Etone College

Etone College is a larger-than-average secondary school in Nuneaton, part of Matrix Academy Trust, and this full inspection found it performing strongly across almost every area. Attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, personal development and post-16 provision were all judged to be at a strong standard, with safeguarding requirements met. Inspectors described a powerful sense of community, pupils who are punctual, calm and focused, and a curriculum that is ambitious for all. Reading, writing, mathematics and oracy are prioritised, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified quickly and supported precisely, including through the school's 'Success Centre'. Staff feel valued, retention is high, and governance is knowledgeable and rigorous. Achievement was the one area judged at the expected standard rather than strong. Pupils typically achieve well and progress is above national averages in several years, but leaders are asked to ensure all staff further adapt teaching and assessment so pupils deepen their knowledge and key skills, raising achievement for all. Data also shows a wide gap between disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally in English and maths at grade 5, and A-level average point scores sit a little below national figures. Personal development is a standout feature: pupils speak maturely about difference, participate widely in clubs, trips and leadership roles, and benefit from a comprehensive, externally validated careers programme. Sixth form students progress well to prestigious universities and act as strong role models for younger pupils. Overall, this is a well-led, inclusive and improving school with clear priorities for the next stage of its development.

Strengths

• Highly effective, sustained approach to improving attendance, with SEND attendance consistently above national figures
• High expectations for behaviour are firmly embedded; pupils are punctual, calm and ready to learn
• Ambitious curriculum delivered by teachers with expert subject knowledge and clear, purposeful teaching
• Teachers rigorously check learning and skilfully adjust teaching to address gaps and misunderstandings
• Strong focus on foundational skills including reading, writing, mathematics and oracy across all subjects
• Inclusion is a strength, with SEND pupils identified accurately and support precisely matched to need
• Sharp, focused staff training ensures staff can meet a wide range of needs confidently
• Very well led and managed, with committed staff and knowledgeable trustees carrying out statutory duties with rigour
• Effective strategies to manage staff workload and wellbeing, resulting in very high staff retention
• Personal development is embedded across the school's culture, with pupils articulating respect for difference
• Wide participation in clubs, trips and leadership roles, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
• Highly comprehensive, externally validated careers programme with multiple high-quality employer encounters
• Growing, inclusive sixth form with expert teaching, strong pastoral support and good progression to prestigious universities
• Sixth form students contribute positively to the community and act as first-rate role models for younger pupils

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement is at the expected standard rather than strong, with scope to raise outcomes for all pupils
• Leaders should ensure all staff further adapt teaching and assessment so pupils deepen knowledge and key skills
• A wide gap remains between disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally in English and maths grade 5
• A-level average point scores are slightly below the national average
• Disadvantaged pupils' performance has fluctuated year on year, indicating less consistent outcomes

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 Etone College attended 92.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 24.0% 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 Etone College 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 Etone College had 14.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.1% 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, 13.5% of pupils at Etone College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.7% 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 Etone College received £7,092 and spent £7,770 for each of its 1,170 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £842,000 (£720 per pupil).

Across all 7 schools of Matrix Academy Trust, income was £8,375 and spending £9,033 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 Nuneaton · Warwickshire local authority: places and applications

Etone College is part of Matrix Academy Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Barr Beacon School Walsall
• Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School Birmingham
• Elmwood School Walsall
• Turves Green Boys' School Birmingham
• Bloxwich Academy Walsall
• Pool Hayes Primary School Willenhall
• Wednesfield Academy Wolverhampton
• Smestow Academy Wolverhampton

What is Etone College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Etone College is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Etone College last inspected by Ofsted?

Etone College was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Etone College have?

Etone College has 1,164 pupils on roll.

What age range does Etone College cover?

Etone College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Etone College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.2, and 49% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Etone College?

Etone College is at Leicester Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV11 6AA.