Abbeyfield School
Academy converter · sixth form · 902 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.7
Academy sponsor led
The Wellington Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 1,121of 1,300 places
- Free school meals
- 20.2%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 185
- Ofsted
- Good, 5 October 2022Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Castledown School (URN 126511, until 26 February 2009).
What the data says
Of the 173 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Wellington Academy in 2023, 31% stayed on in The Wellington Academy’s own sixth form (Wiltshire average 43%), 49% went to a further education college and 4% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 82 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 32% went to university (Wiltshire 31%, England 37%), and 16% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
A level grades average C-, well below the England average of B-; 0% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%).
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 42.1 against 46.1 across England and 46.2 in Wiltshire, with 34% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
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 Wiltshire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Wellington Academy | Wiltshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 173 | 5,123 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 91% | 94% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 82% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 31% | 43% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 2% | 6% | 13% |
| — further education college | 49% | 38% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 8% | 4% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 1% | 2% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Wellington Academy | Wiltshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 82 | 3,827 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 79% | 82% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 32% | 31% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 16% | 23% | 19% |
| Further education | 4% | 5% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 7% | 7% |
| Employment | 35% | 38% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 17% | 13% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Wellington Academy | Wiltshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 42.1 | 46.2 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 34% | 45% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 57% | 65% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 12% | 31% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.53 | 4.05 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 14% | 19% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 34.7 | 32.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 43.3 | 49.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 11% | 8% | 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.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 183 | 99% | 89% | 11% | 20% | 62% |
| Mathematics | 183 | 99% | 88% | 10% | 22% | 62% |
| English Literature | 183 | 99% | 86% | 14% | 21% | 77% |
| Combined Science | 132 | 71% | 65% | 2% | 9% | 42% |
| History | 109 | 59% | 41% | 14% | 26% | 39% |
| Geography | 96 | 52% | 41% | 10% | 25% | 43% |
| Psychology | 52 | 28% | 3% | 10% | 22% | 54% |
| Biology | 50 | 27% | 23% | 16% | 45% | 72% |
| Physics | 50 | 27% | 23% | 18% | 46% | 64% |
| Chemistry | 50 | 27% | 23% | 18% | 47% | 76% |
| Religious Studies | 29 | 16% | 31% | 31% | 32% | 79% |
| Business Studies | 29 | 16% | 18% | 17% | 20% | 52% |
| Film Studies | 26 | 14% | 1% | 8% | 20% | 38% |
| Fine Art | 24 | 13% | 9% | 0% | 28% | 63% |
| Photography | 22 | 12% | 6% | 0% | 19% | 23% |
| Music | 20 | 11% | 5% | 0% | 33% | 15% |
| French | 20 | 11% | 18% | 20% | 29% | 75% |
| Spanish | 10 | 5% | 19% | 40% | 27% | 60% |
| Drama | 10 | 5% | 7% | 0% | 27% | 40% |
| Media Studies | 5 | 3% | 4% | — | 20% | — |
| German | 4 | 2% | 5% | — | 33% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Studies | 65 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 50 | 100% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 39 | 100% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 35 | 100% | — |
| Small Business Management | 23 | 100% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 1 | 4% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Wellington Academy | Wiltshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 124 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 23 | 2,026 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C- | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 25.84 | 35.35 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 0% | 18% | 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.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 9 | 39% | 23% |
| Biology | 7 | 30% | 20% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Business Studies | — | — | 13% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| Economics | — | — | 13% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
| Politics | — | — | 6% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Mathematics | — | — | 31% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 9 | 39% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 7 | 30% | — |
| Childcare Skills | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 26% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 26% | — |
| Sociology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Law / Legal Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| English Literature | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Sociology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| English Literature | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Wiltshire
Avon Valley Academy
Academy converter · 517 pupils
76% stayed in education · Attainment 8 34.8
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,193 pupils
98% stayed in education · Attainment 8 73.1
Bradon Forest School
Academy converter · 987 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.1
Devizes School
Academy converter · sixth form · 947 pupils
80% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.3
Hardenhuish School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,519 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.5
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.