Chew Valley School
95%
Capacity
1,188
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About Chew Valley School
Chew Valley School holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a solid foundation for a large 11-18 mixed comprehensive. The school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year sits at -0.1, which places it in the ‘Average’ banding nationally. This means that, on average, pupils achieve slightly below the expected progress across their eight best GCSE subjects when compared with students nationally with similar starting points. It’s worth noting that this score is below the Bath and North East Somerset local authority average of 0.15, and the school ranks 11th out of 14 secondary schools in the area on this metric. The Attainment 8 score of 47.8 gives a clearer picture of raw achievement, and over two-thirds of pupils (68.8%) secured a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, a key benchmark for future study.
Looking more closely at the data, the school’s performance is nuanced. In English, the Progress 8 score was -0.22, while in maths it was -0.13, both negative but within the average range. The EBacc average point score of 4.38 suggests a decent breadth of academic study, and over half of pupils (53.8%) entered the EBacc combination of subjects. At A-level, the sixth form performs strongly. The school’s sixth form provision was rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and the 2023/24 results back that up: students achieved an average of 35.11 points per entry, equivalent to a B- grade, and the best three A-levels averaged a solid B grade. The value-added score of 0.09 is positive, indicating that sixth-formers make slightly more progress than similar students nationally, and 35.9% of entries were at AAB or higher.
The school is oversubscribed, with 331 applications for 203 places in 2025/26, and 194 of those offers went to first-preference applicants. Facilities are generous and include a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre, alongside strong arts and sports provision with clubs like Drama, Choir, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Chew Valley also offers a comprehensive range of SEND support, covering needs from dyslexia and autism to speech and language difficulties. For families seeking a large, well-resourced state secondary with a strong sixth form and a broad curriculum, Chew Valley is a popular local choice, though its GCSE progress scores suggest it may not push the highest-attaining pupils as far as some neighbouring schools.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Chew Magna, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, BS40 8QB |
| Headteacher | Gareth Beynon |
| Local Authority | Bath and North East Somerset |
| Number of Pupils | 1,188 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,188 / 1,253 (95% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (18 May 2022): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 5 Jun 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.10)
1781st of 3,141
Nationally
180th of 306
In South West
11th of 14
In Bath and North East Somerset
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
37.4
'22/23
33.0
'23/24
35.1
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
2022/2346%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 168 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)46%
- FE college29%
- Sixth form college8%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment5%
94% 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
2022/2359%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 69 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
33%
Russell Group
29%
Top-third HE
5%
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)59%
- Employment20%
- Apprenticeship12%
- Further education4%
- Other education1%
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- Biology22
- Mathematics22
- Psychology19
- Geography17
- Physics16
- Sociology11
- Art and Design (Photography)10
- Art and Design8
- English Language and Literature7
- History7
- Media/Film/Tv Studies7
- Spanish7
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
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed203
331
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
210 families put this school as their 1st choice (63% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:20
Source: chewvalleyschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British88.0%
- White (other)6.1%
- Mixed3.6%
- Asian0.9%
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 Chew Valley 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
Chew Magna, Bristol
Bath and North East Somerset, BS40 8QB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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