Beechen Cliff School
107%
Capacity
1,224
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About Beechen Cliff School
Beechen Cliff School, a boys’ secondary in Bath, was rated Good across every category in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a significant turnaround from its previous overall rating of Inadequate in 2018. The school’s Progress 8 score of 0.45 is the most telling academic metric here: it means pupils achieve nearly half a grade more per subject than the national average, and it sits well above the local authority average of 0.15 for Bath and North East Somerset. That score places Beechen Cliff third out of 14 schools in the LA, and in the top 11% of schools in the South West region. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 57.1 further underlines strong outcomes, and 83% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths.
At Key Stage 5, the sixth form holds a Good rating from Ofsted and delivers a points per entry of 36.59, equivalent to a B- grade across the best three A-Levels. The value-added score of -0.05 is classed as Average, meaning students generally achieve in line with expectations given their prior attainment. The school enters a high proportion of pupils for the EBacc — 73.9% — and 59.4% achieve a grade 4 or above across the full suite of EBacc subjects. Progress in maths is notably strong at 0.67, while English progress is more modest at 0.09. The EBacc-specific Progress 8 measure of 0.74 suggests pupils taking those subjects make particularly strong gains.
The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 335 applications for 166 places, with 146 first-preference offers made from 165 first-preference applications. Facilities include a Sixth Form Centre, theatre, astro turf, science labs and music rooms, and the school offers a wide range of sports from cricket and rugby to martial arts and swimming. SEND provision covers ten categories including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder and speech and language needs. With a boarding option available and a strong academic track record, Beechen Cliff suits families who want a boys’ school with a clear focus on exam results, particularly in maths and EBacc subjects, and who value a sixth form that maintains Good standards.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Kipling Avenue, Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA2 4RE |
| Headteacher | Tim Markall |
| Local Authority | Bath and North East Somerset |
| Number of Pupils | 1,224 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 11.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,224 / 1,146 (107% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
| Boarding | Yes — Boarding school |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 8 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.45)
562nd of 3,141
Nationally
34th of 306
In South West
3rd of 14
In Bath and North East Somerset
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
39.0
'22/23
35.0
'23/24
36.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2368%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 186 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)68%
- FE college18%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained3%
- Sixth form college2%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2345%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 196 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
45%
Russell Group
46%
Top-third HE
3%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)45%
- Employment35%
- Not sustained8%
- Further education6%
- Apprenticeship1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics73
- Geography66
- Biology50
- Psychology46
- Business Studies:Single43
- Physics42
- History40
- Economics36
- Chemistry34
- English Literature30
- Law30
- Physical Education / Sports Studies20
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed166
335
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
165 families put this school as their 1st choice (49% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British78.8%
- Mixed7.2%
- White (other)6.2%
- Asian3.2%
- Black0.5%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
11
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
8
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beechen Cliff School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Kipling Avenue, Bath
Bath and North East Somerset, BA2 4RE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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