Alcester Academy
Academy converter · 636 pupils
89% stayed in education · Attainment 8 54.0
Academy converter
The Polesworth School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,459of 1,541 places
- Free school meals
- 20.1%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 237
- Ofsted
- Good, 2 February 2023Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The Polesworth School (URN 125736, until 1 February 2011).
What the data says
Of the 239 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Polesworth School in 2023, 42% stayed on in The Polesworth School’s own sixth form (Warwickshire average 43%), 43% went to a further education college and 2% started an apprenticeship.
Religious Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 95% of the year group took it, against 31% of pupils across England.
Among the 143 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 43% went to university (Warwickshire 35%, England 37%), and 19% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 42.7 against 46.1 across England and 48.0 in Warwickshire, with 35% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Warwickshire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Polesworth School | Warwickshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 239 | 6,474 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 93% | 92% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 89% | 87% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 42% | 43% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 3% | 7% | 13% |
| — further education college | 43% | 34% | 37% |
| — other education | — | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 5% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Polesworth School | Warwickshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 143 | 6,672 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 88% | 80% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 43% | 35% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 19% | 21% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 4% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 8% | 7% |
| Employment | 38% | 33% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 8% | 15% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Polesworth School | Warwickshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 42.7 | 48.0 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 35% | 50% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 58% | 68% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 37% | 42% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.83 | 4.28 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 20% | 23% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 31.4 | 32.0 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 45.5 | 52.8 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 2% | 13% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 237 | 100% | 89% | 15% | 20% | 63% |
| Mathematics | 237 | 100% | 88% | 13% | 22% | 64% |
| English Literature | 228 | 96% | 86% | 17% | 21% | 64% |
| Religious Studies | 225 | 95% | 31% | 13% | 32% | 51% |
| Combined Science | 197 | 83% | 65% | 6% | 9% | 58% |
| Geography | 127 | 54% | 41% | 9% | 25% | 55% |
| History | 101 | 43% | 41% | 20% | 26% | 50% |
| Design and Technology | 47 | 20% | 11% | 13% | 23% | 30% |
| Sociology | 46 | 19% | 4% | 22% | 21% | 72% |
| French | 44 | 19% | 18% | 16% | 29% | 70% |
| German | 43 | 18% | 5% | 14% | 33% | 60% |
| Business Studies | 42 | 18% | 18% | 2% | 20% | 50% |
| Chemistry | 32 | 14% | 23% | 59% | 47% | 100% |
| Biology | 32 | 14% | 23% | 53% | 45% | 100% |
| Physics | 32 | 14% | 23% | 47% | 46% | 100% |
| Fine Art | 20 | 8% | 9% | 20% | 28% | 80% |
| Dance | 17 | 7% | 1% | 18% | 27% | 53% |
| Classical Civilisation | 15 | 6% | 1% | 20% | 40% | 67% |
| Polish | 2 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Italian | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| Chinese | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourism | 32 | 31% | — |
| Sports / Movement Science | 29 | 28% | — |
| Small Business Management | 19 | 19% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 19 | 19% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 17 | 17% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 14 | 14% | — |
| Additional Mathematics FSMQ | 1 | 1% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Polesworth School | Warwickshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 209 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 102 | 3,281 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 31.12 | 35.35 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C+ | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 10% | 21% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 46 | 45% | 23% |
| Biology | 25 | 25% | 20% |
| Business Studies | 22 | 22% | 13% |
| Mathematics | 18 | 18% | 31% |
| Politics | 15 | 15% | 6% |
| Chemistry | 13 | 13% | 17% |
| Geography | 13 | 13% | 10% |
| History | 13 | 13% | 13% |
| Physics | 13 | 13% | 12% |
| Economics | 12 | 12% | 13% |
| English Literature | 12 | 12% | 11% |
| Physical Education | 11 | 11% | 3% |
| Sociology | 11 | 11% | 13% |
| Law | 9 | 9% | 4% |
| Media Studies | 8 | 8% | 4% |
| Product Design | 6 | 6% | 2% |
| Religious Studies | — | — | 4% |
| German | — | — | 0% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | 20 | 20% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | 14 | 14% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 13 | 13% | — |
| Tourism | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 13 | 13% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 7 | 7% | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| German | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Physics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Physics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Warwickshire
Alcester Grammar School
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97% stayed in education · Attainment 8 73.7
Ash Green School
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83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 40.7
Ashlawn School
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88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.4
Aylesford School Warwick
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82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 39.9
Bilton School
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,127 pupils
82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 43.4
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.