The Chase

The Chase is a larger-than-average secondary school and standalone academy trust that continues to be graded at the expected standard overall. Inspectors found pupils achieve well, with GCSE results above national averages in subjects such as English literature, the sciences, French, art, geography and history, although progress from starting points is broadly national average. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, teaching is typically strong, and inclusion is a clear strength: vulnerable pupils, including those with SEND, are identified promptly and supported effectively. Leadership and governance are effective, the trust board knows the school well, and staff and parents are positive. Safeguarding standards are met, and the school has a resourced provision for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. Behaviour is good, pupils are happy and safe, and relationships are warm. Personal development is well considered, with extensive extracurricular, careers and Duke of Edinburgh provision, and the sixth form is a source of pride with suitable breadth and good student outcomes. Attendance overall is in line with national averages, including for pupils with SEND. The main concern is the attendance of disadvantaged pupils, which has been too low for too long and where leaders' recent actions have not yet had tangible impact. Inspectors also flagged that assessment checks are not consistently effective in some lessons, so misconceptions are not always addressed and some pupils, including those with SEND or lower literacy, move on too quickly. Adaptations for the most vulnerable pupils are not always precise enough, PSHE delivery is variable, and post-16 work is still needed to identify learning gaps promptly and ensure all students understand their appropriate destinations.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well, with examination results above national averages in several GCSE subjects.
• The curriculum is broad, ambitious and logically sequenced across subjects and stages.
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and generally adapt teaching well for pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those known to children's social care.
• Inclusion is a clear strength, with prompt identification of additional needs and highly effective support for pupils known to social services.
• Leadership and governance are effective; the trust board holds leaders to account well and staff value professional development.
• Pupils behave well and are considerate, creating a calm and orderly school where diversity is respected.
• Personal development is comprehensive, with a wide range of extracurricular activities, careers provision and Duke of Edinburgh opportunities.
• The sixth form provides suitable breadth, good support and helps students achieve well and access ambitious destinations.
• Safeguarding standards are met, and pupils feel safe and well supported, including for mental health and wellbeing.
• Overall attendance is broadly in line with national averages, including for pupils with SEND.

Areas for Improvement

• The attendance of disadvantaged pupils, including persistent absentees, has been too low for too long, and recent strategies have not yet had tangible impact.
• In some lessons, checks on pupils' understanding are inconsistent, so misconceptions are not always addressed and some pupils move on too quickly.
• Teaching is not always adapted well enough for the most vulnerable pupils, limiting how well they learn the curriculum.
• PSHE is not always delivered as intended because of variability in checking understanding, adapting activities and addressing misconceptions.
• In the sixth form, work is ongoing to ensure gaps in students' learning are identified and addressed promptly to raise attainment.
• Some sixth-form students are unclear about which destinations are appropriate for them, and some want more relevant input into the wider personal development programme.

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 Chase attended 91.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 21.2% 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, 5.0% of pupils at The Chase were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 Chase had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.9% 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, 17.3% of pupils at The Chase were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.8% 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 Chase received £7,262 and spent £7,211 for each of its 1,408 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £649,000 (£461 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.

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• Secondary Schools

All schools in Malvern · Worcestershire local authority: places and applications

What is The Chase's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Chase is Needs attention, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was The Chase last inspected by Ofsted?

The Chase was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does The Chase have?

The Chase has 1,449 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Chase cover?

The Chase for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are The Chase's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 51.9, and 56% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Chase?

The Chase is at Geraldine Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 3NZ.