Broadoak Academy
Academy converter · 792 pupils
87% stayed in education · Attainment 8 38.7
Academy converter
Backwell School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,595of 1,728 places
- Free school meals
- 8.5%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 268
- Ofsted
- Standards maintained, 26 February 2025Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Backwell School (URN 132005, until 1 May 2011).
What the data says
Of the 262 pupils who finished Year 11 at Backwell School in 2023, 56% stayed on in Backwell School’s own sixth form (North Somerset average 35%), 30% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 193 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 35% went to university (North Somerset 25%, England 37%), and 30% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Sociology is unusually popular at GCSE: 29% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 52.7 against 46.1 across England and 46.8 in North Somerset, with 56% 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 North Somerset and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Backwell School | North Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 262 | 2,376 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 97% | 93% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 92% | 86% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 56% | 35% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 2% | 2% | 13% |
| — further education college | 30% | 48% | 37% |
| — other education | 3% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 4% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 2% | 5% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | — | 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 | Backwell School | North Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 193 | 2,308 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 84% | 76% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 35% | 25% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 30% | 15% | 19% |
| Further education | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 10% | 7% |
| Employment | 42% | 35% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 13% | 18% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Backwell School | North Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 52.7 | 46.8 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 56% | 46% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 75% | 67% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 72% | 29% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.97 | 4.03 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 15% | 18% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 37.5 | 30.8 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 55.4 | 50.4 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 4% | 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 | 263 | 98% | 89% | 27% | 20% | 81% |
| Mathematics | 261 | 97% | 88% | 28% | 22% | 82% |
| English Literature | 257 | 96% | 86% | 18% | 21% | 80% |
| Combined Science | 175 | 65% | 65% | 10% | 9% | 73% |
| Geography | 148 | 55% | 41% | 43% | 25% | 80% |
| History | 120 | 45% | 41% | 24% | 26% | 66% |
| Spanish | 93 | 35% | 19% | 16% | 27% | 60% |
| French | 90 | 34% | 18% | 27% | 29% | 73% |
| Biology | 86 | 32% | 23% | 73% | 45% | 99% |
| Physics | 85 | 32% | 23% | 69% | 46% | 100% |
| Chemistry | 84 | 31% | 23% | 62% | 47% | 100% |
| Sociology | 77 | 29% | 4% | 18% | 21% | 77% |
| Business Studies | 67 | 25% | 18% | 31% | 20% | 79% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 61 | 23% | 8% | 36% | 21% | 75% |
| Religious Studies | 54 | 20% | 31% | 35% | 32% | 76% |
| Art and Design | 47 | 18% | 7% | 34% | 24% | 89% |
| Photography | 42 | 16% | 6% | 38% | 19% | 79% |
| Physical Education | 41 | 15% | 11% | 12% | 24% | 83% |
| Design and Technology | 37 | 14% | 11% | 24% | 23% | 76% |
| Computer Science | 28 | 10% | 13% | 29% | 30% | 68% |
| Textiles | 25 | 9% | 2% | 28% | 27% | 72% |
| Music | 21 | 8% | 5% | 24% | 33% | 86% |
| German | 18 | 7% | 5% | 67% | 33% | 100% |
| Citizenship Studies | 2 | 1% | 3% | — | 19% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Studies | 17 | 13% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 17 | 13% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 13 | 10% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Backwell School | North Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 276 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 135 | 910 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 34.44 | 32.70 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 17% | 14% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 46 | 34% | 31% |
| Biology | 38 | 28% | 20% |
| Psychology | 29 | 21% | 23% |
| Physics | 27 | 20% | 12% |
| Geography | 27 | 20% | 10% |
| English Literature | 24 | 18% | 11% |
| Chemistry | 22 | 16% | 17% |
| Economics | 22 | 16% | 13% |
| History | 19 | 14% | 13% |
| English Language | 15 | 11% | 4% |
| Computer Science | 14 | 10% | 5% |
| Physical Education | 13 | 10% | 3% |
| Sociology | 11 | 8% | 13% |
| Product Design | 11 | 8% | 2% |
| Religious Studies | 10 | 7% | 4% |
| Further Mathematics | 10 | 7% | 5% |
| Textiles | 7 | 5% | 1% |
| French | 7 | 5% | 1% |
| Photography | 7 | 5% | 3% |
| Art and Design | 6 | 4% | 1% |
| Music Technology | — | — | 0% |
| Music | — | — | 0% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 61 | 45% | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 23 | 17% | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | 22 | 16% | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | 12 | 9% | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | 10 | 7% | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | 10 | 7% | — |
| Applied Sciences | VRQ Level 3 | 7 | 5% | — |
| Spanish | GCE AS level (All) | 6 | 4% | — |
| French | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Music | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Spanish | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| French | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Music | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
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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.