John Kyrle High School and Sixth Form Centre Academy
88%
Capacity
1,292
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About John Kyrle High School and Sixth Form Centre Academy
Parent feedback at John Kyrle High School and Sixth Form Centre Academy is notably positive, with 82% of the 218 respondents to the most recent Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school. The school is clearly popular locally: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 308 applications for 230 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.34, and 224 of those applications were first preferences. Parents report strong satisfaction with the range of activities on offer — 93% agreed or strongly agreed that their child can take part in clubs and activities — and 92% felt their child does well at the school. The school also scores well on communication: 87% agreed the school lets them know how their child is doing, and 55% felt concerns are dealt with properly (with a further 26% saying the question was not applicable). However, a notable minority of parents with children who have special educational needs and disabilities expressed concern: 32% disagreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need.
Academically, John Kyrle sits in the middle of the pack within Herefordshire. Its Progress 8 score of -0.2 is just above the local authority average of -0.22, placing it 6th out of 15 secondary schools in the county and in the bottom 50% nationally. The Attainment 8 score is 46.8, and 67.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though this drops to 45.7% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 41.7%, with 29.1% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the school's value-added score is -0.03, which is rated as average, and the average points per entry is 30.04, equivalent to a grade C. The best three A-levels average out at a grade C as well, with 8.1% of entries achieving grades AAB or higher. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2024 judged all areas as Good, a clear improvement from the Requires Improvement rating it received in 2022.
The school is a mixed, non-denominational secondary with a capacity of 1,460 and currently has 1,292 pupils on roll, including a sixth form. Facilities are strong for a state school, including a swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, theatre, and a dedicated sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of clubs and sports, from drama and debating to hockey, cricket, and cross country. It also has a comprehensive SEND register, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, among others. With 18% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly representative catchment. Given its oversubscription, families living within the school's catchment area or with a strong preference for a large, well-equipped comprehensive with a good Ofsted rating and a solid sixth form should consider it seriously, though those with SEND children may want to investigate the support on offer more closely.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Ledbury Road, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, County of, HR9 7ET |
| Headteacher | Julian Morgan |
| Local Authority | Herefordshire, County of |
| Number of Pupils | 1,292 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.0% |
| School Capacity | 1,292 / 1,460 (88% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Sept 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 21 Oct 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.20)
2004th of 3,141
Nationally
210th of 371
In West Midlands
6th of 15
In Herefordshire, County of
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
38.7
'22/23
33.6
'23/24
30.0
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: 199 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)39%
- FE college33%
- Sixth form college14%
- Employment5%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship3%
95% 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
2022/2350%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 119 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
19%
Russell Group
17%
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)50%
- Employment29%
- Further education5%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained5%
- 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- Biology25
- History22
- Sociology21
- Psychology16
- Geography15
- Mathematics15
- Chemistry12
- English Literature11
- Geology11
- English Language10
- Business Studies:Single9
- Physics9
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.
Ofsted Parent View
218 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
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
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed230
308
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
224 families put this school as their 1st choice (73% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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 British88.3%
- White (other)6.9%
- Mixed3.8%
- Asian0.6%
- Black0.1%
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
2024/2575% 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.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
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 John Kyrle High School and Sixth Form Centre 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
Ledbury Road, Ross-on-Wye
Herefordshire, County of, HR9 7ET
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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