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Academy converter · Gloucestershire

The Cotswold Academy

  • 11–18Ages
  • 1,564Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 136292URN

The Avenue, Bourton-on-the-Water, Cheltenham, GL54 2BD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given
  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Personal development
  • Leadership and management
What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.0per place
close to Gloucestershire median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in GloucestershireSelective

479 applications for 241 places · 24th of 39 in Gloucestershire
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
58.7of 90
10th of 41 in Gloucestershire
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Graded inspection · 11 March 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
AreaOutstandingGoodRequires improvementInadequate
Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Sixth form provisionOutstanding

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
2.0applications per place, Year 7
close to Gloucestershire median (2.1) 0.2 below England median (2.2)

479 applications · 241 places offered · 276 named it first

  1. 2026 2.0; Gloucestershire median median 2.1
  2. 2025 1.8; Gloucestershire median median 2.2
  3. 2024 1.8; Gloucestershire median median 2.2
  4. 2023 1.5; Gloucestershire median median 2.1
  5. 2022 1.7; Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  6. 2021 1.5; Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  7. 2020 1.6; Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  8. 2019 1.8; Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  9. 2018 1.8; Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  10. 2017 1.8; Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  11. 2016 1.9; Gloucestershire median median 2.1
  12. 2015 1.8; Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  13. 2014 1.7; Gloucestershire median median 1.9
More applications per place than the Gloucestershire median in 0 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Gloucestershire 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 20262414792.02761.15
Sep 20252404371.82461.02
Sep 20242454441.82651.08
Sep 20232473711.52571.04
Sep 20222444021.72521.03
Sep 20212443761.52210.91
Sep 20202003241.61790.90
Sep 20192344121.82591.11
Sep 20182243961.82681.20
Sep 20172103821.82451.17
Sep 20162053951.92381.16
Sep 20152073671.82471.19
Sep 20142103611.72641.26

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

243 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)58.710th of 41 in Gloucestershire
Grade 5 or above in English and maths66%10th of 41 in Gloucestershire
Grade 4 or above in English and maths84%
  • This school
  • Gloucestershire median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.49
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)24358.766%84%–
2024/2520653.055%78%–
2023/2424155.262%80%+0.49
2022/2320556.962%82%+0.67

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

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
136292 · 916/5410
Trust
The Cotswold School Academy Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,530 pupils · 1,564 on roll
Free school meals
14.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 September 2010
Replaced
The Cotswold School (URN 115761)
Address
The Avenue, Bourton-on-the-Water, Cheltenham, GL54 2BD
Local authority
Gloucestershire · Cotswold

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