School profile

St Aldhelm's Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Poole, BH12 4HS

Inadequate

Map showing St Aldhelm's Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#3,090 of 3,312

Worse than 93% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

St Aldhelm's Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 10 Mar 2026

Area360 rating
Inadequate
Inclusion
Needs attention
Curriculum and teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Urgent improvement
Attendance and behaviour
Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing
Needs attention
Leadership and governance
Needs attention
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils808
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Stuart Ingram
TrustAUTHENTIC EDUCATION GROUP LIMITED
Local authorityBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Opened01 Sept 2010
Closed31 Oct 2026
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136206.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.35.6, worse than England-46.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.53.9%, worse than England-64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.27.6%, worse than England-46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.2.6%, worse than England-14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths39.5%, worse than England-60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4152--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils808
Girls373
Boys435
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.45.4%
First language not English18.2%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.900
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.10.2%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.164
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.42
Average class size24.7

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
69.4%
Other White
9.3%
African
3.6%
Other mixed
3.3%
Other ethnic group
3.1%
Indian
2%
White and Black Caribbean
1.7%
Other Asian
1.2%
Gypsy/Roma
1.1%
White and Black African
1.1%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.9.9
Teachers (FTE)51.1
Teaching assistants (FTE)14.38
Support staff (FTE)41.99
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2552.3
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2536.3
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/255
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/2511

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.152
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.183
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.70
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.70
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)1

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland
Overall absence11.3%, worse than England-8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.29.3%, worse than England-21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.7.2%, worse than England-3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate114%
Pupils with one or more suspensions22.7%
Permanent exclusion rate1.2%
Permanent exclusions10

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.82.9%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.75%
Further education63.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.12.8%
School sixth form6.7%
Apprenticeship4.3%
Employment3.7%
Sixth form college1.2%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near St Aldhelm's Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miPrimaryManorside AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt Joseph's Catholic Primary School, PooleAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryLivingstone Road Junior SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
0.7 miPrimaryLivingstone Road Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryHeatherlands Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimaryTalbot Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimaryCourthill Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimaryBishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miSecondarySt Edward's Roman Catholic/Church of England School, PooleVoluntary aided school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryHeathlands Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about St Aldhelm's Academy

What is St Aldhelm's Academy's Ofsted rating?

St Aldhelm's Academy is rated Inadequate, last inspected on 10 Mar 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does St Aldhelm's Academy rank in England?

St Aldhelm's Academy ranks 3,090 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 93% of schools).

What are St Aldhelm's Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 27.6% of pupils at St Aldhelm's Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 35.6 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into St Aldhelm's Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St Aldhelm's Academy made 152 offers from 183 applications (1.2 per offer), and 70 of 70 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St Aldhelm's Academy?

St Aldhelm's Academy has 808 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of St Aldhelm's Academy?

St Aldhelm's Academy had 900 school places in 2024/25.

Does St Aldhelm's Academy have a sixth form?

No, St Aldhelm's Academy teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at St Aldhelm's Academy?

At St Aldhelm's Academy, the average class had 24.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St Aldhelm's Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at St Aldhelm's Academy missed 11.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 29.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.