Ralph Allen School
106%
Capacity
1,382
Pupils
3.1x
Demand
About Ralph Allen School
Ralph Allen School, a large mixed secondary in Bath, holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its most recent inspections. The school’s most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.34, which places it well above the local authority average of 0.15 for Bath and North East Somerset. This means that, on average, pupils at Ralph Allen achieve nearly a third of a grade more per subject than students at other schools across the country with similar starting points. The school ranks 5th out of 14 secondary schools in the local authority and sits within the top 25% of schools nationally by this measure. In its most recent ungraded inspection in March 2024, Ofsted confirmed that the school continues to be Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. The school’s Progress 8 banding is officially classed as “Above average,” reflecting consistent academic gains across the board.
Digging deeper into the exam data, Ralph Allen’s Attainment 8 score sits at 53.8, and 77.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The school’s English Progress 8 score of 0.42 is notably strong, while maths progress is more modest at 0.14. The EBacc average point score is 4.9, and just over a third of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects. In the sixth form, 124 students took A-levels, achieving an average points per entry of 40.3, which equates to a B grade. The sixth form’s value-added score of 0.15 is also above average, and the best three A-levels averaged a B grade. The school’s Progress 8 score of 0.34 places it 58th out of 306 schools in the South West region, putting it in the top 20% regionally.
The school is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 611 applications for 200 places, with 260 first-preference applications and 191 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.06. Facilities are extensive and include a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and physical disabilities. With 17.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly representative intake. Ralph Allen is a good fit for families who want a large, well-established state secondary with strong academic progress, a thriving sixth form, and a broad extracurricular offer spanning rowing, martial arts, coding, and Model UN. Its above-average Progress 8 score and consistent Ofsted rating make it a reliable choice in a competitive Bath catchment.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Claverton Down Road, Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA2 7AD |
| Headteacher | Nathan Jenkins |
| Local Authority | Bath and North East Somerset |
| Number of Pupils | 1,382 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 17.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,382 / 1,300 (106% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
6 Mar 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (6 Mar 2024): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 20 Mar 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.34)
771st of 3,141
Nationally
58th of 306
In South West
5th of 14
In Bath and North East Somerset
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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
43.4
'22/23
38.5
'23/24
40.3
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
2022/2352%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 236 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)52%
- FE college28%
- Sixth form college8%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained3%
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
2022/2343%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 143 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
39%
Russell Group
42%
Top-third HE
2%
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)43%
- Employment31%
- Not sustained15%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Further 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- Mathematics39
- Psychology32
- Geography30
- Sociology27
- English Literature26
- Biology25
- Physics24
- English Language23
- Chemistry16
- History16
- Art and Design (Photography)14
- Art and Design (Fine Art)13
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
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed200
611
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
260 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British74.7%
- Mixed10.0%
- White (other)9.2%
- Asian1.5%
- 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ralph Allen School
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
Claverton Down Road, Bath
Bath and North East Somerset, BA2 7AD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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