School profile

The Cotswold Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Cheltenham, GL54 2BD

Outstanding

Map showing The Cotswold Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#306 of 3,312

Better than 90% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#355 of 2,536

Better than 86% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Cotswold Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 11 Mar 2025

Area360 rating
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,564
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr W Morgan
TrustTHE COTSWOLD SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityGloucestershire
Opened01 Sept 2010
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136292.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolGloucestershireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.58.7, better than England, better than Gloucestershire50.246.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.84.4%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire70.1%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.66.3%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire52.7%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.24.7%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire17.5%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths82.7%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire66.8%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4243--

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

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolGloucestershireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.40.97, better than England, better than Gloucestershire36.2835
Average A-level gradeB--
Average points, best three A-levels42.92, better than England, better than Gloucestershire36.8335.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB+--
AAB or better24.8%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire20.4%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.17, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study138--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,564
Girls790
Boys774
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.13.4%
First language not English3.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,530
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2024/25280
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.238
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.50
Average class size21.5

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
86.2%
Other White
5.3%
White and Asian
1.8%
Other mixed
1.7%
White and Black Caribbean
0.6%
White and Black African
0.6%
African
0.6%
Irish
0.5%
Other Asian
0.4%
Chinese
0.4%

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 teacher17.1
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13
Teachers (FTE)91.48
Teaching assistants (FTE)20.84
Support staff (FTE)60.24
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2593.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2583.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/259.1

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.241
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.479
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.276
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.233
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)135

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 schoolGloucestershireEngland
Overall absence7.1%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.17.3%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire21.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.5%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire3.5%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 rate8.1%
Pupils with one or more suspensions3.8%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions2

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.92.1%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.84.6%
School sixth form64.3%
Further education13.3%
Sixth form college6.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4.6%
Apprenticeship3.7%
Employment3.7%

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

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.88%
Higher education52%
Employment27.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.3%
Further education4%
Apprenticeship4%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 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 The Cotswold Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryBourton-on-the-Water Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Cotswold Academy

What is The Cotswold Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Cotswold Academy is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 11 Mar 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Cotswold Academy rank in England?

The Cotswold Academy ranks 306 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 90% of schools) and 355 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 86% of schools).

What are The Cotswold Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 66.3% of pupils at The Cotswold Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 58.7 (England 46.2).

What are The Cotswold Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Cotswold Academy was B, and 24.8% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The Cotswold Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Cotswold Academy made 241 offers from 479 applications (2 per offer), and 233 of 276 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Cotswold Academy?

The Cotswold Academy has 1,564 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Cotswold Academy?

The Cotswold Academy had 1,530 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Cotswold Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, The Cotswold Academy has a sixth form with 280 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Cotswold Academy?

At The Cotswold Academy, the average class had 21.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.1 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Cotswold Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Cotswold Academy missed 7.1% of sessions (England 8%), and 17.3% 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.