King Arthur's School, Wincanton
King Arthur's School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Wincanton, part of Sherborne Area Schools' Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 26th-highest of the 28 schools in Somerset with published results, and 2,803rd of 3,298 across England. It was 65% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Below average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Somerset (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
King Arthur's School in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at King Arthur's School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.3 in Somerset and 47 across England.
36% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in Somerset and 47% in England.
That is down from 40.6 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.21: pupils made below 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 30.7, against 41.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.8 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 15 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and History.
Getting a place at King Arthur's School
For September 2026 entry, 52 families put King Arthur's School as their first choice and 83 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to King Arthur's School are Sexey's School (3.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.1); and Ansford Academy (4.7 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 44.9).
Each of them had higher 2026 results than King Arthur's School.
The trust
King Arthur's School is one of 18 schools run by Sherborne Area Schools' Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
88 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about King Arthur's School (as of September 2025): 84% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 66% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (66%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 78 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 71% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 60% to a further education college, 12% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.
Who goes there
6.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 71 pupils (15.8%) received SEN support and 13 (2.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Staffing
King Arthur's School had 37 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of King Arthur's School.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is King Arthur's School (e-bound), 130 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, King Arthur's School issued 257 suspensions, 57.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to King Arthur's School are Wincanton Primary School (0.6 miles) and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Wincanton Primary SchoolOur Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
King Arthur's creates a happy, supportive environment where pupils feel confident and safe. The school offers an outstanding enrichment programme with trips abroad, Duke of Edinburgh, and leadership opportunities that inspire pupils to think about their futures. The school is inclusive and provides good support for pupils with additional needs.
Key Strengths
- Strong behaviour and positive attitudes to learning with high expectations for all pupils
- Excellent enrichment programme including international trips (Berlin, Italy), Duke of Edinburgh, and leadership development through the Aspire programme
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
- Good careers advice and guidance for pupils' next steps
- Staff wellbeing prioritised with strong professional development opportunities
Areas for Improvement
- Quality of teaching is variable across classes and subjects, with inconsistent use of assessment to check understanding and address misconceptions
- No appropriate support programme for pupils at early stages of learning to read, hindering their curriculum access
- Reading curriculum not implemented consistently, failing to develop pupils' reading fluency and wider reading habits
- Pupils' attainment below national expectations in some subjects despite improving progress
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips to Berlin and Italy, Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, university visits, theatre trips, Aspire programme (leadership skills and future goals), prefect roles, sports leader positions, philosophy and ethics study, digital literacy and employability skills learning
King Arthur's School is a secondary comprehensive in Somerset that has made significant improvements since its previous inspection. The school instils confidence in pupils and maintains a happy, supportive environment, though the quality of teaching across subjects remains inconsistent.
At a Glance
27.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
88 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -0.59 to -0.21 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 36.8 to 38.8 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 26% to 36% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 38.8 | 35.7% |
| Disadvantaged(21) | - | 30.7 | 19% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(63) | - | 41.5 | 41.3% |
| Boys(44) | - | 37.4 | 36.4% |
| Girls(40) | - | 40.4 | 35% |
Show more breakdowns (1)
| Non mobile(81) | - | 39.0 | 37% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 78 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
3
Permanent exclusions
0.67%
Exclusion rate
257
Suspensions
57.37%
Suspension rate
66 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 448 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with King Arthur's School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to King Arthur's School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. King Arthur's School is in Somerset; for families living there:
Apply to Somerset for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at King Arthur's School
Will you get a place at King Arthur's School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against King Arthur's School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for King Arthur's School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to King Arthur's School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Somerset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at King Arthur's School for 2020 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Somerset got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
65%
Available places
444 pupils
680 places
236 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wincanton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wincanton
Across Somerset council
Places available
4,902
Applications
4,659
Got 1st preference
92.1%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Somerset council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
71
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
18.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
450
Total Pupils
244
Boys
206
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
37
Teachers
12.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,522
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,186
Per pupil
£3487k
Total funding
£120k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.9%
Overall absence
28.1%
Persistent absence
470
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
King Arthur's School
Questions parents ask about King Arthur's School
What are GCSE results like at King Arthur's School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at King Arthur's School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 38.8. 36% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is King Arthur's School's Ofsted rating?
King Arthur's School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for King Arthur's School?
No fixed boundary. When King Arthur's School is oversubscribed, Somerset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at King Arthur's School?
King Arthur's School was not full in 2025: it ran at 65% of its 680 places.
How big are the classes at King Arthur's School?
Classes at King Arthur's School average 20 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to King Arthur's School?
King Arthur's School has around 450 pupils on roll. 28% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at King Arthur's School?
8.9% of sessions were missed at King Arthur's School in 2024/25. 28.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to King Arthur's School?
Apply through Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming King Arthur's School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near King Arthur's School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 schools, same distance and years).
Where is King Arthur's School?
King Arthur's School is at West Hill, Wincanton, Somerset, BA9 9BX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)