Backwell School Review 2026: High-expectation comprehensive with a large sixth form

Backwell School is a large, mixed state secondary with sixth form, serving North Somerset and the Bristol fringe. It sits within the Lighthouse Schools Partnership multi-academy trust and, as of 01 September 2025, is led by Headteacher Will Penny.

The school’s latest formal inspection activity was an ungraded Ofsted inspection on 25 and 26 February 2025, which concluded the school had taken effective action to maintain the standards from the previous graded inspection.

Academic outcomes are a strength at GCSE, with Backwell placed above England average overall, within the top quarter of schools in England on FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking. Sixth form performance is more mixed, sitting broadly in line with the middle of England schools on FindMySchool’s A-level outcomes ranking, while still supporting a sizeable cohort into varied next steps.

A clear organising idea runs through Backwell’s public-facing messaging, pupils are expected to be kind, curious, and ambitious. These three values are framed as the heart of the school, and they show up in the practical structures that shape day-to-day life, including a defined pastoral system and a strong emphasis on participation beyond lessons.

Backwell’s scale matters. The school is built to accommodate a large roll, and it uses that scale to offer breadth, both academically and in enrichment. The house structure is a notable part of the culture, with four houses, Cotswold, Mendip, Quantock, and Sedgemoor, forming a framework for pastoral identity and student leadership as pupils move through the school.

Governance and civic participation are treated as real, not decorative. The student and house councils are positioned as mechanisms for change, and the school explicitly highlights that pupils see tangible improvements linked to student voice.

Backwell is a strong performer at GCSE on the FindMySchool dataset, and families comparing local options will likely see it as one of the higher-attaining comprehensive choices in its area.

GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data)

Ranked 846th in England and 10th in Bristol for GCSE outcomes. This places Backwell above England average, within the top 25% of secondary schools in England.

On headline measures, Attainment 8 is 53.4 and Progress 8 is +0.21, indicating students make above-average progress from their starting points. The school’s EBacc average point score is 5.08, compared with an England average of 4.08.

A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data)

Ranked 1,068th in England and 16th in Bristol for A-level outcomes, reflecting solid performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

Grade distribution shows 6.67% at A*, 17.86% at A, and 50.95% at A* to B. the England average for A* to B is 47.2%, so Backwell sits a little above that benchmark on the A* to B measure.

For parents using FindMySchool, the Local Hub page and Comparison Tool are the quickest way to line these outcomes up against nearby schools on the same measures.

Curriculum breadth is central to Backwell’s identity as a comprehensive school, with an explicit commitment in the school charter to developing successful learners, confident individuals, and responsible citizens.

The most recent Ofsted report describes an ambitious curriculum that is logically sequenced so pupils build knowledge over time, and it also highlights strong teacher subject knowledge and clear explanations.

Where the school is still sharpening practice is in consistency of checking pupils’ understanding and adapting tasks to starting points. The same report flags that, when checks are not done well, misconceptions can persist, with particular implications for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for disadvantaged pupils.

Backwell’s sixth form is designed to keep options open, university, apprenticeships, and employment routes are all positioned as valid outcomes, with strong careers guidance and structured support around applications.

The school does not consistently publish detailed destination counts on its website, so the most useful quantitative picture here comes from the destination dataset. For the 2023/24 leavers cohort (193 students), 34% progressed to university, 5% to apprenticeships, 42% to employment, and 3% to further education.

Backwell also shows an Oxbridge pipeline, albeit on a small scale relative to cohort size. In the measurement period captured, 10 students applied and one student secured an Oxford or Cambridge place.

Backwell is an academy within Lighthouse Schools Partnership, and Year 7 admissions are coordinated through the local authority for the normal entry round, with oversubscription criteria set out in the trust’s published arrangements.

For Year 7 entry in September 2026, North Somerset’s published timetable sets the key dates. Applications open 12 September 2025 and the national closing date is 31 October 2025 (11.59pm). Offers are released on 02 March 2026 because 01 March falls on a Sunday in 2026.

For sixth form entry, Backwell uses an online application process, and for the September 2026 intake the stated deadline was Friday 05 December 2025. Late applications may be considered, but subject availability can narrow once courses fill.

If you are assessing likelihood of Year 7 admission, FindMySchool’s Map Search is helpful for understanding how your home location relates to catchment priorities, especially in years where local pressure shifts.

Pastoral support is structured and visible. Every student has a tutor they see each morning, designed to provide a consistent first point of contact for day-to-day issues and family communication. Beyond tutors, students sit within a wider pastoral team, with named pastoral leadership responsible for progress and wellbeing.

Safeguarding is treated as a core operational priority, with a prominent Safeguarding and Wellbeing area on the school website alongside policies and guidance for families.

Backwell’s enrichment is one of the most concrete “scale advantages” the school can offer, because a large student body supports specialist groups, performance ensembles, and a busy club calendar. The school publishes schedules and booklets for clubs and courses across the year, indicating a broad programme rather than a small set of headline activities.

In performing arts and music, the detail is stronger than many state comprehensives publish. Recent schedules include ensembles such as Jazz Band, Madrigals, and Backwell Voices, alongside groups like Theatre Tech and structured dance options including K-Pop Dance Club.

For students who want a longer-term leadership and skills pathway, Duke of Edinburgh is embedded through multiple levels. Published planning for expeditions includes assessed routes and training weekends, and the programme extends into sixth form participation.

Trips are also presented as curriculum-linked rather than occasional. Examples listed by department include visits such as Bristol Old Vic Theatre School for costume and theatre-related learning and Tyntesfield exhibitions for art.

The published school day runs 08:40 to 15:10, with lesson periods and breaks clearly structured across the day.

Transport is a practical consideration for many families. The school’s travel information notes that coach transport is organised through North Somerset Council for students living in certain surrounding areas, and it also references on-site bicycle parking.

Facilities have been materially upgraded in recent years. A school news update describes a new building opened in July (with an 18-month build) including a four-court sports hall, a fitness suite, and three science laboratories, giving a useful indicator of the school’s current physical capacity for sport and STEM learning.

• Consistency of classroom checking and adaptation. Formal review highlights that checks on what pupils know are not consistently effective, and some work does not always match starting points, with particular implications for some pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. Families for whom this is a key priority should ask how the school is embedding consistent adaptive teaching.

• Admissions deadlines are immovable. For Year 7 entry in September 2026, the closing date is 31 October 2025 and offer day is 02 March 2026. Late applications reduce choice and can shift outcomes, so calendar discipline matters.

• Post-16 subject availability can tighten. The sixth form application process notes that late submissions may be considered, but popular subjects can fill, which can constrain combinations.

• A-level outcomes are solid rather than exceptional on the dataset. GCSE performance is a clearer strength than sixth form outcomes on the FindMySchool rankings, so families should focus on subject fit, teaching quality, and support for next steps when evaluating the sixth form offer.

Backwell School combines the fundamentals most families want from a large comprehensive, a clear values framework, strong GCSE outcomes, wide extracurricular participation, and a substantial sixth form that supports multiple progression routes. The environment is likely to suit students who respond well to high expectations and who will take advantage of clubs, performances, and leadership structures, including house-based opportunities. Admission is the obstacle; the education is strong once secured.