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The Sir John Colfox Academy

Mixed · ages 11–18 · with sixth formDorset, South West · Bridport DT6 3DTTrust: Initio Learning TrustSchool website
Pupils on roll
756of 1,024 places
Free school meals
22.7%
Year 11 cohort 2025
137
Ofsted
School remains Good, 13 September 2023Read the Ofsted report

Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The Sir John Colfox School (URN 113852, until 1 February 2015).

What the data says

Of the 155 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Sir John Colfox Academy in 2023, 35% stayed on in The Sir John Colfox Academy’s own sixth form (Dorset average 43%), 43% went to a further education college and 6% started an apprenticeship.

Among the 55 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 24% went to university (Dorset 27%, England 37%), and 33% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.

Statistics is unusually popular at GCSE: 34% of the year group took it, against 5% of pupils across England.

A level grades average D+, well below the England average of B-; 6% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Psychology, Biology and Sociology.

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 Dorset and England.

The Sir John Colfox Academy
Dorset
England
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThe Sir John Colfox AcademyDorsetEngland
Pupils in the cohort1553,781607,348
Any sustained destination93%94%92%
Stayed in education83%85%86%
— school sixth form35%43%34%
— sixth form college0%13%
— further education college43%39%37%
— other education4%3%2%
Apprenticeship6%5%3%
Employment5%4%3%
No sustained destination6%5%6%
Destination unknown1%2%3%

Where students went after sixth form

Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.

The Sir John Colfox Academy
Dorset
England
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThe Sir John Colfox AcademyDorsetEngland
Students in the cohort552,810541,441
Any sustained destination85%80%79%
University (higher education)24%27%37%
— most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students33%19%19%
Further education2%5%5%
Apprenticeship5%7%7%
Employment55%40%28%
No sustained destination9%15%16%

GCSE results 2025

MeasureThe Sir John Colfox AcademyDorsetEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)43.043.246.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths34%41%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths62%62%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects64%38%41%
EBacc average point score3.963.794.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort24%24%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils35.131.134.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils45.546.950.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)
English as an additional language2%4%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.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
Mathematics13498%88%17%22%75%
English Language13397%89%5%20%69%
English Literature12692%86%7%21%68%
Combined Science10577%65%0%9%59%
Geography7051%41%11%25%59%
Physical Education5943%11%24%24%78%
History5540%41%16%26%45%
French5238%18%6%29%52%
Food Preparation and Nutrition4936%8%22%21%88%
Statistics4734%5%4%20%89%
Spanish3727%19%8%27%68%
Business Studies3223%18%13%20%75%
Fine Art3022%9%27%28%80%
Religious Studies2921%31%7%32%55%
Biology2619%23%38%45%100%
Chemistry2619%23%54%47%100%
Physics2619%23%27%46%96%
Music1511%5%20%33%80%
Computer Science1410%13%21%30%57%
Drama86%7%13%27%88%
Design and Technology43%11%23%
Classical Greek21%0%92%
Latin21%1%74%
Art and Design21%7%24%
Photography11%6%19%
Turkish11%0%71%

A levels and other level 3 courses

MeasureThe Sir John Colfox AcademyDorsetEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study102
— of whom A level students361,518261,341
Average A level gradeD+C+B-
Average points per A level entry23.4032.2035.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsD+C+B-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects6%11%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.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Psychology1542%23%
Biology1028%20%
Sociology925%13%
Mathematics719%31%
Fine Art3%
Photography3%
Business Studies13%
Chemistry17%
Computer Science5%
Drama2%
Product Design2%
English Language4%
English Literature11%
Film Studies2%
Geography10%
History13%
Further Mathematics5%
Music Technology0%
Physical Education3%
Physics12%
Religious Studies4%
Russian0%

Applied, technical and other level 3 courses

SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Finance / Accounting (General)VRQ Level 31028%
Mathematics (Numeracy)Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3925%
Nutrition / DietVRQ Level 3
Sports StudiesBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*
Sports StudiesBTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D*
Study SkillsExtended Project (Diploma)
Ancient HistoryGCE AS level (All)
English LiteratureGCE AS level (All)
LatinGCE AS level (All)
Ancient HistoryGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
English LiteratureGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
LatinGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)

Other secondary schools in Dorset

Beaminster School

Voluntary controlled school · sixth form · 673 pupils

81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.0

Ferndown Upper School

Community school · sixth form · 1,134 pupils

88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.7

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.