The King Alfred School, Highbridge

In its own words: "Set in the heart of the community, TKASA is an exceptional school dedicated to providing a first class experience for every child in safe, happy, caring and purposeful surroundings."

Coming up: an open day on Saturday, 3 October 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, pupils at The King Alfred School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.3 in Somerset and 46.8 across England.

33% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 41% in Somerset and 46% in England.

That is up from 38.7 in 2024.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.53: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2025.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 31.5, against 41.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 223 families put The King Alfred School as their first choice and 228 named it as one of their preferences, for 225 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places, so in 2026 a family who put it first could expect an offer unless the school's other criteria ruled them out.

First-choice demand has risen from 192 in 2021 to 223 in 2026, while places went from 194 to 225.

Across Somerset, 92% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 98% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2025, families in Somerset lodged 200 appeals against secondary school offers; 116 reached a hearing and 17 succeeded (14.7% of those heard).

The King Alfred School is one of 20 schools run by Pathway Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 235 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2022/23, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 46% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 81 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 51% went on to university or other higher education, 11% to apprenticeships and 21% into work. 13% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

28.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (the average state school: 24.5%), and 5.8% speak English as an additional language (average: 18.5%), according to the 2025 school census.

In 2025, 137 pupils (10.6%) received SEN support and 34 (2.6%) had an education, health and care plan, against 15.6% and 3.9% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The King Alfred School employed 80 teachers in 2024, roughly one for every 16 pupils. Their average salary was £46,366.

Its 2026 funding allocation works out at £7,146 per pupil (£9 million in total), including £389,150 of pupil premium for disadvantaged pupils.

The nearest railway station is Highbridge & Burnham-on-Sea Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away.

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is King Alfreds School (e-bound), 40 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The King Alfred School stands in is among the 50% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 248 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2023/24, The King Alfred School issued 132 suspensions, 9.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 2.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The King Alfred School are Churchfield Church School (0.4 miles), St Joseph's Catholic Primary and Nursery School (0.6 miles), St Andrew's Church Junior School (0.8 miles) and Burnham-On-Sea Infant School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.