Ridgeway Academy, Welwyn Garden City

In 2026, pupils at Ridgeway Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 37.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.6 in Hertfordshire and 47 across England.

27% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 53% in Hertfordshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 35.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.47: 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 34.4, against 38.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 4.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Business Studies and History.

For September 2026 entry, 99 families put Ridgeway Academy as their first choice and 278 named it as one of their preferences, for 168 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Ridgeway Academy are Monk's Walk School (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.9); Stanborough School (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.3); The Sele School (3.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 35.1); and Onslow St Audrey's School (3.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.1).

Ridgeway Academy's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Ridgeway Academy is one of 11 schools run by Ambition Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 53.2 in 2024/25.

252 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Ridgeway Academy (as of September 2025): 64% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 51% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (81%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (51%).

Of the 168 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 51% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 29 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 59% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 17% into work. 8% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

8.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (75%), Mixed (9%) and Black (5%).

The nearest railway station is Welwyn Garden City Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ridgeway Academy (outside), 60 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 214 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Ridgeway Academy issued 289 suspensions, 31.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Ridgeway Academy are Panshanger Primary School (0.1 miles), Watchlytes Primary School (0.3 miles), Springmead Primary School (0.4 miles) and Swallow Dell Primary and Nursery School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.