Classpot

Five Acres High School

Forest of Dean, GL16 7QWSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Feb 2022
Progress 8
+0.77
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
132 1st-choice / 135 places
Ranking
🏆Top 10%
#210 of 3,141 nationally

About Five Acres High School

Five Acres High School is a mixed state secondary for 11-16 year olds in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, and it is clearly a popular choice among local families. With 808 pupils on roll against a capacity of 877, the school is not quite full, but the demand is strong: for the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 209 applications for 135 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1. 55. Of those, 132 were first-preference applications, and 131 first-preference offers were made, suggesting that almost every family who put it first secured a place. The school’s intake reflects a higher-than-average level of disadvantage, with 27% of pupils eligible for free school meals, compared with the national secondary average of around 23%. This context makes the school’s academic performance all the more striking, as it is clearly achieving strong outcomes for a cohort with significant socioeconomic challenges.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressFive Acres, Coleford, Forest of Dean, GL16 7QW
HeadteacherSimon Phelps
Local AuthorityGloucestershire
Number of Pupils808
Free School Meals (FSM)27.0%
School Capacity808 / 877 (92% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

8 Feb 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 3 Apr 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:35 – 15:00

Source: 5acreshighschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Five Acres High School

Five Acres High School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.