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Academy sponsor led · Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

St Aldhelm's Academy

  • 11–16Ages
  • 808Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 136206URN

Herbert Avenue, Poole, BH12 4HS · School website

This school is due to be replaced by St Aldhelm's Academy.

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Requires significant improvement

Report card · inspected Mar 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.2per place
1.5 below Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median (2.7)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleSelective

183 applications for 152 places · 21st of 21 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
35.6of 90
22nd of 23 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Requires significant improvement

Report card · inspected 10 March 2026Published 9 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementUrgent improvement
Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
Personal development and wellbeingNeeds attention
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 10 March 2026
    Report card · 5 Needs attention, 1 Urgent improvement
  2. 4 November 2021
    Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
1.2applications per place, Year 7
1.5 below Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median (2.7) 1.0 below England median (2.2)

183 applications · 152 places offered · 70 named it first

  1. 2026 1.2; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.7
  2. 2025 1.4; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.3
  3. 2024 1.5; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.2
  4. 2023 1.4; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.2
  5. 2022 1.3; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.2
  6. 2021 1.0; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.6
  7. 2020 1.1; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.0
  8. 2019 0.8; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.1
  9. 2018 0.7; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.2
  10. 2017 1.3; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.2
  11. 2016 1.4; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.3
  12. 2015 1.0; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.1
  13. 2014 1.1; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median median 2.2
More applications per place than the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median in 0 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20261521831.2700.46
Sep 20251772481.41200.68
Sep 20241732661.51210.70
Sep 20231752441.41230.70
Sep 20221752231.31000.57
Sep 20211781731.0850.48
Sep 20201721841.11020.59
Sep 20191811380.8860.48
Sep 20181771260.7730.41
Sep 2017891171.3700.79
Sep 201656791.4390.70
Sep 201558591.0250.43
Sep 2014961061.1690.72

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

152 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)35.622nd of 23 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Grade 5 or above in English and maths28%22nd of 23 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Grade 4 or above in English and maths54%
  • This school
  • Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.58
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)15235.628%54%–
2024/2515633.622%45%–
2023/2416435.123%46%−0.58
2022/2314534.717%44%−0.59

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

School details

Type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
136206 · 839/6907
Trust
Authentic Education Group Limited
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
900 pupils · 808 on roll
Free school meals
45.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 September 2010
Replaced
Rossmore Community College (URN 113866)
Address
Herbert Avenue, Poole, BH12 4HS
Local authority
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources