Schoolfile
Search

Academy sponsor led · Gloucestershire

The Dean Academy

  • 11–16Ages
  • 816Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 138421URN

Church Road, Lydney, GL15 5DZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

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

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.3per place
0.8 below Gloucestershire median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in GloucestershireSelective

219 applications for 165 places · 37th of 39 in Gloucestershire
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
43.1of 90
31st of 41 in Gloucestershire
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 27 January 2026Published 23 March 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • 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. 27 January 2026
    Report card · 4 Expected standard, 2 Needs attention
  2. 22 September 2021
    Graded inspection: 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
1.3applications per place, Year 7
0.8 below Gloucestershire median (2.1) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

219 applications · 165 places offered · 162 named it first

  1. 2026 1.3; Gloucestershire median median 2.1
  2. 2025 1.4; Gloucestershire median median 2.2
  3. 2024 1.4; Gloucestershire median median 2.2
  4. 2023 1.3; Gloucestershire median median 2.1
  5. 2022 1.1; Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  6. 2021 1.3; Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  7. 2020 1.4; Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  8. 2019 1.1; Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  9. 2018 1.3; Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  10. 2017 1.1; Gloucestershire median median 1.9
  11. 2016 1.4; Gloucestershire median median 2.1
  12. 2015 1.3; Gloucestershire median median 2.0
  13. 2014 1.3; 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 20261652191.31620.98
Sep 20251682301.41630.97
Sep 20241602211.41490.93
Sep 20231592011.31510.95
Sep 20221391471.11130.81
Sep 20211071351.31010.94
Sep 2020831181.4750.90
Sep 20191321481.11070.81
Sep 20181171551.31080.92
Sep 20171351431.11000.74
Sep 20161271711.41140.90
Sep 20151411821.31270.90
Sep 20141381821.31240.90

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

117 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)43.131st of 41 in Gloucestershire
Grade 5 or above in English and maths34%34th of 41 in Gloucestershire
Grade 4 or above in English and maths56%
  • This school
  • Gloucestershire median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.02
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)11743.134%56%–
2024/259043.132%58%–
2023/2412339.329%55%+0.02
2022/2310842.934%64%+0.10

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 sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
138421 · 916/4005
Trust
The Athelstan Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,095 pupils · 816 on roll
Free school meals
34.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision
Resourced provision
Opened
1 November 2012
Replaced
Whitecross School (Foundation) (URN 115778)
Address
Church Road, Lydney, GL15 5DZ
Local authority
Gloucestershire · Forest of Dean

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