The Cotswold Academy

The Cotswold Academy is an 11-18 mixed secondary school and single-academy trust that was judged outstanding in all key areas at this inspection, including sixth-form provision. This was its first routine inspection since 2015, and inspectors took the pandemic context into account. The school's vision to 'create brilliant futures' is reflected in an ambitious curriculum, highly skilled teaching, strong reading support and expert provision for pupils with SEND. Pupils behave courteously, enjoy learning and produce exceptionally high-quality work, particularly in the sixth form. The school's personal development offer is extensive, with pupils learning about safety, health, respectful relationships and local risks, alongside an impressive extra-curricular programme and an exceptional careers service. Pupils have meaningful leadership roles and a strong voice in school life. Leaders and governors are focused on pupils' best interests while also prioritising staff workload and wellbeing, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Parents, pupils and staff are overwhelmingly supportive of the school.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious curriculum with clear intent across subjects
• Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and explain concepts clearly
• Teachers check understanding and address misconceptions swiftly
• Pupils make confident links across topics and subjects and engage in sophisticated discussion
• Pupils display highly positive attitudes and produce exceptionally high-quality work, especially in the sixth form
• Reading is valued, with diverse texts and bespoke support for pupils who need it
• SEND are identified accurately and supported expertly, including through The Link provision
• Behaviour expectations are clear and upheld by pupils, with swift action when needed
• Personal development programme is strong, including safety, health, relationships and local context
• Impressive extra-curricular offer across drama, music, sport, clubs and visits
• Exceptional careers programme with employer contact, work experience and further/higher education support
• Leadership and governance focus on pupils' best interests and on staff workload and wellbeing
• Pupils have meaningful leadership roles and a strong voice in school life
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Cotswold Academy attended 93.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 17.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 3.8% of pupils at The Cotswold Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Cotswold Academy had 17.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 15.2% of pupils at The Cotswold Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Cotswold Academy received £7,643 and spent £7,427 for each of its 1,500 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £689,000 (£459 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Cheltenham (Cotswold) · Gloucestershire local authority: places and applications

What is The Cotswold Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Cotswold Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was The Cotswold Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Cotswold Academy was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does The Cotswold Academy have?

The Cotswold Academy has 1,564 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Cotswold Academy cover?

The Cotswold Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are The Cotswold Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 58.7, and 66% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Cotswold Academy?

The Cotswold Academy is at The Avenue, Bourton-on-the-Water, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 2BD.