Ansford Academy

About Ansford Academy

Ansford Academy in Somerset received 104 applications for 77 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.35. Of those applications, 70 were first-preference choices, and 70 first-preference offers were made. This level of demand suggests that while the school is not the most sought-after in the area, it remains a popular choice for local families. ParentView data is not available for this school, so we don't have a direct recommendation percentage from parents. However, the fact that the school is oversubscribed indicates that enough families see it as a viable option for their children. The school is a mixed, non-religious secondary for ages 11 to 16, with no sixth form, and is led by headteacher Duncan Powell. It currently has 516 pupils against a capacity of 760, meaning there is room for growth.

Academically, Ansford Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it as Requires Improvement overall, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2017. The inspection found that quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all require improvement, while personal development was rated Good. In terms of exam results, the school's Progress 8 score for 2023/24 was -0.42, which is below the national average and also below the Somerset local authority average of -0.2. This places Ansford 20th out of 26 schools in the county on this measure, putting it in the bottom half locally. The Attainment 8 score was 37.8, and just 47.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. Only 7.9% entered the EBacc, and 4.4% achieved it. These figures suggest that the school is not currently delivering strong academic outcomes compared with its peers.

On the practical side, Ansford Academy offers a decent range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, science labs, art studios, and music rooms. Sports on offer include rugby, football, rowing, martial arts, and gymnastics, while clubs range from Drama and Eco Club to Model UN, Coding, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school also has a range of SEND provisions covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 18.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively disadvantaged intake. Given its Requires Improvement rating and below-average Progress 8 score, this school may suit families who value the breadth of extracurricular activities and are willing to work closely with the school to support their child's academic progress. The oversubscription suggests it remains a realistic local option, but parents should weigh the academic data carefully.

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