Bridlington School

About Bridlington School

Bridlington School’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.96 places it well below the East Riding of Yorkshire local authority average of -0.13, a gap that makes it the second-lowest performing secondary in the area out of 19 schools. This is a significant difference, and it’s worth noting that the school’s progress banding is officially rated as ‘Well below average’ nationally. The picture is consistent across individual subjects: Progress 8 scores for English (-1.03), maths (-1.02), and the EBacc subjects (-1.16) all fall well short of the LA benchmark. While the school’s Attainment 8 score of 37.6 is modest, the real story here is about pupil progress rather than raw attainment. The school is clearly serving a community with high levels of disadvantage — 52.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, more than double the national average — and this context is essential when interpreting the headline figures.

At Key Stage 4, just 28.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared with 45.2% at grade 4 or above. The EBacc entry rate is low at 19.3%, and only 6.6% of pupils entered the full EBacc and achieved a grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is similarly challenging: the value added score is -0.77, again rated ‘Well below average’, with an average points per entry of 23.64 (equivalent to a D+ grade). The best three A-levels averaged a D grade. Ofsted’s most recent inspection in 2023 rated the school Good across all categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — which suggests that while academic outcomes are weak, inspectors saw a school that is well-led and improving. The previous inspection in 2013 also rated it Good, so the school has held a consistent overall rating for a decade.

The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 149 first-preference applications for 149 places and a total of 193 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.3. Facilities include a theatre, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre, with clubs ranging from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to Model UN and coding. SEND provision is broad, covering dyslexia, autism, speech and language needs, and a dedicated SEN unit. For families considering Bridlington School, the key question is whether the strong Ofsted rating and wide range of extracurricular opportunities outweigh the very low academic progress scores. This is a school that may suit parents who prioritise pastoral support and a broad curriculum over exam results, particularly given the high level of pupil disadvantage it serves.

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