Bodmin College
93%
Capacity
1,438
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About Bodmin College
Bodmin College is a large secondary school in Cornwall with 1,438 pupils on roll, operating below its capacity of 1,550. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage: 27.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, significantly higher than the national average. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 291 applications for 228 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.28, with 227 first-preference offers made. The school is non-denominational and co-educational, catering for students aged 11 to 18. Headteacher Claire White leads a mixed comprehensive that has a sixth form on site. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2024 judged the overall effectiveness as 'Not judged', but the graded inspection gave a 'Requires improvement' rating for quality of education, sixth form provision, and leadership and management. Behaviour and attitudes, and personal development, were both rated 'Good'.
Academically, the school's performance is below the local and national average. At Key Stage 4, the Progress 8 score is -0.44, placing it in the 'Below average' band and ranking it 27th out of 31 secondary schools in Cornwall. This is notably lower than the Cornwall local authority average of -0.12. The Attainment 8 score is 38.6, and only 32.2% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. EBacc entry is low at 6.5%, and just 1.2% achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. At Key Stage 5, the picture is more mixed: the value added score is -0.02, which is in the 'Average' band, and the average points per entry is 30.22, equivalent to a grade C. The best three A-levels average grade is also a C. Parent View responses from 257 respondents show that only 37% would recommend the school, with significant dissatisfaction around SEND support and communication.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, gymnasium, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include swimming, tennis, cricket, rowing, and martial arts, while clubs range from orchestra and debate to coding, DofE, and eco club. SEND provisions are extensive, covering specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder, with a dedicated SEN unit. The school is oversubscribed, so families applying should be aware of the competitive admissions process. Given the below-average Progress 8 scores and mixed Ofsted ratings, this school may suit families who value the breadth of extracurricular activities and on-site sixth form, but who are prepared to engage closely with the school on academic progress and SEND support.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Lostwithiel Road, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL31 1DD |
| Headteacher | Claire White |
| Local Authority | Cornwall |
| Number of Pupils | 1,438 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,438 / 1,550 (93% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
1 Oct 2024Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 10 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.44)
2513th of 3,141
Nationally
265th of 306
In South West
27th of 31
In Cornwall
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
32.6
'22/23
30.4
'23/24
30.2
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
2022/2359%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 228 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)59%
- Sixth form college14%
- FE college7%
- Employment6%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship2%
87% 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
2022/2341%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 95 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
7%
Russell Group
10%
Top-third HE
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)41%
- Employment32%
- Not sustained15%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Other education3%
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- Psychology17
- Art and Design (Photography)15
- English Language14
- Sociology14
- Art and Design (Graphics)13
- Mathematics12
- History10
- Biology9
- English Literature9
- Art and Design (Fine Art)6
- Art and Design (Textiles)6
- Geography6
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.
Ofsted Parent View
257 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed228
291
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
227 families put this school as their 1st choice (78% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British88.0%
- White (other)4.9%
- Mixed3.3%
- Asian0.6%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% 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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bodmin College
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
Lostwithiel Road, Bodmin
Cornwall, PL31 1DD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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