freed by refusals) are not read.

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 52.7, and 56% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across North Somerset it was 46.8, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (34.4 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 52.1 (England 46.3)52.12017/18: 54.7 (England 46.5)54.72018/19: 50.6 (England 46.7)50.62021/22: 56.0 (England 48.8)56.02022/23: 53.0 (England 46.3)53.02023/24: 53.4 (England 45.9)53.42024/25: 52.7 (England 46.0)52.7England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▲52.746.0
▲56.0%45.4%
▲74.6%64.8%
▲72.0%40.5%
▲4.974.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form59.4−3.2
Sixth form college1.9—
Further education29.7+1
Other education0.80
Apprenticeship3.4−0.4
Employment2.3+0.8
Not in a lasting destination1.9+0.4
Activity not captured0.8−0.3

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 33.1 (England 30.5)C+2016/17: 32.7 (England 31.1)C+2017/18: 33.6 (England 32.1)C+2018/19: 33.4 (England 32.9)C+2021/22: 38.1 (England 37.9)B-2022/23: 34.7 (England 34.2)C+2023/24: 34.5 (England 34.4)C+2024/25: 34.4 (England 35.0)C+England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
135 studentsC+ (34.4)Average 0.00
135 studentsC+ (34.5)Average -0.02
32 studentsDist+ (37)Well above average +0.73
16.7%AAB or better
98.5%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/24150C+ (34.5)+0.08
2022/23189C+ (34.7)—
2021/22184B- (38.1)—
2018/19175C+ (33.4)-0.25
2017/18188C+ (33.6)+0.03
2016/17197C+ (32.7)+0.05
2015/16203C+ (33.1)-0.03

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University38.3−9.5
Further education5.2−0.8
Apprenticeship4.5+1.8
Employment36.4+7.4
Not in a lasting destination11+0.8
Activity not captured4.5+0.2

Ofsted

Backwell School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 28 January 2020, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Feb 2025 found: Standards maintained.

Outcome
Standards maintained
Inspected
25 Feb 2025
Ungraded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jan 2020

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Jan 2020Good
    Quality of educationGood
    Behaviour and attitudesGood
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • May 2013Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsOutstanding
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentOutstanding
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
  • Nov 2008Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsOutstanding
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentOutstanding
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
    16 to 19 study programmesOutstanding

What parents said

85% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (241 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
85%
Replies
241
15% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school●88% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe●90% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼77% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼81% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼82% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼59% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼81% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▲95% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲96% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development●78% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly●77% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 70% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲59% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 32% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼62% agreeEngland 67%

based on 63 parents (26%) with SEND

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