Holyrood Academy
Chard, TA20 1JL · Somerset · secondary school
Check the area around this school
15th of 28 secondary schools in Somerset we can score, 35 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 3.4/10 against 867 of them, against 3.3/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 36.9 · 30 | 30% | 0.89 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.16 · 38 | 25% | 0.95 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 42.9 · 34 | 10% | 0.33 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Holyrood Academy overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected in 2023. In 2024/25, 29.7% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 42.4, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.16 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.2 out of 10 among them, against 2.7 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,282 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,300. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific strategies are used to improve Progress 8 scores for students with similar backgrounds?
What Ofsted said about Holyrood Academy
Overview
Holyrood Academy is judged ‘Good’ across all inspection categories, including the quality of education, behaviour, and leadership. The report highlights an ‘ambitious curriculum’ where pupils ‘enjoy learning’ and ‘aspire to do well’, supported by positive relationships and effective safeguarding.
Strengths
- The curriculum is ‘very well-structured’, particularly in modern foreign languages, leading to increased uptake of the English Baccalaureate.
- ‘Reading is at the heart of the Holyrood curriculum’, with pupils reading regularly for enjoyment and receiving targeted support where needed.
- Pupils receive ‘appropriate careers guidance’ and are ‘well informed’ about apprenticeships, further education, and university applications.
- Staff use assessment effectively to adapt teaching, ensuring pupils are ‘secure in their understanding’ across a breadth of subjects.
- Leaders have strengthened support for mental health, and pupils report that ‘bullying is not an issue’ at the school.
Areas to improve
- Teaching is ‘not consistently adapted well enough to support some pupils with SEND to learn the curriculum successfully’.
- Leaders have ‘not communicated with parents clearly enough’ about aspects of the school’s work, such as curriculum changes and revised behaviour systems.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, with leaders ensuring the physical and emotional safety of pupils through a dedicated team and diligent staff training.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 44.8 |
| 2024/25 | 42.4 |
| 2025/26 | 42.9 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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