The Bewdley School
101%
Capacity
964
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About The Bewdley School
The Bewdley School is a mixed 11-18 state secondary in the Wyre Forest area of Worcestershire, led by headteacher Dave Hadley-Pryce. It is the top-ranked school in the Wyre Forest local authority for Progress 8, sitting first out of six schools in that district. However, when you zoom out to the wider Worcestershire local authority, it ranks 11th out of 47 same-type schools, with higher-performing peers including Nunnery Wood High School, Prince Henry's High School, and Haybridge High School and Sixth Form. The school is noticeably oversubscribed: for 2025/26 admissions, it received 311 applications for 174 places, with 186 first-preference applications and 160 first-preference offers. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.79, suggesting strong local demand. The school has a capacity of 958 but currently houses 964 pupils, so it is running slightly above its official capacity.
Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated it Good across all areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. Its Progress 8 score of -0.07 is broadly in line with the national average and notably above the Worcestershire LA average of -0.21. The school's Attainment 8 score is 46.9, and 71.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school's value-added score of 0.29 is rated Above average, with pupils averaging a B- across their best three A-levels and a C+ per entry. The sixth form is small, with 44 pupils in the data, but it performs well. Parent View responses from 112 parents show 78% would recommend the school, though opinions are more mixed on SEND support and behaviour.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, swimming pool, theatre, library, science labs, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports on offer include athletics, cricket, swimming, netball, rugby, and hockey, while clubs range from Model UN and Debate to DofE, Young Enterprise, and Coding. The school lists ten SEND provisions, covering areas from dyslexia and moderate learning difficulties to autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs. That said, the Parent View data on SEND support is the most divided: 46% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that SEND children get the support they need, while 55% disagreed or strongly disagreed. This is a school that suits families who value a well-regarded local secondary with a strong sixth form and a wide choice of extracurricular activities, but it is worth investigating SEND provision carefully if your child has additional needs.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Stourport Road, Bewdley, Wyre Forest, DY12 1BL |
| Headteacher | Dave Hadley-Pryce |
| Local Authority | Worcestershire |
| Number of Pupils | 964 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.8% |
| School Capacity | 964 / 958 (101% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Oct 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 20 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.07)
1696th of 3,141
Nationally
167th of 371
In West Midlands
1st of 6
In Wyre Forest
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)
'21/22
36.0
'22/23
31.4
'23/24
34.7
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
2022/2333%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 163 pupils).
- FE college36%
- School sixth form (stay)33%
- Sixth form college10%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment4%
94% 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
2022/2366%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 59 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
20%
Russell Group
20%
Top-third HE
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)66%
- Employment27%
- Not sustained5%
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- Biology12
- Mathematics10
- Business Studies:Single9
- English Language and Literature9
- Physics9
- Design and Technology (Product Design)8
- Chemistry7
- History7
- Sociology7
- Psychology6
- English Literature5
- Art and Design (Fine Art)4
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
112 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
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
22Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed174
311
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
186 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British93.0%
- Mixed2.8%
- White (other)2.3%
- Asian0.7%
- Black0.1%
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Bewdley 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
Stourport Road, Bewdley
Wyre Forest, DY12 1BL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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