Schools by area › Hertfordshire › Ridgeway Academy
Ridgeway Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Sponsored academy
Herns Lane, Welwyn Garden City AL7 2AF · ridgeway.herts.sch.uk · 01707 351350
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 35.7
- average Attainment 8 score. Hertfordshire 50.6, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 7.11 mi
- 11.44 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · In Priority Area, Not Nearest School · Hertfordshire Council
- Demand for places
- 0.6
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 875
- 72% of 1,220 places
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 33.5%
- First language not English
- 8.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, the last place offered under “In Priority Area, Not Nearest School” went to a home 7.11 mi (11.44 km) from the school. Source: Hertfordshire Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 99 families put the school first and 168 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 168 | 99 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 168 | 88 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 173 | 105 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 194 | 174 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 172 | 168 | 1 | 93% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 7.11 mi11.44 km | |
| September 2022 | 1.45 mi2.34 km | |
| September 2025 | All | |
| September 2023 | All | |
Every applicant was offered a place (37 children with no preference met were placed there).
Every applicant was offered a place (3 children with no preference met were placed there).
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 35.7, and 24.8% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Hertfordshire it was 50.6, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C- (27.7 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼35.7 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼24.8% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼48.4% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼15.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.93 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 117525)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 37.5 | +14.6 |
| Further education | 50.6 | −5.1 |
| Other education | 0.6 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 1.2 | −2.4 |
| Employment | 1.2 | −3.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6 | −1.1 |
| Activity not captured | 3 | −3.4 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 students | C- (27.7) | Below average -0.38 | |
| 34 students | C- (27.5) | Below average -0.42 | |
| 20 students | Merit- (21.8) | Well below average -0.51 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 21 | C (29.5) | -0.14 |
| 2022/23 | 19 | C- (27.8) | — |
| 2021/22 | 45 | C (30) | — |
| 2018/19 | 21 | C (30.5) | -0.25 |
| 2017/18 | 35 | C- (27.8) | -0.44 |
| 2016/17 | 38 | C- (27.4) | -0.18 |
| 2015/16 | 40 | D+ (23.1) | -0.38 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 58.6 | +0.6 |
| Apprenticeship | 6.9 | +4.9 |
| Employment | 17.2 | −12.8 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 13.8 | +3.8 |
| Activity not captured | 3.4 | — |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Ridgeway Academy on 3 June 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 3 Jun 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jan 2023
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 117525), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Jan 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth form Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Sept 2017Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 117525)
Jul 2015Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 117525)
What parents said
64% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (252 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 64%
- Replies
- 252
- 27% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 85% who raised concerns
based on the 43% who had a child bullied
based on 66 parents (26%) with SEND