Abbey College, Ramsey
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,096 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.1
Academy sponsor led
Thomas Clarkson Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 1,295of 1,440 places
- Free school meals
- 43.7%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 255
- Ofsted
- Standards maintained, 29 January 2025Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Thomas Clarkson Community College (URN 135192, until 1 April 2012).
What the data says
Of the 222 pupils who finished Year 11 at Thomas Clarkson Academy in 2023, 20% stayed on in Thomas Clarkson Academy’s own sixth form (Cambridgeshire average 24%), 58% went to a further education college and 2% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 49 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 53% went to university (Cambridgeshire 39%, England 37%), and 19% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
GCSE results in 2025 were well below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 37.4 against 46.1 across England and 48.1 in Cambridgeshire, with 28% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
A level grades average C-, well below the England average of B-. The largest A level subjects are Mathematics, Economics and Biology.
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 Cambridgeshire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Thomas Clarkson Academy | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 222 | 6,392 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 90% | 93% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 80% | 87% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 20% | 24% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | 32% | 13% |
| — further education college | 58% | 29% | 37% |
| — other education | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 7% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 6% | 5% | 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 | Thomas Clarkson Academy | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 49 | 5,697 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 80% | 83% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 53% | 39% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 19% | 26% | 19% |
| Further education | 0% | 3% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 6% | 7% |
| Employment | 24% | 35% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 16% | 12% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Thomas Clarkson Academy | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 37.4 | 48.1 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 28% | 50% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 52% | 68% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 14% | 46% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.05 | 4.36 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 40% | 24% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 29.0 | 32.5 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 43.0 | 52.8 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 29% | 14% | 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 | 248 | 97% | 88% | 10% | 22% | 59% |
| English Language | 248 | 97% | 89% | 6% | 20% | 54% |
| English Literature | 234 | 92% | 86% | 9% | 21% | 59% |
| Combined Science | 199 | 78% | 65% | 4% | 9% | 39% |
| History | 98 | 38% | 41% | 7% | 26% | 37% |
| Geography | 84 | 33% | 41% | 7% | 25% | 37% |
| Physics | 48 | 19% | 23% | 21% | 46% | 73% |
| Biology | 48 | 19% | 23% | 23% | 45% | 81% |
| Chemistry | 48 | 19% | 23% | 23% | 47% | 63% |
| Computer Science | 44 | 17% | 13% | 9% | 30% | 36% |
| Fine Art | 42 | 16% | 9% | 2% | 28% | 26% |
| French | 34 | 13% | 18% | 18% | 29% | 76% |
| Design and Technology | 32 | 13% | 11% | 6% | 23% | 38% |
| Citizenship Studies | 26 | 10% | 3% | 8% | 19% | 81% |
| 3D Design | 25 | 10% | 2% | 4% | 16% | 44% |
| Statistics | 22 | 9% | 5% | 27% | 20% | 82% |
| Business Studies | 22 | 9% | 18% | 5% | 20% | 45% |
| Photography | 21 | 8% | 6% | 10% | 19% | 57% |
| Film Studies | 14 | 5% | 1% | 14% | 20% | 64% |
| Drama | 13 | 5% | 7% | 31% | 27% | 54% |
| Polish | 12 | 5% | 1% | 100% | 84% | 100% |
| Music | 12 | 5% | 5% | 0% | 33% | 33% |
| Religious Studies | 11 | 4% | 31% | 9% | 32% | 73% |
| Astronomy | 9 | 4% | 0% | 11% | 29% | 56% |
| Dance | 9 | 4% | 1% | 0% | 27% | 44% |
| Portuguese | 8 | 3% | 0% | 13% | 50% | 63% |
| Physical Education | 8 | 3% | 11% | 0% | 24% | 63% |
| Russian | 5 | 2% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
| Spanish | 1 | 0% | 19% | — | 27% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 84 | 100% | — |
| Small Business Management | 56 | 100% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 48 | 100% | — |
| Building / Construction Operations (General / Combined) | 46 | 98% | — |
| Sports Studies | 36 | 77% | — |
| Health Studies | 20 | 43% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Thomas Clarkson Academy | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 95 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 47 | 3,369 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C- | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 27.45 | 37.39 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 21% | 23% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 19 | 40% | 31% |
| Economics | 10 | 21% | 13% |
| Biology | 8 | 17% | 20% |
| English Literature | 8 | 17% | 11% |
| Psychology | 6 | 13% | 23% |
| Geography | 6 | 13% | 10% |
| Physics | 6 | 13% | 12% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Polish | — | — | 0% |
| Russian | — | — | 0% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Film Studies | — | — | 2% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 14 | 30% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 13 | 28% | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 13 | 28% | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | 7 | 15% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Cambridgeshire
Bassingbourn Village College
Academy converter · 652 pupils
93% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.5
Bottisham Village College
Academy converter · 1,396 pupils
87% stayed in education · Attainment 8 51.1
Cambourne Village College
Free schools · sixth form · 1,626 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 51.7
Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology
University technical college · sixth form · 455 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 56.8
Chesterton Community College
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,126 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 68.0
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.