Wadebridge School
100%
Capacity
1,050
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Wadebridge School
Ofsted's Parent View survey, which ran from September 2024 to September 2025 and collected 247 responses, shows that 84% of parents would recommend Wadebridge School. That's a strong vote of confidence, and it's backed up by the fact that the school is genuinely popular: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 350 applications for 201 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.74. Parents particularly praised the range of subjects on offer (87% agreed or strongly agreed there was a good choice) and the clubs and activities available (93% agreed). Behaviour is seen as a real strength too, with 85% agreeing the school ensures pupils are well behaved. However, the picture is more mixed for SEND support: of the 19% of respondents with a child on SEND support, 48% disagreed that their child gets the help they need, compared with 52% who agreed. This is something to investigate if your child has additional needs.
Academically, Wadebridge is a solidly performing school. Its Progress 8 score of 0.05 is above the Cornwall local authority average of -0.12, meaning pupils typically achieve slightly better than the national average. This places the school 10th out of 31 secondary schools in Cornwall, putting it in the top third of the county. The Attainment 8 score of 46.3 means the average pupil achieves a grade 5 or so across their best eight GCSEs. At the basics measure, 65.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, while 44.9% achieved a grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is low at 14%, and only 8.9% of pupils entered the full EBacc and achieved a grade 4 or above. In its most recent graded inspection in December 2019, Ofsted rated the school Good across all areas, and an ungraded inspection in April 2025 confirmed that standards are being maintained.
Wadebridge is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It is at full capacity with 1,050 pupils, and 24.5% of them are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, gymnasium, art studios, and a library. Sports provision is strong with options like rowing, martial arts, and rugby, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Young Enterprise, and Model UN. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its oversubscription, applying as a first preference is essential. This school will suit families who value a broad curriculum, strong behaviour standards, and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, but who should check SEND provision carefully if relevant.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Gonvena Hill, Wadebridge, Cornwall, PL27 6BU |
| Headteacher | Mat Winzor |
| Local Authority | Cornwall |
| Number of Pupils | 1,050 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,050 / 1,050 (100% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
30 Apr 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (30 Apr 2025): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 Jan 2020. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.05)
1406th of 3,141
Nationally
132nd of 306
In South West
10th of 31
In Cornwall
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2348%
of GCSE leavers move to sixth form college (cohort: 208 pupils).
- Sixth form college48%
- FE college35%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Employment5%
- Not sustained4%
96% 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.
Ofsted Parent View
247 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
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed201
350
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
201 families put this school as their 1st choice (57% 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 British87.4%
- White (other)7.4%
- Mixed1.9%
- Asian0.5%
- 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.
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Wadebridge 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
Gonvena Hill, Wadebridge
Cornwall, PL27 6BU
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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