Application demand · 2026
Oversubscribed185 of 188 first-choice applicants received an offer
Last reviewed: September 2026 · Rankings and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Free clubs every afternoon, three houses named after local landmarks and a brand-new 3G pitch: The Burton Borough School gives Newport families a lot to like beyond the timetable. The harder question is academic. GCSE outcomes sit near the foot of the England rankings, and progress from starting points is well below average, so this is a school whose results have yet to catch up with its ambitions.
Burton Borough is a mixed, non-selective 11-16 academy in Newport, run by the Learning Community Trust and led by Principal Caroline Bedford. It has 1,108 students on roll against a capacity of 1,210. It has run as a sponsor-led academy since it opened on 1 April 2024. The school has not yet been inspected by Ofsted in its current form. Demand is healthy: in 2025 there were 317 applications for 198 places.
Ambitious, Proud and Caring are the three values the school returns to on almost every page it publishes, and they shape the language of daily life here. The school describes itself as a community that is ambitious, proud and caring, and its mission frames BBS, as the school calls itself for short, as an inclusive school where everyone is a valued member of the community. That inclusive framing matters in a comprehensive of this size, where students arrive from a wide spread of primary schools and backgrounds.
Caroline Bedford writes as Principal rather than head teacher, and her welcome is notably practical. She places emphasis on partnership with parents and carers and on the idea that learning should come first. "We want every student to leave us with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to make a positive contribution to society," she writes. For families, that signals a school thinking about life after Year 11, which is sensible for an 11-16 setting where every student moves on at 16.
Identity is built partly through the house system. Every student belongs to Hawkstone, Aqualate or Chetwynd, each named after a significant local landmark: the Hawkstone Follies, Aqualate Mere (the largest natural mere in the English Midlands) and Chetwynd Deer Park. Students wear a tie featuring the school's three fish emblem in their house colours. Each house also has its own motto, song and charity, chosen by student vote, so identity is partly student-made rather than handed down.
The campus sits on a single site, with four main buildings arranged around a central quad, from the oldest block of 1957 to the purpose-built Music Block. The oldest building also houses the Inclusion Centre, so specialist support sits within the main campus rather than on a separate site.
Belonging is reinforced through small visual cues. Students who take part regularly in music wear music ties, and Year 11 Platinum students wear a platinum or silver tie. Those details make recognition visible across the corridors, which is often what motivates younger students to join in.
Results are the clearest weakness in the current picture, and families should weigh them honestly. The school's Attainment 8 score is 40.7, and its Progress 8 score is -0.59. Progress 8 is centred on zero, which represents the England average, so a figure of -0.59 means students here typically finish Year 11 with GCSE grades more than half a grade per subject below those of students with similar starting points elsewhere in England.
On the proprietary FindMySchool rankings, built from official data, Burton Borough is 3,570th of 3,895 in England for GCSE results, ranked against all schools in England with published GCSE results, state and independent. That places it in the lowest tenth of the ranking.
The English Baccalaureate measures tell a similar story. The average EBacc point score is 3.4, and 4.7% of students achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc subject combination. The EBacc requires a language and a humanity alongside the core, so a low figure often reflects option choices as well as grades; even so, parents of students aiming for academic sixth forms should ask how languages and humanities are encouraged at options time.
The cohort sitting these exams was 235 students, a full year group. With a school roll this large, the data is not a small-sample fluke. What it does not show is the direction of travel under the current academy arrangement, which has had only a short time to take effect. Parents should ask directly what the most recent internal and published results look like, and which subjects are strongest.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
GCSE
3570th
England rank
Ranking figures update automatically as our data refreshes and are the definitive source. Any rankings quoted in the review text were accurate when it was written and may since have changed.
The curriculum is broad. Across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, the school lists 16 subject areas, from Art and Photography, Child Development, Computing, Design Technology and Food Technology through to Geography, History, Modern foreign languages, Religious Education and Science. The stated aim is a broad and balanced curriculum that builds strong foundations in Key Stage 3, then helps students make informed choices at Key Stage 4.
Lessons follow the LCT lesson framework, the trust's shared approach, with adaptive teaching expected of all staff. That consistency is useful in a large school: a student moving from maths to history should meet familiar routines, which helps those who find change hard.
