Churchdown School, Gloucester

Ofsted's report card from its 17 March 2026 inspection grades Churchdown School on 7 areas: 5 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Most pupils achieve highly."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils, including those who face barriers to learning and/or well-being, have high attendance."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders identify barriers to pupils' learning and/or wellbeing in a timely and accurate way."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for further development."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school's personal development programme is extensive."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Pupils follow a broad and ambitious curriculum."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a post-16 study programme which meets the aspirations and needs of students."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should strengthen further the quality of teaching, so that all pupils, including post-16 students, achieve highly".

In its own words: "I am delighted to welcome you to Churchdown School Academy. The education we provide is guided by values of integrity, resilience, respect, ambition and friendship. These values are particularly important to us as we develop the students into lifelong learners and prepare them for a life beyond school."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We've put together a short video so that you can see our school and meet our wonderful students and teachers. You can also read about the ambitious vision of Churchdown from the Headteacher Mr Potter here . Our Talented, ambitious students would like to explain to you about their time in Churchdown."

On phones, the school says: "All parents and carers are being asked to support the rules around mobile phones and support when their part in the phone strategy is needed - this may be to come to school to collect their child's phone should it be confiscated."

In 2026, pupils at Churchdown School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 53.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 51.2 in Gloucestershire and 47 across England.

60% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 54% in Gloucestershire and 47% in England.

That is up from 51.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.93: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 45.2, against 54.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 292 families put Churchdown School as their first choice and 916 named it as one of their preferences, for 238 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 65 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Churchdown School are Chosen Hill School (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.1); Sir Thomas Rich's School (1.3 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 75.2); Barnwood Park School (2.2 miles, Attainment 8 43.4); and Denmark Road High School (2.6 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 74.8).

Churchdown School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

183 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Churchdown School (as of April 2026): 90% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 66% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (66%).

Of the 237 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 41% to a further education college, 9% to an apprenticeship and 0% into work.

Of the 114 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 43% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 26% into work. 11% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

16.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%) and Mixed (7%).

The nearest railway station is Gloucester Rail Station, about 2.8 miles away in a straight line.

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Winston Road (just after), 250 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Churchdown School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Churchdown School issued 128 suspensions, 8.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Churchdown School are Churchdown Parton Manor Junior School (0.2 miles), Churchdown Parton Manor Infant School (0.3 miles), Churchdown Village Junior School (0.4 miles) and Churchdown Village Infant School (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.