Kings Bournemouth, Bournemouth
Kings Bournemouth is an independent school for pupils aged 14 to 25 in Bournemouth. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2026, ended in a report card: 7 expected standard.
- Ofsted report card
- 0 of 7 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Kings Bournemouth in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 27 January 2026 inspection grades Kings Bournemouth on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Expected standard. "Most international students attend the college with clear aspirations of the higher education pathways and careers they want to pursue."
Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "The majority of students and pupils attend very well."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum design offers different pathways that meet the needs and ambitions of the pupils and students."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school's systems for identifying the needs of pupils and students are well embedded."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "The school has been through a period of some changes to student and pupil numbers."
Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school is successful in its work to bring together pupils and students from different cultural backgrounds."
Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "The school offers a suitable and ambitious programme of study for students, of which leaders maintain careful oversight."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure staff further develop their expertise to adapt learning securely across the curriculum for all pupils so that it is consistently well implemented. • Leaders should make sure that teachers consistently have the expertise to enable pupils to routinely produce a high standard of work, particularly in key stage 4, so that they achieve as well as they could".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Kings Bournemouth can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Kings Bournemouth are St Martin's School (0.5 miles), Talbot Heath School (1 mile), Park School (1.6 miles) and Bournemouth Collegiate School (2.3 miles).
St Martin's SchoolTalbot Heath SchoolPark SchoolBournemouth Collegiate School
Where pupils go next
Of the 17 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 47% went on to university or other higher education.
Who goes there
In 2026, 0 pupils (0%) received SEN support and 11 (16.9%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bournemouth Rail Station, about 950 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Merlewood Close (e-bound), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 940 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (223), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 9 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- InclusionExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Post 16 provisionExpected standard
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Kings Bournemouth
Kings College provides a curriculum and qualifications for pupils aged 14 to 16 and post-16 students up to age 25. They follow the most appropriate curriculum for their stage of learning. Most students who attend Kings College are international students. They come from a wide array of countries and join courses for varying lengths of time. Alongside, there are also pupils and students from the local area who join the GCSE or A-level courses. The school works with the local authority to offer places for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It creates a respectful environment. It successfully brings together the different cultural values and experiences of everyone so all feel that they belong. Leaders provide considerate pastoral care, recognising the diverse backgrounds of those who attend this school. Incidents of bullying are unusual and the school acts promptly to address any issues. Pupils and students have many ways in which they can confidently raise their concerns or seek support. They also have positive relationships with staff. Consequently, they feel safe. Clear expectations and routines help them to settle quickly into school life, when they join the school and attend regularly. They behave considerately around school and lessons are calm. Those with SEND find the school environment supportive in meeting their needs. The school offers many different ambitious curriculum options that are taught effectively. The school adapts curriculum pathways appropriately suited for those with different needs and interests. Pupils and students enjoy learning and are well prepared for the next stages of their education. Beyond lessons, the school plans a wide programme of clubs and trips. The school designs the personal development programme so that pupils and students widen their experiences or build on their interests with clubs, such as photography or the AI club. They build their skills and confidence, for example, through drama productions or debating. Alongside the academic learning, this provides a breadth of experiences so that pupils and students are well prepared for life in modern Britain or beyond.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- • Leaders should ensure staff further develop their expertise to adapt learning securely across the curriculum for all pupils so that it is consistently well implemented. • Leaders should make sure that teachers consistently have the expertise to enable pupils to routinely produce a high standard of work, particularly in key stage 4, so that they achieve as well as they could.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 27 January 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Kings Bournemouth excels at bringing together students from diverse cultural backgrounds in a respectful, supportive environment. The school offers flexible, ambitious pathways to university with excellent career guidance and preparation. Small class sizes and attentive staff ensure every student receives the help they need, whether academically or pastorally.
Key Strengths
- Strong achievement with most students gaining high grades needed for university progression
- Positive behaviour and attitudes, with students serving as strong role models for one another
- Well-designed curriculum with multiple pathways including A-levels and degree preparation courses
- Effective support for students with English as an additional language and those with learning needs
- Calm, inclusive environment where students from different cultural backgrounds are respected
Areas for Improvement
- Quality of student work in some subjects needs to be higher, particularly in parts of the Key Stage 4 curriculum
- Attendance for some pupils with SEND and those new to education sits below national average
- Some teachers need more consistent expertise in adapting learning for pupils with SEND
- Teaching approaches in some classes could progress learning more quickly and clearly
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are fulfilled and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, music, arts clubs, student leadership roles, extended project qualification, university fairs, career speakers, work experience
Kings Bournemouth is a college serving pupils aged 14-25 with a diverse, international student body. The school has clear pathways to higher education and maintains expected standards across most areas.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with Kings Bournemouth
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 33
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 25 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
5 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 24 (the median across 117 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
22%
Available places
65 pupils
300 places
235 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bournemouth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bournemouth
Across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council
Places available
4,119
Applications
3,624
Got 1st preference
86.4%
Got preferred school
96.9%
All secondary applications across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
16.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
65
Total Pupils
37
Boys
28
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Kings Bournemouth
What are GCSE results like at Kings Bournemouth?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Kings Bournemouth can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
How many pupils go to Kings Bournemouth?
Kings Bournemouth has around 65 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Kings Bournemouth?
Kings Bournemouth is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Kings Bournemouth?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 25 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 5 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 24 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Kings Bournemouth?
Kings Bournemouth is at 58 Braidley Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6LD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)