OFSTED
4 March 2025
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Not judged
OEIF
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Gloucestershire
Trust
THE BALCARRAS TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,427
1,427 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
730
51.2% of pupils
Male pupils
697
48.8% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
18.8 pts
below England
School
6.0%
Cheltenham
14.9%
South West
20.1%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
15.5 pts
below England
School
4.8%
Cheltenham
13.2%
South West
10.7%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.2 pts
above England
School
1.2%
Cheltenham
0.9%
South West
1.5%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
78.9%
1,126
Any other White background
5.0%
72
Unclassified
3.2%
45
Any other Mixed background
2.8%
40
White and Asian
2.2%
32
Chinese
1.8%
25
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
8.8%
126 of
1,427 pupils
12.0 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
8.7 pts
below
England
6.0%
3.3 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
58.5
19.3 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.83 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
4.98%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
1.24 pts
lower than
England
School
4.98%
Cheltenham
6.12%
South West
6.20%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
9.82%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
6.00 pts
lower than
England
School
9.82%
Cheltenham
15.12%
South West
15.08%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
1.84%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.04 pts
higher than
England
School
1.84%
Cheltenham
1.81%
South West
1.90%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
105.0%
12.7 pts
above England
Balcarras School
105.0%
Cheltenham
95.4%
South West
88.7%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.