Ansford Academy
Academy converter · 469 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 43.7
Academy converter
West Somerset College
- Pupils on roll
- 745of 1,509 places
- Free school meals
- 26.2%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 215
- Ofsted
- Report card, 20 January 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Needs attentionAchievement Needs attentionAttendance and behaviour Needs attentionPersonal development and wellbeing Expected standardInclusion Expected standardLeadership and governance Needs attentionPost-16 provision Needs attentionSafeguarding Met
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The West Somerset Community College (URN 123877, until 1 June 2011).
What the data says
Of the 193 pupils who finished Year 11 at West Somerset College in 2023, 33% stayed on in West Somerset College’s own sixth form (Somerset average 17%), 15% went to a further education college and 7% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 84 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 14% went to university (Somerset 24%, England 37%), and 8% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
12% of leavers were not in sustained education, employment or training six months on, compared with 6% nationally.
Photography is unusually popular at GCSE: 32% of the year group took it, against 6% of pupils across England.
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 Somerset and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | West Somerset College | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 193 | 5,178 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 84% | 92% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 69% | 81% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 33% | 17% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 20% | 17% | 13% |
| — further education college | 15% | 47% | 37% |
| — other education | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 6% | 3% |
| Employment | 8% | 5% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 12% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 4% | 2% | 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 | West Somerset College | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 84 | 4,876 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 71% | 81% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 14% | 24% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 8% | 14% | 19% |
| Further education | 0% | 5% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 11% | 7% |
| Employment | 51% | 40% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 20% | 14% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | West Somerset College | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 41.2 | 43.5 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 33% | 40% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 55% | 61% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 25% | 31% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.41 | 3.78 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 21% | 21% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 27.1 | 30.5 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 45.0 | 47.0 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 3% | 9% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 212 | 99% | 88% | 13% | 22% | 62% |
| English Literature | 212 | 99% | 86% | 9% | 21% | 59% |
| English Language | 212 | 99% | 89% | 13% | 20% | 67% |
| Combined Science | 165 | 77% | 65% | 1% | 9% | 31% |
| History | 116 | 54% | 41% | 18% | 26% | 53% |
| Business Studies | 102 | 47% | 18% | 9% | 20% | 60% |
| Geography | 97 | 45% | 41% | 9% | 25% | 54% |
| Photography | 69 | 32% | 6% | 25% | 19% | 80% |
| Design and Technology | 63 | 29% | 11% | 13% | 23% | 59% |
| Fine Art | 56 | 26% | 9% | 41% | 28% | 73% |
| Biology | 47 | 22% | 23% | 19% | 45% | 91% |
| Physics | 47 | 22% | 23% | 19% | 46% | 91% |
| Chemistry | 47 | 22% | 23% | 17% | 47% | 83% |
| French | 43 | 20% | 18% | 12% | 29% | 56% |
| Spanish | 33 | 15% | 19% | 12% | 27% | 45% |
| Computer Science | 29 | 13% | 13% | 7% | 30% | 69% |
| Music | 12 | 6% | 5% | 8% | 33% | 75% |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Studies | 62 | 100% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 60 | 100% | — |
| Sports Studies | 49 | 92% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | West Somerset College | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 122 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 53 | 1,831 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 28.37 | 33.81 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 3% | 12% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Studies | 21 | 40% | 13% |
| Media Studies | 15 | 28% | 4% |
| Mathematics | 14 | 26% | 31% |
| Psychology | 12 | 23% | 23% |
| Sociology | 9 | 17% | 13% |
| Biology | 7 | 13% | 20% |
| Fine Art | 7 | 13% | 3% |
| Economics | 7 | 13% | 13% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Textiles | — | — | 1% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 20 | 38% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 8 | 15% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Somerset
Bishop Fox's School
Academy converter · 1,123 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.9
Bridgwater College Academy
Academy sponsor led · 1,561 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 31.9
Brymore Academy
Academy sponsor led · 327 pupils
74% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.0
Buckler's Mead School
Academy converter · 812 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.5
Chilton Trinity School
Academy converter · 990 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 42.0
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.