School profile

Balcarras School

Secondary · Academy converter · Cheltenham, GL53 8QF

Outstanding

Map showing Balcarras School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#210 of 3,312

Better than 93% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#402 of 2,536

Better than 84% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Balcarras School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 4 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
Pupils1,427
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Dominic Burke
TrustTHE BALCARRAS TRUST
Local authorityGloucestershire
Opened01 Feb 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 136474.

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.62.1, better than England, better than Gloucestershire50.246.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.92.3%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire70.1%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.79.9%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire52.7%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.27.3%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire17.5%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths90.2%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire66.8%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4194--

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 10.40.28, better than England, better than Gloucestershire36.2835
Average A-level gradeB--
Average points, best three A-levels40.48, better than England, better than Gloucestershire36.8335.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB--
AAB or better21.1%, better than England, similar to 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 study219--
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 pupils1,427
Girls730
Boys697
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.6%
First language not English4.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,341
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2024/25361
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.87
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.39
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
78.9%
Other White
5%
Other mixed
2.8%
White and Asian
2.2%
Chinese
1.8%
Other ethnic group
1.1%
Other Asian
1%
White and Black African
0.9%
Indian
0.9%
Irish
0.7%

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 teacher17.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.2
Teachers (FTE)82.38
Teaching assistants (FTE)16.15
Support staff (FTE)57.08
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2583.8
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2578.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254

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.181
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.776
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.239
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.175
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)5

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 absence5.3%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.9.9%, better than England, better than Gloucestershire21.2%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.5%, 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 rate3%
Pupils with one or more suspensions2%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

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.96.3%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.93.5%
School sixth form73.3%
Further education13.4%
Sixth form college6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.2.3%
Employment1.8%
Apprenticeship0.9%

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.92.5%
Higher education45.5%
Employment34.7%
Further education6.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.6.1%
Apprenticeship5.2%

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 Balcarras School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryCharlton Kings Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.3 miPrimaryCharlton Kings Infants' SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miPrimaryGlenfall Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miNot applicableSt Edward's SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.8 miNot applicableAshley Manor Preparatory SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.2 miPrimaryHoly Apostles' Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.2 miNot applicableThe Richard Pate SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.3 miPrimaryNaunton Park Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.6 miNot applicableCheltenham CollegeOther independent school
Unrated
1.6 miNot applicableBerkhampstead SchoolOther independent school
Unrated

Frequently asked questions about Balcarras School

What is Balcarras School's Ofsted rating?

Balcarras School is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 4 Mar 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Balcarras School rank in England?

Balcarras School ranks 210 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 93% of schools) and 402 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 84% of schools).

What are Balcarras School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 79.9% of pupils at Balcarras School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 62.1 (England 46.2).

What are Balcarras School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Balcarras School was B, and 21.1% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Balcarras School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Balcarras School made 181 offers from 776 applications (4.3 per offer), and 175 of 239 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Balcarras School?

Balcarras School has 1,427 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Balcarras School?

Balcarras School had 1,341 school places in 2024/25.

Does Balcarras School have a sixth form?

Yes, Balcarras School has a sixth form with 361 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Balcarras School?

At Balcarras School, the average class had 21.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Balcarras School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Balcarras School missed 5.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 9.9% 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.