School profile

Ridgeway Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Welwyn Garden City, AL7 2AF

Good

Map showing Ridgeway Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,959 of 3,312

Worse than 89% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,070 of 2,536

Worse than 81% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Ridgeway Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 3 Jun 2025

Area360 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 sponsor led
Ages11 to 18
Pupils875
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Sarah Mitcherson
TrustAMBITION EDUCATION TRUST
Local authorityHertfordshire
Opened01 Sept 2018
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 146305.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.37.4, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire50.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.52.7%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire71.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.27.3%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire53.6%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.2%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire18.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths42.7%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire67.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4150--

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 schoolHertfordshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.27.67, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire36.8235
Average A-level gradeC---
Average points, best three A-levels28.25, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire37.435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC---
AAB or better0%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire19%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.38, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study48--
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 pupils875
Girls433
Boys442
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.33.1%
First language not English8.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,160
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.24.6%
Sixth form places2024/25200
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.174
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.29
Average class size17.3

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
75.2%
Other White
6.9%
African
4%
White and Black Caribbean
3.2%
White and Black African
2.1%
Other mixed
2.1%
White and Asian
1.5%
Other Asian
1%
Indian
0.9%
Other ethnic group
0.9%

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 teacher16.6
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.4
Teachers (FTE)52.77
Teaching assistants (FTE)14.17
Support staff (FTE)41.62
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2549.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2537.3
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/257
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255.3

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.168
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.278
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.99
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.99
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 schoolHertfordshireEngland
Overall absence10%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire7.4%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.25.2%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire18.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.6%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire2.9%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 rate31.1%
Pupils with one or more suspensions12.4%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
Permanent exclusions4

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.91.1%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.88.7%
Further education50.6%
School sixth form37.5%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.6%
Apprenticeship1.2%
Employment1.2%
Sixth form college0%

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.82.8%
Higher education58.6%
Employment17.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.13.8%
Apprenticeship6.9%
Further education0%

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 Ridgeway Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryPanshanger Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.3 miPrimaryWatchlytes Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.4 miPrimarySpringmead Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.6 miPrimarySwallow Dell Primary and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryThe Holy Family Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryWaterside AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryHolwell Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.9 miNurseryLudwick Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Outstanding
0.9 miPrimaryPeartree Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimarySt John's CofE Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Ridgeway Academy

What is Ridgeway Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ridgeway Academy is rated Good, last inspected on 3 Jun 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Ridgeway Academy rank in England?

Ridgeway Academy ranks 2,959 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 89% of schools) and 2,070 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 81% of schools).

What are Ridgeway Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 27.3% of pupils at Ridgeway Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 37.4 (England 46.2).

What are Ridgeway Academy's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Ridgeway Academy was C-, and 0% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Ridgeway Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Ridgeway Academy made 168 offers from 278 applications (1.7 per offer), and 99 of 99 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Ridgeway Academy?

Ridgeway Academy has 875 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Ridgeway Academy?

Ridgeway Academy had 1,160 school places in 2024/25.

Does Ridgeway Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, Ridgeway Academy has a sixth form with 200 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Ridgeway Academy?

At Ridgeway Academy, the average class had 17.3 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.6 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Ridgeway Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Ridgeway Academy missed 10% of sessions (England 8%), and 25.2% 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.