Rugby Free Secondary School
97%
Capacity
1,111
Pupils
4.8x
Demand
About Rugby Free Secondary School
Rugby Free Secondary School's headline Progress 8 score of 0.13 sits comfortably above the Warwickshire local authority average of 0.02, meaning pupils here make more academic progress than their peers across the county. That's a solid, above-average result for a non-selective state secondary, and it places the school 13th out of 42 similar schools in the LA. In the Rugby local area specifically, it ranks 3rd out of 6 schools on Progress 8. The school's Attainment 8 score of 43.8 gives a sense of the overall GCSE grades pupils achieve, and 62.8% of students secure a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The school is heavily oversubscribed — for 173 places in 2025/26, there were 826 applications, a ratio of nearly five applicants per place, with 278 families putting it as their first preference.
The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 rated it Good across the board, including for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. That's a significant turnaround from its previous inspection in 2019, when it was rated Inadequate overall. At A-level, the school's value-added score is 0.1, with a progress banding of Average, and the average points per entry is 31.62, equivalent to a grade C. The best three A-levels average out at a B- grade. The EBacc entry rate is 20.9%, and the EBacc average point score is 3.73. Parent View responses from 109 families between September 2024 and September 2025 show strong satisfaction: 73% would recommend the school, and 74% agree or strongly agree their child is happy. However, SEND support is a notable area of concern — 40% of parents strongly disagree that the school gives SEND children the support they need, the most negative response on the survey.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, and a sixth form centre, plus clubs from Model UN to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. It has a resourced provision and supports pupils with a broad spectrum of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and physical disabilities. With 27.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. It's a good fit for families in Rugby who want a large, oversubscribed comprehensive with above-average progress and a strong sixth form, but those with children who have SEND needs should investigate the school's support arrangements carefully before applying.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Anderson Avenue, Rugby, Rugby, CV22 5PE |
| Headteacher | Iain Green |
| Local Authority | Warwickshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,111 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,111 / 1,150 (97% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Jul 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 26 Sept 2021. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.13)
1244th of 3,141
Nationally
122nd of 371
In West Midlands
3rd of 6
In Rugby
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)
'22/23
27.6
'23/24
31.6
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
2022/2348%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 163 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)48%
- FE college31%
- Not sustained7%
- Employment5%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Sixth form college1%
91% 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.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology15
- Sociology13
- Biology9
- Physical Education / Sports Studies9
- English Language and Literature8
- English Literature7
- Mathematics6
- Physics6
- Art and Design5
- Chemistry5
- History5
- Religious Studies5
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
109 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed173
826
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
278 families put this school as their 1st choice (34% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British61.2%
- White (other)14.6%
- Asian8.1%
- Mixed7.1%
- Black0.5%
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.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
6
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 Rugby Free Secondary 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
Anderson Avenue, Rugby
Rugby, CV22 5PE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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