Rugeley John Taylor
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Capacity
N/A
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About Rugeley John Taylor
Rugeley John Taylor is a large secondary school in the Staffordshire town of Rugeley, with a capacity of 1,800 pupils and a mixed intake from ages 0 to 18. The school is clearly in high demand: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 469 applications for 240 places, making it oversubscribed by a ratio of nearly two to one. Of those applications, 283 were first-preference choices, and 236 first-preference offers were made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 8.9%, which is below the national average and suggests a relatively affluent local catchment. The school is part of the Lichfield borough within the Staffordshire local authority, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025 judged it Outstanding overall, with Outstanding marks for quality of education, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision, while behaviour and attitudes were rated Good.
Academically, Rugeley John Taylor performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.49 is significantly higher than the Staffordshire local authority average of -0.18, placing the school in the top 25% nationally and second out of seven schools in the Lichfield area. At Key Stage 4, 84.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and the average Attainment 8 score was 56.7. The EBacc entry rate was 51.7%, with 41% achieving a grade 4 or above across the EBacc subjects. At A-level, the school’s value-added score of 0.25 is rated above average, with pupils achieving an average of B-grade across their best three A-levels. The sixth form was also rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and 21.5% of entries achieved grades AAB or higher. Parent feedback is strong: 85% of respondents would recommend the school, and 88% agreed or strongly agreed that their child does well there.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, theatre, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include football, rugby, hockey, rowing, and cricket, while clubs range from drama and choir to Model UN and Young Enterprise. The school has a comprehensive set of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent views on SEND support are mixed: 64% agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, though 31% disagreed or strongly disagreed. This is a school that suits families looking for strong academic outcomes in a large, well-resourced setting with a clear oversubscription signal, and it’s worth noting that the school’s capacity is large enough to accommodate a sizeable sixth form alongside its main secondary intake.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 0 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Kingfisher Avenue, Rugeley, Lichfield, WS15 1FY |
| Headteacher | Claire Powell |
| Local Authority | Staffordshire |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,800 |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 May 2025Quality of Education
Outstanding
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 8 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.49)
508th of 3,141
Nationally
41st of 371
In West Midlands
2nd of 7
In Lichfield
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
41.8
'22/23
36.6
'23/24
39.6
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
2022/2371%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 249 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)71%
- FE college22%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Employment2%
- Not sustained1%
98% 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
2022/2360%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 181 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
27%
Russell Group
30%
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)60%
- Employment25%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained6%
- Further education2%
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- Psychology40
- Religious Studies37
- Business Studies:Single30
- Biology29
- English Language29
- Mathematics29
- Geography25
- History23
- Chemistry22
- Computer Studies / Computing22
- English Literature20
- Physics19
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
401 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
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed240
469
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
283 families put this school as their 1st choice (60% 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British78.7%
- Asian11.2%
- Mixed4.8%
- White (other)2.3%
- 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
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
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.
4
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
3
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 Rugeley John Taylor
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
Kingfisher Avenue, Rugeley
Lichfield, WS15 1FY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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