Charnwood College
45%
Capacity
651
Pupils
3.2x
Demand
About Charnwood College
Charnwood College is a secondary school in Leicestershire that parents are clearly keen to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 373 applications for just 118 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.16. Of those, 124 families put it as their first preference, and all 118 places went to first-preference applicants. That level of demand suggests a strong local reputation, though the school does not publish a parent-view survey percentage to back that up directly. The school is led by headteacher Tracey Rowe and is a mixed, non-religious state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 18. It currently has 651 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,442, so there is room to grow. Just over a quarter of pupils (26.9%) are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and gives some indication of the school's intake.
Academically, Charnwood College is performing well above the local authority average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.19 means pupils achieve nearly a fifth of a grade more per subject than pupils nationally with similar starting points. That is a strong result compared with the Leicestershire average of -0.1. In the most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the school was rated Good overall, with all five categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — all judged Good. This is a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2020, when it was rated Requires Improvement. At GCSE, 60.3% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and the average Attainment 8 score was 43.8. In the sixth form, the average A-level points per entry was 31.88, equivalent to a C+ grade, and the value-added score was -0.14, which is in the average banding.
The school offers a decent range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, and a sixth form centre. There are plenty of extracurricular options: the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, debate, chess, and a range of sports from netball to martial arts. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language issues, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. Charnwood College is the third-highest performing school in the Charnwood local authority area for Progress 8, and ranks 13th out of 46 similar schools across the whole of Leicestershire. It is a good fit for families who want a large, improving comprehensive with a strong sixth form and a clear upward trajectory, but oversubscription means early application is essential.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Thorpe Hill, Loughborough, Charnwood, LE11 4SQ |
| Headteacher | Tracey Rowe |
| Local Authority | Leicestershire |
| Number of Pupils | 651 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.9% |
| School Capacity | 651 / 1,442 (45% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Sept 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 11 Oct 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.19)
1103rd of 3,141
Nationally
79th of 273
In East Midlands
3rd of 9
In Charnwood
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
29.0
'22/23
33.6
'23/24
31.9
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
2022/2328%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 74 pupils).
- FE college54%
- School sixth form (stay)28%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment4%
92% 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
2022/2356%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 57 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
17%
Russell Group
17%
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)56%
- Employment16%
- Other education11%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained5%
- Further education4%
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- Psychology13
- Physical Education / Sports Studies12
- Economics7
- Sociology7
- Biology6
- Business Studies:Single6
- Mathematics5
- Physics5
- Chemistry4
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
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed118
373
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
124 families put this school as their 1st choice (33% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half 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.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British64.1%
- Asian10.3%
- Mixed9.4%
- White (other)7.1%
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.
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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
9
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
6
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 Charnwood 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
Thorpe Hill, Loughborough
Charnwood, LE11 4SQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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