Rawlins Review 2026: Oversubscribed Church of England secondary with a strong sixth form

Rawlins is a large, mixed 11 to 18 academy in Quorn, serving families across the Loughborough area and beyond. It is part of Embrace Multi Academy Trust and the current Principal, Bob White, began in post in October 2023.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (26 to 27 November 2024) judged Quality of Education as Requires Improvement, with Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, Leadership and Management, and Sixth Form all graded Good.

Parents will notice two defining features. First, demand for places is high, with recent application data indicating around 2.5 applications per place. Second, the sixth form outcomes compare well locally, supported by a broad academic offer and a clear UCAS pathway.

Rawlins projects a structured, orderly feel that suits students who do best with clear routines and consistent expectations. External evaluation describes pupils as happy, polite and considerate, with most responding well to staff guidance and daily systems.

The school’s Church of England identity is part of its public character, alongside a stated emphasis on making the most of opportunities, referenced through a biblical quotation used in school communications and messaging. As with many faith-designated academies, families should expect Christian values to be present in assemblies and the wider culture, while recognising that the intake is mixed and day-to-day experience is primarily that of a mainstream secondary. The most recent statutory inspection of the school’s Anglican character referenced in official reporting is from December 2017, with a further inspection indicated as due in the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

Leadership has been in a period of relative change. Rawlins joined Embrace Multi Academy Trust in March 2023, and the Principal appointment followed later in 2023. For parents, the practical implication is that many improvement priorities are likely to be framed at trust level, with a strong focus on consistency of curriculum delivery, support for students with additional needs, and attendance.

Rawlins sits in the middle performance band nationally when benchmarked across England, with a GCSE profile that is close to average on headline measures and a sixth form picture that is stronger than the GCSE story suggests.

GCSE outcomes (latest available)

Rawlins recorded an Attainment 8 score of 46.5, compared with an England average of 45.9. Its EBacc average point score was 3.99, compared with 4.08 in England. Progress 8 was -0.03, indicating progress very slightly below the national benchmark across eight qualifications.

In FindMySchool’s GCSE ranking (based on official performance data), Rawlins is ranked 2,202nd in England and 7th in the Loughborough area, placing it broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

For parents, the implication is nuanced. Students who are self-motivated and well supported at home can do very well here, but the school’s improvement challenge is to make high-quality teaching more consistent across subjects so outcomes are less dependent on individual departments and student resilience.

A-level outcomes (latest available)

At A-level, Rawlins recorded 5.74% of entries at A*, 17.02% at A, and 26.81% at B. The proportion achieving A* to B was 49.57%, slightly above the England average of 47.2% for A* to B. The combined A* plus A rate (22.76%) sits close to the England average of 23.6%.

In FindMySchool’s A-level ranking (based on official performance data), Rawlins is ranked 1,163rd in England and 2nd in the Loughborough area. This places it in line with the middle 35% of sixth forms in England (25th to 60th percentile), but with a clear local competitive edge.

A practical way to interpret this is that Rawlins’ sixth form has enough scale and subject breadth to support a wide range of academic routes, and it performs well enough to be a credible choice for students targeting competitive universities, provided they enter Year 12 with good foundations and strong study habits. Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tools to see how this GCSE and A-level profile stacks up against nearby schools and colleges.

Curriculum intent is clearly articulated and, in many subjects, the sequencing and ambition are described as coherent and well structured, including for students with special educational needs and disabilities. The key issue is consistency in implementation, which is where the Requires Improvement judgement in Quality of Education sits.

The sixth form experience is a notable strength within the wider school. External reporting points to students in the sixth form achieving particularly strongly, and students value the breadth of subjects available. That matters because strong A-level teaching relies on depth of expertise, stable staffing, and a culture of independent study. In practice, Rawlins appears to be building a sixth form offer where students can access both academic rigour and structured support through tutoring, UCAS guidance, and subject-specific preparation.

A further feature to understand is that Rawlins runs specialist provision alongside the mainstream timetable. Students in The Base and Skills for Learning can access mainstream classes with additional support and adapted pathways, while retaining a mainstream school identity and peer group.

Rawlins has a sixth form and, for many families, that is the decisive “stay-or-move” point. The school provides an established UCAS route, and students can apply for up to five courses through the standard process, with clearer limitations for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science applicants.

In the latest available leaver destination data (2023 to 2024 cohort), 62% progressed to university, 17% moved into employment, 5% entered further education, and 2% started apprenticeships. Cohorts can vary year to year, but the overall pattern suggests a sixth form that supports a mix of academic and employment outcomes rather than a single university-only pipeline.

For families interested in the most competitive routes, Oxbridge activity exists but is relatively small-scale. In the latest measured period, 11 students applied to Oxford or Cambridge, one secured a place at Cambridge, and none secured Oxford acceptance in that cycle. This is not unusual for large comprehensive intakes, and the better way to read it is that the pathway is open to high attainers, but it will be self-selecting and requires sustained support, strong predicted grades, and disciplined preparation.

Year 7 entry

Rawlins is a state-funded academy, so there are no tuition fees. Year 7 entry for September 2026 followed the standard local authority coordinated pattern for Leicestershire: applications opened on 1 September 2025, closed on 31 October 2025, and offers were issued on 2 March 2026.

Demand is high. The latest available application figures show 493 applications for 196 offers, which equates to roughly 2.5 applications per place. This level of oversubscription makes realism essential. Families should treat “near enough” as a risky strategy and use precise distance checking tools when prioritising schools. FindMySchool’s Map Search is designed for exactly this type of shortlisting, because small differences in distance can matter significantly when a school is oversubscribed.

