Archway School

About Archway School

Archway School in Stroud is a mixed 11-18 state secondary that currently educates 1,045 pupils against a total capacity of 1,215, meaning it is not yet full. Its intake reflects a higher-than-average level of disadvantage: 25.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with the national secondary average of around 23%. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 371 applications for 207 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.79, with 158 first-preference offers made. This suggests that despite spare capacity overall, the school is a popular choice among local families. The school is non-denominational and has no religious character. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2022, rated it Good across all five categories: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision. This marks a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

Academically, Archway’s outcomes sit below the local average. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.36, placing it in the ‘Below average’ banding nationally and ranking it 38th out of 44 schools in Gloucestershire. This is significantly lower than the local authority average Progress 8 of +0.19. The Attainment 8 score was 40.7, and 54.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though only 37% achieved a grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate was 39.6%, with 16.2% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, 44 students took A-levels, achieving an average points per entry of 24.95 (equivalent to a D+ grade), with a value-added score of -0.11, rated as ‘Average’ progress. The best three A-levels averaged a C- grade. Nationally, Archway ranks in the bottom 25% of schools by Progress 8.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, sports hall, playing fields, music rooms, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision covers rugby, football, cricket, netball, dance, and athletics, while extracurricular clubs include Debate, Orchestra, Gardening, DofE, Coding, and Model UN. SEND support is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language difficulties, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school is oversubscribed, so families should be prepared to apply early. It sits just 0.6 km from Stroud High School, an Outstanding-rated grammar school, which may influence local competition. Archway is best suited to families seeking a large, inclusive comprehensive with strong SEND provision and a sixth form, who are comfortable with academic results that trail the local average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Archway School

Helpful Guides for Parents