The Kings of Wessex Academy, Cheddar

In its own words: "At Kings, we believe that everything we do as a school community should be driven by our values, ethos, and culture. As a Church of England school, these values have always been rooted in the Christian tradition, and presented in a way that is useful for all staff and students, of all faiths and none."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Kings Academy - a place where every member of our community matters, and where we recognise that every interaction, however small, has the potential to shape a young person’s sense of self, purpose, and possibility. Belonging isn’t just something we value; it’s the foundation on which everything else is built."

In 2026, pupils at The Kings of Wessex Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.3 in Somerset and 47 across England.

48% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in Somerset and 47% in England.

That is down from 48.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.34: 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 30.2, against 50.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 20.1 points.

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

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 2026, families in Somerset lodged 133 appeals against secondary school offers; 99 reached a hearing and 10 succeeded (10.1% of those heard).

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Kings of Wessex Academy are Fairlands Middle School (0.3 miles); Churchill Academy & Sixth Form (4.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 49); and Hugh Sexey Church of England Middle School (4.5 miles, Good).

The Kings of Wessex Academy is one of 23 schools run by Wessex Learning Trust, an academy trust.

157 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Kings of Wessex Academy (as of September 2025): 80% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 68% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (89%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (67%).

Of the 246 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 141 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 37% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 45% into work. 22% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

12.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 92 pupils (8.8%) received SEN support and 13 (1.2%) 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.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of The Kings of Wessex Academy.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Kings of Wessex School (in), 60 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 48 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Kings of Wessex Academy issued 85 suspensions, 8.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Kings of Wessex Academy are Cheddar First School (0.2 miles), Draycott & Rodney Stoke Church of England First School (1.6 miles) and Axbridge Church of England First School Academy (1.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.