Kingsbury Green Academy Review 2026: Calne secondary with structured enrichment and a broad offer

A secondary school can feel either like a set of separate year groups sharing a site, or like one coherent 11 to 18 journey. Kingsbury Green Academy aims for the second. Its curriculum is framed as a structured sequence that builds over seven years, rather than a series of disconnected key stages, and the house system is designed to give pupils a stronger sense of belonging than a timetable alone can provide.

Kingsbury Green Academy sits within Ascend Learning Trust, having joined on 01 April 2019, and the current headteacher, Nicola Bull, took up post in September 2024. The latest full inspection outcome on record is Good, with sixth form provision also graded Good.

For families weighing up local options, the academic picture is broadly in line with the middle band of schools in England, with particular strengths in enrichment and personal development, and clear areas where consistency matters, especially around how well different subjects adapt learning for pupils with additional needs.

The school’s identity is unusually layered for an institution that adopted its current name in 2019. The earlier comprehensive in Calne, The John Bentley School, was formed in 1974 through a merger of predecessor schools; Kingsbury Green Academy opened under its current branding on 05 September 2019. For parents, that context is useful because it explains why the school sometimes describes itself as a newer academy while still serving a long established local role.

Day to day culture is anchored in a small set of values that appear repeatedly across school communication. The school explicitly lists five values, Courage, Confidence, Creativity, Conscientiousness, and Consideration. These are not abstract posters alone. The house system is positioned as a practical mechanism for pupil voice and leadership development, which matters in a large secondary where pupils can otherwise feel anonymous.

Behaviour and relationships are described in unusually concrete terms for an official assessment. Pupils are portrayed as calm and orderly around the site, respectful in how they speak to staff, and confident that concerns will be acted on. Bullying is described as rare, with pupils reporting that issues are dealt with quickly when they arise. This combination, calm routines plus confidence in adult follow through, is usually the difference between a school that feels safe and one that merely has policies.

Leadership continuity is also relevant. The headteacher, Nicola Bull, took up post from September 2024. For a school that has been through identity change since joining its trust, that kind of leadership reset can bring both opportunity and a period of adjustment, particularly as behaviour systems, curriculum sequencing, and sixth form expectations are refined over time.

Kingsbury Green Academy’s GCSE outcomes sit in line with the middle 35% of schools in England overall (25th to 60th percentile). Within the local area ranking provided, it places 2nd in Calne for GCSE outcomes. Ranked 2,538th in England and 2nd in Calne for GCSEs, this reflects a broadly typical national position with comparatively stronger standing locally (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

At GCSE, the Attainment 8 score is 41.4. Progress 8 sits at -0.24, which indicates pupils, on average, make below average progress from their starting points across eight subjects, relative to pupils with similar prior attainment nationally. EBacc average point score is 3.64, and 14.8% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects. These figures suggest a school where outcomes are credible and stable, but where the “value added” story is the key area for parents to examine closely, particularly for pupils who need momentum and consistent teaching to thrive.

The composite picture, combining GCSE and A-level performance, places the school 1,430th in England on the FindMySchool combined measure. This is a helpful pointer that post 16 outcomes are not an afterthought, even if the school remains, first and foremost, a community secondary serving Calne and surrounding villages.

In the sixth form, outcomes are also positioned within the middle band in England overall. Ranked 1,503rd in England and 2nd in Calne for A-level outcomes, this again points to a local standing that is stronger than the national headline might suggest (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

Looking at grades, 4.72% of entries achieved A*, 16.04% achieved A, and 20.75% achieved B, with 41.51% achieving A* to B. Put plainly, just over two in five grades are in the A* to B range. For students aiming for competitive courses, the implication is that strong outcomes are achievable here, but they usually depend on good subject fit, good work habits, and a willingness to use the support available.

Parents comparing schools should consider using the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view GCSE and A-level measures side by side, especially Progress 8, which often distinguishes schools with similar headline grades.

The school describes its curriculum as a coherent spiral model that builds learning over a seven year journey. The practical implication for pupils is that content is intended to return in planned ways, with knowledge revisited and extended rather than covered once and dropped. In subjects where this is done well, it tends to support pupils who need repetition and structure, and it gives high attaining pupils more opportunities to deepen understanding.

Curriculum breadth is also a clear emphasis. Pupils study a wide range of subjects, including vocational routes at key stage 4 and in the sixth form. That matters for a mixed ability intake because it reduces the risk of a narrow pathway being chosen too early. A curriculum with both academic and applied routes also tends to suit students who become more motivated when they can see a direct link between study and later employment or training.

Where teaching most affects family experience is consistency. Some subjects are described as adapting effectively for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, while other areas need stronger support so pupils can follow the curriculum successfully and work independently. For parents of pupils with additional needs, the key practical step is to probe subject by subject support, not just general pastoral reassurance. The school’s SEND documentation also points to a structured approach to identifying needs, with the SENCo and pastoral structures playing central roles, and with a “support area” that functions as a place pupils can access when they need help to reset.

Sixth form teaching is described as particularly well guided in helping students address areas for improvement. That kind of guided learning approach is often what makes a sixth form work in a community school context, as students benefit from clear feedback loops and structured independent study expectations.

The sixth form offer is designed to support more than one destination route. Students can choose from A-levels, vocational qualifications, and the Extended Project Qualification, with the option to start with four qualifications in Year 12. This creates flexibility, especially for students who are not fully certain which subjects will suit them best at advanced level.

A key feature of the sixth form message is enrichment tied to employability and personal development, rather than enrichment as an optional extra. The Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award is presented as a serious programme option, and the sixth form literature also references wider opportunities such as National Citizenship Service. The implication is that students who want a sixth form that expects wider participation, and helps them evidence it, are likely to find a good match.

