St Laurence School
98%
Capacity
1,359
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About St Laurence School
St Laurence School in Wiltshire holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections. The school’s most compelling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.45, which places it well above the national average and significantly ahead of the Wiltshire local authority average of -0.01. This score means that, on average, pupils at St Laurence achieve nearly half a grade more per subject across eight GCSEs than students with similar starting points nationally. The school ranks third out of 26 secondary schools in Wiltshire on this measure, putting it in the top 12 per cent of the county. Nationally, it sits in the top 18 per cent of all schools. The Progress 8 score is supported by a strong Attainment 8 figure of 53.3, and 76.1 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths.
At Key Stage 5, the school’s sixth form also performs well. The value added score of 0.21 is rated as above average, meaning students typically leave with better A-level results than their prior attainment would predict. The average points per entry is 36.67, equivalent to a B- grade, and the best three A-levels average out at a B- as well. Around 12 per cent of entries achieved AAB or higher. The school’s Progress 8 banding is officially classified as above average, and its ranking in the South West region is 35th out of 306 schools, placing it in the top 12 per cent regionally. For a state secondary with a Church of England foundation, these outcomes are notably strong, particularly given that the school is non-selective and serves a mixed intake.
St Laurence is a large secondary with 1,359 pupils, operating close to its capacity of 1,380. It is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 332 applications for 221 places, with 213 offers going to first-preference applicants. The school has a sixth form and a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, and astro turf pitches. Sports on offer include rugby, hockey, cricket, and martial arts, while clubs range from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to Model United Nations and Young Enterprise. The school’s SEND provision covers six areas, including autistic spectrum disorder and speech, language and communication needs. With 14 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school has a slightly lower-than-average disadvantaged intake for the area. This is a school that suits families looking for strong academic progress in a well-resourced, oversubscribed state secondary with a Christian character and a thriving sixth form.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England/Christian |
| Address | Ashley Road, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 1DZ |
| Headteacher | Tim Farrer |
| Local Authority | Wiltshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,359 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 14.0% |
| School Capacity | 1,359 / 1,380 (98% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Dec 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (7 Dec 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 4 Mar 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.45)
572nd of 3,141
Nationally
35th of 306
In South West
3rd of 26
In Wiltshire
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
40.5
'22/23
37.6
'23/24
36.7
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
2022/2360%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 218 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)60%
- FE college32%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained3%
- Employment1%
97% 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
2022/2348%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 138 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
38%
Russell Group
40%
Top-third HE
1%
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)48%
- Employment28%
- Further education10%
- Not sustained10%
- Other 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- Biology34
- Psychology34
- History32
- Geography30
- Sociology27
- Business Studies:Single25
- Mathematics24
- Chemistry23
- Law17
- Art and Design (Graphics)16
- Art and Design (Photography)13
- English Literature13
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
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed221
332
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
227 families put this school as their 1st choice (68% 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 British75.3%
- White (other)3.3%
- Mixed3.2%
- Asian1.0%
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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About St Laurence 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
Ashley Road, Bradford-on-Avon
Wiltshire, BA15 1DZ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Reviews on Other Platforms
External reviews are provided by third-party platforms and are not verified by Classpot.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at St Laurence School!
Write a Review