Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre

About Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre

Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre sits well below the local authority average for Progress 8, with a score of -0.65 compared to Gloucestershire's average of 0.19. That gap of 0.84 is significant and places the school 39th out of 44 secondary schools in the county, firmly in the bottom tier. The school's Progress 8 banding is officially 'Well below average', and its national percentile ranking of 88.9 means it performs worse than nearly nine in ten schools across England. This is a school where the headline metrics suggest a real challenge in accelerating pupil progress from their starting points, particularly in English (Progress 8 English: -0.78) and open subjects (Progress 8 Open: -0.74), though maths (-0.52) and EBacc subjects (-0.56) are slightly less negative. For parents comparing options within Gloucestershire, these figures place Newent a long way behind the county's top performers like Pate's Grammar School (Progress 8: 1.01) and Denmark Road High School (0.93).

Academically, the picture is mixed. At KS4, the school's Attainment 8 score of 38.1 is modest, and only 24.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics95 measure), compared with 56% at grade 4 or above. The EBacc entry rate is low at 17%, and just 3% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the story is more encouraging: the school's value-added score of 0.07 is in line with the national average, and the progress banding is rated 'Average'. The average grade per entry is a C, with points per entry at 28.39. The best three A-levels averaged a grade C as well, worth 29.07 points. So while GCSE outcomes are a clear concern, the sixth form appears to add value more effectively. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated it Good overall, with Good for leadership and management, though the ungraded inspection noted the school 'remains Good (Concerns)'. This is a notable improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2013.

Newent is a large secondary with capacity for 1,442 pupils but currently has 1,063 on roll, so there is some slack. It is oversubscribed for 2025/26, however, with 257 applications for 153 places and 99 first-preference offers made. The school serves a Forest of Dean community where 22.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, above the national average. Facilities are strong for a state school, including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, a theatre, and a dedicated sixth form centre. There are provisions for pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. The extracurricular offer is broad, with clubs ranging from Model UN and Young Enterprise to DofE, coding, and an orchestra. This is a school that may suit families who value a wide range of activities and a sixth form that performs at national average, but who are aware that GCSE progress is a significant weakness compared with other Gloucestershire secondaries.

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