For the most recent reported 2023/24 leavers cohort, 39% progressed to university, 8% moved into apprenticeships, and 41% moved into employment. Cohort size is listed as 64. These figures indicate a genuinely mixed set of pathways, which is often what local families want from a community sixth form. It is also a cue for parents to ask how the school supports each route, for example, application support for university, employer engagement and interview practice for apprenticeships, and structured careers guidance for direct employment.

The careers programme is described as extensive, including encounters with professionals and university visits earlier in the school, plus sixth form support for applications, literacy, skills, and wellbeing. For students who are ambitious but need help turning ambition into a plan, that scaffolding can be the difference between an aspiration and a destination.

Kingsbury Green Academy is a state funded school, there are no tuition fees. Admissions for Year 7 are coordinated through the local authority, rather than direct selection by the school. The published admissions number for Year 7 entry is 210.

For September 2026 entry, Wiltshire’s coordinated scheme states that applications open on 01 September 2025, the deadline is 31 October 2025, and the national offer date is 01 March 2026. These dates matter because late applications are typically processed after on time applicants, which can reduce the chance of securing a preferred school.

The admissions arrangements set out that pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are admitted first, followed by oversubscription criteria where demand exceeds places. The school also signals that open events are typically held for pupils moving from Year 6 into the new academic year each September, and that in-year applications are possible subject to availability.

Parents considering a move, or trying to judge realistic chances of admission from a given address, should use FindMySchool Map Search tools to understand practical proximity and local alternatives, as patterns of demand can change year to year across Calne and neighbouring villages.

Pastoral confidence tends to rest on two things, predictable routines and trusted adults. Here, pupils are described as having a trusted adult they can talk to, and as feeling safe at school. That is a meaningful point because it reflects pupil experience rather than policy intent.

Personal development is also positioned as a curriculum strength. Topics such as online safety, consent, and the rule of law are named as part of what pupils value in the programme, with the curriculum adjusted to reflect needs identified after the pandemic period. The implication for families is that pastoral education is part of normal timetabled learning rather than only reactive intervention after issues arise.

For pupils with additional needs, the SEND information outlines a set of practical supports, including access to a support area, lunchtime provision for some pupils, and coordinated oversight through tutors, heads of key stage, and learning support advisors, alongside access to a trained school nurse. Parents of SEND pupils should still ask about variability between subjects, because consistency is highlighted as the area that most affects experience across the curriculum.

Ofsted’s 2022 inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Enrichment is one of the school’s clearest differentiators because it is framed as a structured offer, branded as KGA+, with the expectation that staff contribute activities. The implication is that pupils do not need to be part of a small “clubby” subset to access activities, as the model is designed for scale.

The school’s club list includes specific, varied options that go beyond the standard menu. Examples referenced across school material include Book Club, Allotment Club, and an LGBTQ+ group, alongside creative options such as Dance Club, Concert Band, and Photography Club. These details matter because they signal breadth across academic, creative, and identity safe spaces, rather than enrichment being dominated by sport alone.

Trips and wider experiences also appear as part of pupil life, including a snow sports trip to Italy and a trekking expedition in Morocco, alongside ongoing programmes such as Duke of Edinburgh. This kind of offer tends to suit pupils who grow in confidence through shared challenge and teamwork, and it also provides meaningful experiences that can later support sixth form and post 16 applications.

Within sixth form specifically, enrichment is linked to employability, with structured opportunities such as the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award and other personal development routes. For students who want a CV with substance, the practical message is that the school provides a framework, but students still need to opt in and follow through.

The school day is structured around tutor time followed by five teaching periods, with the day ending at 3.00pm. As a secondary school, it does not operate in the same “wraparound care” model used by many primaries, but the KGA+ programme means pupils can stay for clubs and activities beyond lessons on some days.

In terms of facilities, the SEND information describes specialist classrooms for Science, Technology, and ICT, plus a library, sports facilities, and facilities for Dance, Drama, and Art. Travel to school varies by where families live, with reference to local bus services, walking, car drop off, and in some cases taxis.

• Progress measures. Progress 8 is below average at -0.24, which suggests some pupils may not gain as much “distance travelled” as they could in a stronger value added setting. Families with a child who needs consistent acceleration should probe how departments track gaps and respond early.

• Consistency for pupils with additional needs. Subject level adaptation is described as uneven, with some pupils finding it hard to work independently in certain areas when support is not well matched. This can affect day to day confidence, not just grades, so parents should ask about strategies across core subjects and how teaching assistants are deployed.

• Alternative provision and curriculum fit. A small group of pupils access alternative provision, and leaders are expected to keep reviewing how well the overall curriculum meets the needs that drive those placements. For families, this is mainly relevant if a child is at risk of disengagement, as it shapes whether the school can keep them successfully on site with appropriate support.

• A broad sixth form, not a single track pipeline. Leaver destinations show a mixed set of pathways across university, apprenticeships, and employment. That suits many students, but those aiming for highly competitive university routes should clarify subject availability, entry expectations, and how the school supports top end applications.

Kingsbury Green Academy is a community secondary with a clearly structured enrichment offer and an 11 to 18 pathway that tries to feel coherent rather than fragmented. Academic outcomes sit around the middle band in England overall, with local standing that can look stronger when compared within Calne. Best suited to families who want a broad curriculum, a visible values framework, and a school where extracurricular life includes both creative and interest based clubs alongside sport. The key decision point is whether the school’s approach, particularly around consistency of classroom support and progress measures, matches what your child needs to thrive.