The Polesworth School
94%
Capacity
1,451
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About The Polesworth School
The Polesworth School is clearly a popular choice among local families, with 365 applications for 235 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.55. Of those, 227 first-preference offers were made from 237 first-preference applications, suggesting strong demand from those who put it top of their list. The school is a large, mixed, non-selective secondary in North Warwickshire, with a capacity of 1,541 and currently 1,451 pupils on roll. Headteacher Maura Favell leads a school that, in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, was rated Good overall, with Outstanding marks for personal development, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. That’s a strong set of signals for parents: the school is oversubscribed, and inspectors found behaviour and personal development to be exceptional, which often translates into a positive day-to-day experience for pupils and families alike.
Academically, the picture is more mixed. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score of -0.42 is classed as ‘Below average’ nationally, and sits well below the Warwickshire local authority average of 0.02. The Attainment 8 score of 40.6 and the basics measure (52.5% achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths) reflect a cohort where 19.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The EBacc entry rate is 36.6%, with 21.8% achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the local authority rankings, the school sits 30th out of 42 similar schools, and 3rd out of 5 in North Warwickshire specifically. At sixth form, the picture is brighter: the value-added score of 0.05 is in line with the national average, and the average points per entry of 32.19 equates to a grade of C+. The sixth form was rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and the school offers a dedicated Sixth Form Centre.
The school is well equipped, with facilities including a theatre, astro turf, sports hall, tennis courts, art studios, and a chapel. There is a broad range of extracurricular activities, from Model UN and Young Enterprise to DofE, coding, and gardening. Sports on offer include cricket, swimming, rugby, and gymnastics. The school’s SEND provision covers a wide spectrum, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. For families considering this school, the key takeaway is that it is a large, popular community school with strong pastoral and behavioural ratings, an Outstanding sixth form, and a wide range of facilities and clubs. The academic results at GCSE are below the local average, so it may particularly suit families who prioritise personal development, behaviour, and a broad extracurricular offer over headline exam scores.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Dordon Road, Tamworth, North Warwickshire, B78 1QT |
| Headteacher | Maura Favell |
| Local Authority | Warwickshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,451 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 19.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,451 / 1,541 (94% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
2 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 16 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.42)
2485th of 3,141
Nationally
276th of 371
In West Midlands
3rd of 5
In North Warwickshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
35.9
'22/23
30.7
'23/24
32.2
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
2022/2341%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 259 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)41%
- FE college39%
- Employment7%
- Not sustained4%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Sixth form college2%
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
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 147 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
21%
Russell Group
20%
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)54%
- Employment30%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained5%
- 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
- History31
- Biology29
- Mathematics27
- Sociology27
- Chemistry24
- Business Studies:Single22
- Media/Film/Tv Studies19
- Geography18
- English Literature15
- Physics15
- Law14
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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed235
365
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
237 families put this school as their 1st choice (65% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:25 – 15:00
Source: thepolesworthschool.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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 British87.0%
- Mixed3.7%
- White (other)2.9%
- Asian0.9%
- 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
2024/2575% 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.
4
Total schools
4
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 The Polesworth 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
Dordon Road, Tamworth
North Warwickshire, B78 1QT
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