Lift Ryde
95%
Capacity
1,431
Pupils
1.4x
Demand
About Lift Ryde
Lift Ryde is a large secondary school on the Isle of Wight, currently home to 1,431 pupils against a capacity of 1,500, so it is running very close to full. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage: 26.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is notably higher than the national average for secondary schools. Demand is strong, with the school oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year. It received 358 total applications for 263 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.36, and 295 of those applications were first preferences. Of those first-preference applicants, 261 were offered places, meaning the school is a popular first choice for local families. The headteacher is William Doyle, and the school is non-denominational, with no religious character.
Academically, Lift Ryde holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022, with all inspected areas — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — all judged Good. Its Progress 8 score of -0.06 is slightly below the national average of 0, but it is well above the Isle of Wight local authority average of -0.26, placing the school second out of six schools in the LA on this measure. Attainment 8 sits at 43.7, and 64.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.03, classed as average, with pupils averaging a C grade across their best three A-levels. The sixth form is relatively small, with 66 pupils included in the results.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, astro turf, science labs, art studios, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision is broad, with options from rowing and martial arts to gymnastics and dance, and there are clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. SEND support is extensive, covering ten categories including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and physical disabilities. For families on the Isle of Wight, Lift Ryde is a strong, oversubscribed choice that outperforms the local average academically and provides a full secondary experience through to sixth form, with good facilities and a clear focus on inclusion.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Pell Lane, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 3LN |
| Headteacher | William Doyle |
| Local Authority | Isle of Wight |
| Number of Pupils | 1,431 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,431 / 1,500 (95% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 23 Jan 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.06)
1673rd of 3,141
Nationally
260th of 461
In South East
2nd 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
28.7
'22/23
23.6
'23/24
30.3
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
2022/2340%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 198 pupils).
- FE college45%
- School sixth form (stay)40%
- Not sustained7%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship2%
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
2022/2352%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 33 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
7%
Russell Group
7%
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)52%
- Employment21%
- Not sustained9%
- Further education6%
- Other education6%
- 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- Psychology16
- Sociology8
- History6
- Biology5
- Chemistry5
- English Literature5
- Government and Politics5
- Art and Design4
- Mathematics4
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
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed263
358
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
295 families put this school as their 1st choice (82% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British75.8%
- Mixed14.6%
- White (other)4.3%
- Asian1.9%
- 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.
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.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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 Lift Ryde
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
Pell Lane, Ryde
Isle of Wight, PO33 3LN
Pell Lane, Ryde
Isle of Wight, PO33 3LN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
