Backwell School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,595 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 52.7
Academy converter
Gordano School
- Pupils on roll
- 2,029of 2,155 places
- Free school meals
- 9.1%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 324
- Ofsted
- Good, 30 April 2024Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Gordano School (URN 131374, until 1 July 2011).
What the data says
Of the 336 pupils who finished Year 11 at Gordano School in 2023, 52% stayed on in Gordano School’s own sixth form (North Somerset average 35%), 33% went to a further education college and 5% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 190 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 40% went to university (North Somerset 25%, England 37%), and 27% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Food Preparation and Nutrition is unusually popular at GCSE: 22% of the year group took it, against 8% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 49.0 against 46.1 across England and 46.8 in North Somerset, with 51% 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 North Somerset and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Gordano School | North Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 336 | 2,376 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 94% | 93% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 87% | 86% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 52% | 35% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 1% | 2% | 13% |
| — further education college | 33% | 48% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 4% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 5% | 5% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 1% | 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 | Gordano School | North Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 190 | 2,308 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 91% | 76% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 40% | 25% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 27% | 15% | 19% |
| Further education | 6% | 6% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 10% | 7% |
| Employment | 37% | 35% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 7% | 18% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Gordano School | North Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 49.0 | 46.8 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 51% | 46% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 73% | 67% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 53% | 29% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.42 | 4.03 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 8% | 18% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 27.8 | 30.8 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 50.7 | 50.4 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 5% | 8% | 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 | 322 | 99% | 88% | 22% | 22% | 79% |
| English Language | 321 | 99% | 89% | 22% | 20% | 78% |
| English Literature | 316 | 98% | 86% | 17% | 21% | 73% |
| Combined Science | 243 | 75% | 65% | 7% | 9% | 61% |
| History | 160 | 49% | 41% | 21% | 26% | 58% |
| Spanish | 117 | 36% | 19% | 15% | 27% | 78% |
| Business Studies | 113 | 35% | 18% | 24% | 20% | 69% |
| Geography | 113 | 35% | 41% | 31% | 25% | 73% |
| French | 80 | 25% | 18% | 21% | 29% | 73% |
| Chemistry | 73 | 23% | 23% | 55% | 47% | 100% |
| Physics | 73 | 23% | 23% | 62% | 46% | 100% |
| Biology | 73 | 23% | 23% | 58% | 45% | 100% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 71 | 22% | 8% | 14% | 21% | 66% |
| Drama | 60 | 19% | 7% | 28% | 27% | 80% |
| Design and Technology | 57 | 18% | 11% | 26% | 23% | 72% |
| Psychology | 54 | 17% | 3% | 33% | 22% | 70% |
| Art and Design | 47 | 15% | 7% | 47% | 24% | 94% |
| Photography | 43 | 13% | 6% | 40% | 19% | 91% |
| Computer Science | 42 | 13% | 13% | 21% | 30% | 62% |
| Music | 39 | 12% | 5% | 13% | 33% | 69% |
| Religious Studies | 32 | 10% | 31% | 38% | 32% | 94% |
| Physical Education | 29 | 9% | 11% | 21% | 24% | 97% |
| Dance | 17 | 5% | 1% | 29% | 27% | 71% |
| Textiles | 14 | 4% | 2% | 36% | 27% | 86% |
| German | 1 | 0% | 5% | — | 33% | — |
| Russian | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
| Chinese | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 44 | 28% | — |
| Sports / Movement Science | 38 | 24% | — |
| Building / Construction Operations (General / Combined) | 26 | 16% | — |
| Health Studies | 24 | 15% | — |
| Tourism | 9 | 6% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Gordano School | North Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 362 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 160 | 910 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 34.83 | 32.70 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 17% | 14% | 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 | 55 | 34% | 23% |
| Mathematics | 45 | 28% | 31% |
| Biology | 33 | 21% | 20% |
| Business Studies | 32 | 20% | 13% |
| Physics | 32 | 20% | 12% |
| Media Studies | 29 | 18% | 4% |
| Economics | 29 | 18% | 13% |
| Sociology | 25 | 16% | 13% |
| Chemistry | 20 | 13% | 17% |
| Geography | 15 | 9% | 10% |
| History | 11 | 7% | 13% |
| Product Design | 11 | 7% | 2% |
| Further Mathematics | 10 | 6% | 5% |
| Fine Art | 9 | 6% | 3% |
| Music | 9 | 6% | 0% |
| Spanish | 8 | 5% | 2% |
| Computer Science | 8 | 5% | 5% |
| English Language | 7 | 4% | 4% |
| English Literature | 7 | 4% | 11% |
| Textiles | 7 | 4% | 1% |
| Politics | 6 | 4% | 6% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Religious Studies | — | — | 4% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 38 | 24% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 22 | 14% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 18 | 11% | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | 14 | 9% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 11 | 7% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 10 | 6% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 8 | 5% | — |
| Nutrition / Diet | VRQ Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Economics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Psychology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in North Somerset
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Nailsea School
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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.