Rawlins publishes a catchment map and also lists linked feeder primary schools, which is helpful for families trying to understand likely intake patterns. The published linked feeder schools include Christ Church & St Peter’s C of E Primary School, Swithland St Leonard’s C of E Primary School, St Bartholomew’s C of E Primary School, Rothley C of E Primary, St Paul’s C of E Primary School, and The Beacon Academy.

Open events typically run early in the autumn term for Year 6 families considering Year 7 entry, with a Year 6 into Year 7 open evening listed in late September in recent scheduling. Dates can shift year to year, so it is sensible to treat timing as a pattern and confirm the specific booking details on the school’s own communications.

Sixth form entry

Rawlins accepts internal and external applicants into Year 12. For 2026 entry, the school published that applications were open with a deadline of 1 January 2026. For parents of Year 11 students now planning 2027 entry, the key takeaway is the timing: applications typically open during the autumn term and close around early January. Confirm exact dates each year, particularly if your child is applying for popular subjects where early organisation matters.

Specialist provision admissions

Rawlins operates two specialist provisions: Skills for Learning (cognition and learning) and The Base (communication and interaction). Admissions to these provisions sit outside the standard mainstream route and require an Education, Health and Care Plan that specifies the need for specialist provision.

Pastoral systems are a strong part of the school’s day-to-day functioning. External reporting describes students building positive relationships with adults and returning to learning after emotional dysregulation with trusted staff support. This matters in a large school, where the risk can be that quieter students disappear into the crowd.

SEND support is a defining part of Rawlins’ offer, but it is also an area where parents should ask detailed questions. Students with Education, Health and Care Plans who access Skills for Learning are described as very well supported and able to participate in full school life. However, the same external reporting identifies that some pupils with SEND outside the specialist provision are not supported as effectively as they could be, which can translate into uneven progress. For families of children on SEN Support, it is worth asking how teaching staff are trained and briefed, what classroom adjustments are consistently used, and how progress is monitored across subjects.

Attendance is another practical wellbeing issue, particularly for disadvantaged students. The inspection narrative flags attendance as a barrier for some disadvantaged pupils, with a direct impact on achievement. Parents should take this as a prompt to understand how the school intervenes early when attendance dips, and what support exists for anxiety-related absence.

Rawlins positions extracurricular as a structured “menu” rather than an informal add-on, which can suit students who benefit from choice with guidance. External reporting highlights a wide range of clubs, including sport and drama, plus an equality, diversity and inclusion celebration club.

The most useful detail for parents is specificity. Examples referenced in school materials include Study Club, Maths Club, Oxbridge and Medicine support, Pride Club, and creative options such as Crochet Club, Cartoon Club and Anime-related activities. The implication is that students who want structured enrichment can find it, whether that is academic consolidation, competitive application preparation, or a social space built around identity and interests.

Facilities are unusually well documented through the school’s lettings information, which gives a concrete sense of what students can use day to day. The sports hall is listed as 30m by 16m and set up for activities such as basketball, badminton (four courts), netball and trampolining. A 3G football pitch supports 11v11 and 7v7 formats. There is also a lecture theatre with tiered seating for up to 84 people, which is a practical asset for talks, revision sessions, and sixth form preparation.

A final extracurricular indicator is the school’s approach to careers access. Rawlins publishes a provider access statement and notes it can make spaces such as the Main Hall and Sports Hall available for employer and education provider encounters, aligning with statutory expectations for careers guidance in Years 8 to 13.

The school day runs from 08:30 to 15:00, with some students scheduled for Period 6 lessons, academic intervention, or extracurricular activities from 15:00 to 16:00. A breakfast club is referenced in school support materials, operating before the start of the formal day.

Transport information is published, including a named school service (X27) and references to other regional services used by students. For families driving, the school has previously asked visitors to be considerate to local residents and to use public transport, walking or cycling where possible.

• Quality of Education is still improving. The most recent inspection graded Quality of Education as Requires Improvement, even while other areas were Good. Families should ask how teaching consistency is being improved across departments and what that means for their child’s subject strengths and weaknesses.

• SEND experience can differ by pathway. Students in Skills for Learning and The Base are described as very well supported, but the same reporting indicates some pupils with SEND outside those provisions are not supported as effectively. If your child is on SEN Support rather than in specialist provision, it is worth probing classroom adjustments and communication systems.

• Oversubscription is a real constraint. Recent application figures indicate 493 applications for 196 offers, which makes admissions competitive. Families should prioritise realistic preferences and check distance and criteria carefully rather than relying on assumptions.

• Faith designation is meaningful. Rawlins is a Church of England academy, and formal inspection of the school’s Anglican character is part of the accountability framework, with the next inspection indicated as due in 2025 to 2026. Families who want a fully secular ethos should confirm what worship and Christian values look like in daily life.

Rawlins is a large, ambitious secondary with clear systems, high demand for places, and a sixth form that performs well locally. It will suit students who respond well to structure, make good use of enrichment and intervention, and are ready to take increasing responsibility for independent study by Key Stage 4 and post-16. The main challenge is that academic experience can be uneven by subject and by SEND pathway, so parents should focus their questions on teaching consistency, targeted support, and how progress is tracked. Families interested in this option should use the Saved Schools feature to manage their shortlist, then validate admissions realism using precise distance tools before committing to a single-plan strategy.