OFSTED
20 February 2024
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Outstanding
OEIF
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Free schools
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
759
759 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
369
48.6% of pupils
Male pupils
390
51.4% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
14.9 pts
below England
School
9.9%
Cheltenham
14.9%
South West
20.1%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
17.3 pts
below England
School
3.0%
Cheltenham
13.2%
South West
10.7%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.6 pts
above England
School
1.6%
Cheltenham
0.9%
South West
1.5%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
84.7%
643
Any other White background
4.3%
33
Any other Mixed background
3.3%
25
White and Asian
1.8%
14
Indian
0.9%
7
White and Black African
0.9%
7
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
23.3%
177 of
759 pupils
2.5 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
2.9 pts
above
England
6.0%
0.4 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.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
5.23%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
0.99 pts
lower than
England
School
5.23%
Cheltenham
6.12%
South West
6.20%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
10.20%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
5.61 pts
lower than
England
School
10.20%
Cheltenham
15.12%
South West
15.08%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
1.02%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.78 pts
lower than
England
School
1.02%
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
84.3%
8.0 pts
below England
The High School Leckhampton
84.3%
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.