School profile

Holyrood Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Chard, TA20 1JL

Good

Map showing Holyrood Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,191 of 3,312

Worse than 66% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,148 of 2,536

Worse than 84% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Holyrood Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 7 Feb 2023

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,282
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Joseph Bispham
TrustBLACKDOWN EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP
Local authoritySomerset
Opened01 Sept 2010
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136295.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolSomersetEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.42.9, worse than England, similar to Somerset43.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.59.3%, worse than England, similar to Somerset60.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.36.9%, worse than England, similar to Somerset39.7%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.5.9%, worse than England, worse than Somerset9.1%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths54.7%, worse than England, similar to Somerset55.9%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4236--

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 schoolSomersetEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.26.97, worse than England, worse than Somerset33.8135
Average A-level gradeC---
Average points, best three A-levels29.35, worse than England, worse than Somerset34.1535.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC--
AAB or better12.9%, worse than England, similar to Somerset12.4%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.79, worse than England--
A-level progressWell below average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study81--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit+--

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 pupils1,282
Girls637
Boys645
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.25.7%
First language not English11%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,525
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.15.9%
Sixth form places2024/25175
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.178
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.37
Average class size21.6

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
85.6%
Other White
6.9%
Other mixed
1.2%
White and Black African
0.9%
White and Asian
0.9%
African
0.9%
Other Asian
0.6%
Other Black
0.4%
Irish
0.3%
White and Black Caribbean
0.3%

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 teacher17.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.9.8
Teachers (FTE)74.66
Teaching assistants (FTE)47.81
Support staff (FTE)68.8
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2586.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2572.7
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254.4
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/259

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.207
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.242
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.205
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.205
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)8

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 schoolSomersetEngland
Overall absence10%, worse than England, worse than Somerset9.3%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.27.5%, worse than England, worse than Somerset24.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.5.4%, worse than England, worse than Somerset4.7%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 rate28.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions9%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
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.91.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.79%
Further education32.8%
School sixth form32.3%
Sixth form college13.5%
Apprenticeship9.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5.7%
Employment3.1%

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.80.4%
Higher education35.7%
Employment28.6%
Apprenticeship14.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.14.3%
Further education1.8%

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 Holyrood Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miNot applicableChard SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.3 miPrimaryThe Redstart Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miPrimaryManor Court Community Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.8 miPrimaryAvishayes Community Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about Holyrood Academy

What is Holyrood Academy's Ofsted rating?

Holyrood Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 7 Feb 2023.

How does Holyrood Academy rank in England?

Holyrood Academy ranks 2,191 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 66% of schools) and 2,148 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 84% of schools).

What are Holyrood Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 36.9% of pupils at Holyrood Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 42.9 (England 46.2).

What are Holyrood Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Holyrood Academy was C-, and 12.9% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Holyrood Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Holyrood Academy made 207 offers from 242 applications (1.2 per offer), and 205 of 205 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Holyrood Academy?

Holyrood Academy has 1,282 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Holyrood Academy?

Holyrood Academy had 1,525 school places in 2024/25.

Does Holyrood Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, Holyrood Academy has a sixth form with 175 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Holyrood Academy?

At Holyrood Academy, the average class had 21.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Holyrood Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Holyrood Academy missed 10% of sessions (England 8%), and 27.5% 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.