The Blue School
83%
Capacity
1,357
Pupils
1.2x
Demand
About The Blue School
The Blue School sits within Somerset local authority as a Church of England secondary for pupils aged 11 to 18, and it holds a strong position among its peers. Ranked sixth out of 26 state secondaries in the county, it sits just behind the top three performers: The Kings of Wessex Academy, Brymore Academy, and Sexey’s School. With 1,357 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,640, the school is clearly popular — it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 admissions, receiving 261 applications for 214 places, and 211 of those were first-preference offers. Headteacher Mark Woodlock leads a mixed, non-selective school where 17.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, slightly above the national average. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in May 2023, confirmed it remains Good overall, a rating it has held consistently since its last graded inspection in October 2017.
Academically, The Blue School delivers results that sit comfortably above the Somerset average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.19 is rated Above average nationally, and it compares very favourably with the local authority average of -0.2. In English, Progress 8 is 0.05, while maths scores a stronger 0.23, and the EBacc element comes in at 0.18. Attainment 8 sits at 48, and 67.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At KS5, the school’s value-added score of 0.21 is also rated Above average, with students averaging 34.27 points per entry — equivalent to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels average out at a B-, and 16.7% of entries achieved at least an AAB. The school’s EBacc entry rate is 26.4%, with 20.7% of pupils achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, tennis courts, and a dedicated sixth form centre, alongside a chapel reflecting its Church of England character. Sports provision covers rugby, hockey, cricket, athletics, netball, and cross country, while clubs range from Eco Club and Model UN to Young Enterprise and DofE. SEND support is well-developed, with provisions for dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language challenges, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, inclusive, oversubscribed secondary with strong academic momentum above the local average, a clear sixth form pathway, and a wide extracurricular offer — particularly for pupils who thrive in a structured but well-resourced environment.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Kennion Road, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2NR |
| Headteacher | Mark Woodlock |
| Local Authority | Somerset |
| Number of Pupils | 1,357 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 17.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,357 / 1,640 (83% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 May 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (18 May 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 9 Nov 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.19)
1094th of 3,141
Nationally
94th of 306
In South West
6th of 26
In 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
39.4
'22/23
32.4
'23/24
34.3
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
2022/2347%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 251 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)47%
- FE college37%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained4%
- Employment3%
95% 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
2022/2356%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 143 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
39%
Russell Group
38%
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)56%
- Employment25%
- Further education6%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained3%
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- Psychology37
- Mathematics32
- History30
- Design and Technology (Product Design)20
- Geography20
- Religious Studies20
- Art and Design (Fine Art)19
- Biology19
- Government and Politics17
- Physics17
- Design and Technology (Textiles Technology)15
- Chemistry11
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
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed214
261
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
211 families put this school as their 1st choice (81% 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 half 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 British84.1%
- White (other)6.4%
- Mixed5.0%
- Asian2.5%
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.
5
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
4
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 The Blue 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
Kennion Road, Wells
Somerset, BA5 2NR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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