Rugby Free Secondary School, Rugby

Ofsted's report card from its 14 April 2026 inspection grades Rugby Free Secondary School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school has developed a highly effective programme for pupils' personal development."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make secure progress through the curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils' attendance at school is improving, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and its delivery."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school has established robust systems for identifying and assessing the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Since the last inspection, a new headteacher and senior leaders have been appointed."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "The sixth form opened in September 2021."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is consistently taught well so that highly effective teaching is embedded in all subjects and key stages"; "Leaders should ensure that their actions to improve attendance are embedded so that attendance for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, continues to improve".

In 2026, pupils at Rugby Free Secondary School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50 in Warwickshire and 47 across England.

34% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 52% in Warwickshire and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 43.7.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.13: pupils made 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 33.9, against 49.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 234 families put Rugby Free Secondary School as their first choice and 832 named it as one of their preferences, for 168 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 88 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Rugby Free Secondary School are Harris Church of England Academy (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.8); Lawrence Sheriff School (0.9 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 75.7); Rugby High School (1.1 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 77.1); and Ashlawn School (1.4 miles, Inadequate, Attainment 8 50.2).

Rugby Free Secondary School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Rugby Free Secondary School is one of 5 schools run by Triumph Learning Trust, an academy trust.

121 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Rugby Free Secondary School (as of April 2026): 93% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 77% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (77%).

Of the 172 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 44% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 73 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 62% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 19% into work. 9% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 230 pupils (19.7%) received SEN support and 85 (7.3%) 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 autism.

Rugby Free Secondary School has a resourced provision for autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 31 places, 26 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Rugby Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rosewood Avenue (adjacent), 140 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 200 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Warwickshire (88), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Rugby Free Secondary School issued 82 suspensions, 7.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Rugby Free Secondary School are Rokeby Primary School (0.1 miles), St Marie's Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles), Oakfield Primary Academy (0.6 miles) and Bawnmore Community Infant School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.