Serving the Coundon area of Coventry, Coundon Court is a significant presence in the West Midlands educational landscape. With a capacity exceeding 2,000 students, it is a large and popular community comprehensive. The school operates as an academy under The Futures Trust, having originally converted in 2012. It serves a diverse mixed ability cohort from Year 7 through to a well established sixth form.
Under the leadership of Principal Christopher Heal, who commenced his role in June 2022, the school is navigating a period of concentrated development. While the most recent full Ofsted inspection in March 2023 resulted in a Requires Improvement rating, internal shifts and a strong focus on school culture suggest a community working hard to refine its curriculum and expectations.
The school occupies a sprawling site on Northbrook Road, where the original 19th century manor house sits alongside modern academic wings. This architectural blend reflects the school's growth over decades. Despite its considerable size, the school organises students into year group communities to help maintain a sense of belonging.
The atmosphere is purposeful and energetic. Students move between buildings with a clear sense of routine, and the school motto, Hard Work, Kindness and Respect, is woven into daily interactions. Following the 2023 inspection, leadership has placed a renewed emphasis on consistent behaviour expectations across all year groups. There is a palpable sense of a school in transition, moving from a period of challenge toward a more structured and academically focused future.
Performance at Coundon Court tells a story of two different phases. At GCSE level, the school ranks 2,312th in England (FindMySchool ranking) and 16th among secondary schools in Coventry. This position reflects a solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). The Average Attainment 8 score of 42.8 sits just below the England average, while a Progress 8 score of -0.28 indicates that students achieve slightly below expected levels from their starting points.
The sixth form results paint a stronger picture. The school ranks 1,109th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking) and 5th in Coventry. This places the post-16 provision well within the middle 35% of England schools (25th to 60th percentile), outperforming many local alternatives. Over half of students (53.4%) achieved A* to B grades, exceeding the England average of 47.2%.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
53.38%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
The curriculum follows a knowledge rich approach, ensuring students build a firm foundation in core subjects before specialising. At GCSE, 15.7% of students achieved Grade 5 or above in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects, which include English, mathematics, sciences, history or geography, and a language.
In the sixth form, the school offers an extensive range of A-level and vocational subjects. Teaching in the post-16 phase is a noted strength, with staff demonstrating high levels of subject expertise. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, preparing them for the independence required at university or in higher level apprenticeships.
For students completing their studies at 18, the pathways are varied. Based on data for the 2023/24 cohort, 62% of students progressed to university. The school maintains a steady pipeline to higher education, including successful applications to competitive institutions. In the most recent measurement period, five students applied to Oxbridge, with one student successfully securing a place at Cambridge.
Apprenticeships are a particularly strong feature of the school's exit data, with 13% of leavers entering this route, which is notably higher than the England average. A further 18% of students moved directly into employment. This balanced spread suggests the school provides effective careers guidance that supports both academic and vocational aspirations.
Quality of Education
Requires Improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires Improvement
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Coundon Court is a state funded academy, and admissions are coordinated by Coventry City Council. The school is consistently oversubscribed. In the most recent intake cycle, there were 449 applications for 298 places, reflecting a subscription proportion of 1.51. This means roughly one in three applicants did not secure a first preference place.
Priority is given to looked-after children, siblings of current students, and those living within the designated catchment area. Because the school is so large, the catchment feel is genuine, yet the competition for places remains high. Families should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise distance from the school gates compared to historical intake patterns.
As a state academy, Coundon Court has no tuition fees. It is funded directly by the government and is free to attend for all students.
While there are no fees, the school provides support through the 16-19 Bursary Fund for eligible sixth form students who may face financial barriers to staying in education. This fund can help with costs such as transport, books, or equipment. Additionally, the school works to ensure that all students have access to extracurricular opportunities regardless of their financial background, often through trust-wide initiatives within The Futures Trust.
Applications
449
Total received
Places Offered
298
Subscription Rate
1.5x
Apps per place
Managing a community of over 2,000 students requires a robust pastoral system. Coundon Court uses a year group structure where students are supported by a Progress Leader and a team of tutors. This ensures that even in a large scale environment, individual students have a point of contact who understands their specific needs.
The school has recently overhauled its approach to student wellbeing, focusing on positive mental health and resilience. There is a dedicated safeguarding team and clear protocols for supporting students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). While the school is working to ensure these systems are applied with absolute consistency, the framework for support is well established.
The extracurricular programme is extensive, benefitting from the school's scale and diverse staff interests. Sport is a major pillar, with the school fielding teams in football, netball, rugby, and athletics. The on-site facilities, including large playing fields and a sports hall, host regular fixtures within the Coventry schools' leagues.
The creative arts are also well represented. The school produces an annual musical production, involving students in performance, technical theatre, and costume design. Specific clubs such as the Coundon Court Choir and various instrumental ensembles provide outlets for musical talent.
The school has a strong focus on STEM subjects, supported by specialist laboratories and design technology suites. Students have the opportunity to participate in national competitions, such as the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT) challenges and science Olympiads. Coding clubs and robotics sessions are popular after-school options, helping students develop technical skills that align with regional engineering strengths.
The school day typically runs from 8:40am to 3:10pm. Many students walk or cycle to school from the surrounding residential area. For those travelling from further afield, several local bus routes serve Northbrook Road. Wraparound care is not typically provided on-site for secondary students, though many extracurricular clubs run until 4:15pm.
Coundon Court is a school with a clear sense of identity and an ambitious plan for its future. It offers the breadth of opportunity that only a large school can provide, from a wide ranging A-level curriculum to diverse sporting and technical clubs. While it is working through an improvement phase following its 2023 inspection, the strength of the sixth form and the dedication of the leadership team suggest an upward trajectory. Best suited to local families who want a comprehensive education with strong post-16 options and a wide array of extracurricular activities.
Coundon Court is currently rated Requires Improvement by Ofsted (2023). However, it ranks in the top tier of Coventry schools for A-level outcomes and provides a solid performance at GCSE level. Leadership is actively addressing inspection points to improve consistency across the school.
There is no fixed catchment distance, but places are allocated based on proximity after siblings and looked-after children. In 2024, the school was oversubscribed with 1.51 applications for every place, meaning living very close to the school is often necessary for entry.
Applications for Year 7 are made through Coventry City Council by the 31 October deadline. For the sixth form, students apply directly to the school, with the first round of applications for September 2026 entry closing in December 2025.
At A-level, the school ranks 5th in Coventry, with 53.4% of students achieving A* to B grades. At GCSE, it ranks 16th locally, with an Attainment 8 score of 42.8, which is slightly below the England average but reflects a typical national performance.
As a state school, it is free to attend. For sixth form students, the 16-19 Bursary Fund is available to help with educational costs for those meeting specific eligibility criteria.
Get in touch with the school directly
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