Cowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy
75%
Capacity
1,192
Pupils
1.4x
Demand
About Cowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy
Cowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy, sits within the Isle of Wight local authority, where it ranks third out of six secondary schools by Progress 8 score. That puts it ahead of The Bay Church of England School but behind The Island Free School and Lift Ryde, the two top-performing peers in the area. With 1,192 pupils on a capacity of 1,585, the school is not yet full, though it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry: 278 applications were received for 205 places, and 195 of the 197 first-preference applicants were offered a spot. The school serves a relatively high proportion of disadvantaged pupils, with 22.1 per cent eligible for free school meals. It is a mixed, non-denominational secondary with a sixth form, led by headteacher Rachel Kitley. Its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2017, rated the school Good overall, with Good for leadership and management and for sixth-form provision. An ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good.
Academically, Cowes Enterprise College performs around the national average. Its Progress 8 score of -0.07 is above the Isle of Wight average of -0.26, placing it in the middle nationally (54th percentile). Pupils made slightly positive progress in English (0.13) and maths (0.23), but weaker progress in the EBacc subjects (-0.12) and open subjects (-0.41). Attainment 8 sits at 46.8, and 52.2 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is high at 87.1 per cent, though only 22.9 per cent achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is 0.09, classed as Average, with an average points per entry of 34.81 (equivalent to a C+ grade). Eighteen per cent of A-level entries were graded AAB or higher. The sixth form is small, with 61 pupils in the data.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, science labs, music rooms, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, martial arts, rugby, and tennis, while clubs range from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Model United Nations to gardening, choir, and an eco club. SEND provision is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes the school a practical choice for families on the Isle of Wight who want a large, inclusive secondary with a strong sixth form and a good range of extracurricular activities, particularly those who value the swimming and rowing options or the high EBacc entry rate.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Crossfield Avenue, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 8HB |
| Headteacher | Rachel Kitley |
| Local Authority | Isle of Wight |
| Number of Pupils | 1,192 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 22.1% |
| School Capacity | 1,192 / 1,585 (75% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Mar 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (8 Mar 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 18 Oct 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.07)
1701st of 3,141
Nationally
264th of 461
In South East
3rd of 6
In Isle of Wight
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
38.6
'22/23
36.1
'23/24
34.8
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
2022/2339%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 195 pupils).
- FE college49%
- School sixth form (stay)39%
- Not sustained4%
- Employment3%
- Sixth form college2%
- Apprenticeship2%
96% 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
2022/2349%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 72 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
19%
Russell Group
22%
Top-third HE
1%
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)49%
- Employment26%
- Not sustained14%
- Further education4%
- Apprenticeship3%
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- Mathematics18
- Psychology17
- English Literature14
- Sociology14
- Biology12
- Geography11
- History11
- Art and Design (Fine Art)10
- Film Studies10
- Religious Studies10
- Economics9
- Chemistry8
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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed205
278
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
197 families put this school as their 1st choice (71% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 14:45
Source: cowesec.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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 British86.2%
- White (other)4.3%
- Mixed3.0%
- Asian3.0%
- Black0.2%
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 Cowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy
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
Crossfield Avenue, Cowes
Isle of Wight, PO31 8HB
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