Subject pages show real design thinking. In music, Key Stage 3 students learn keyboard, ukulele and singing, compose using staff notation and GarageBand, and study styles from samba and reggae to film and video-game music. GCSE Music follows the OCR specification, with 60% of the qualification assessed through non-examined work completed across the two years. In drama, the Key Stage 3 course is built around three Golden Threads (performance skills, social skills and thematic understanding), with units tied to issues such as Climate Change, Migration, The Holocaust and Refugees. Oracy runs through this work, and there is no drama homework at Key Stage 3; students are encouraged to attend after-school enrichment instead.
Physical Education is built around physical literacy, which the department defines as the motivation, confidence and competence to stay active for life. Key Stage 3 covers team sports, individual challenges, fitness and creative movement, while Key Stage 4 adds student choice, so a keen dancer can do more dance. That design aims at lifelong participation rather than just picking the best athletes.
Personal development runs alongside the timetable. The school places strong emphasis on student voice and oracy, teaches British Values including democracy and mutual respect, and runs a structured tutor time programme. Careers learning is woven into PSHE lessons and subject-specific Careers in the Curriculum content, so students meet the link between subjects and jobs well before options.
The gap between this careful planning and the published GCSE outcomes is the central question for any visiting parent. Ask to see how the curriculum is being checked for impact, particularly in English and maths.
Every student leaves at 16, so the next step matters. The school publishes its own leaver destinations table covering six years. In its most recent year, labelled 2026, 92.5% of leavers went into full-time education, 3.8% into apprenticeships, and 98.1% had settled outcomes overall. The figures have been consistent: settled outcomes sat between 98.1% and 100% across every year shown.
The school lists the most popular post-16 destinations, which is helpful for planning. They include Telford College, Shrewsbury Colleges Group, Stafford College and Rodbaston College, schools such as Madeley Academy, Idsall School, Holy Trinity Academy, Abraham Darby, Thomas Telford, Adams' Grammar and Newport Girls', and training providers including NOVA Training and Juniper Training. That spread shows students moving into both academic and vocational routes.
Preparation for that move is structured. The school states it is fully compliant with all eight Gatsby Benchmarks. Local providers visit, and there is an annual Careers Fair in the Autumn Term. Every Year 10 student completes a one-week work placement at the end of the summer term, arranged with the student's chosen employer and health and safety checked with the Educational Business Links team at Telford & Wrekin. An annual Work Experience Awards evening, running since 2017, celebrates students and employers. Grofar, the school's careers platform, launches in September 2026, and students will be able to manage their own placements on it using their school email.
Year 10 students also get tutor-time help writing a CV and personal statement, which gives them a head start on college applications.
Applications for Year 7 are made through the Telford and Wrekin Council school admissions portal, not to the school directly, and parents need a My Telford account to complete the form. As an academy in the Learning Community Trust, the school's oversubscription criteria are set out in its own admissions policy and determined admissions document; parents should read these before ranking preferences.
Competition for places is real but not extreme. In 2025, 317 applications were made for 198 offers, about 1.6 applications per place, and the school was oversubscribed. First-preference demand only slightly exceeded first-preference offers, with a ratio of 1.03. In practice, most families who put Burton Borough first were likely to be offered a place, while those naming it as a lower preference faced stiffer odds.
When a year group is full, parents can ask to join the waiting list, which is ranked using the same oversubscription criteria, or they can appeal. Appeals use the trust's appeals form, and the school states that appeals are heard within 30 working days of submission.
Applications to the trust's mainstream secondary academies all follow this local authority route. The school's SEND page signposts the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Staffordshire local offers. If you live outside Telford and Wrekin, apply through your home council and check how cross-border applications are handled.
Special educational needs support is set out in unusual detail. The school uses a waved model with an Assess Plan Do Review (APDR) cycle. At Wave 1, each identified student is allocated an Inclusion Key Worker, with a termly review, and a Pupil Passport is co-produced by the key worker, the student and parents or carers so that every teacher knows the agreed adaptations. That gives parents a named person and a written plan from the start.
Wave 2 brings targeted programmes. For reading and cognition, these include Lexonic Leap and Advanced Reading program, Vocabulary Boosters sessions and Beat Dyslexia. Communication needs are met through SALT targeted interventions and Structured Lunch time clubs, while emotional needs are supported through Nurture sessions, Cooking therapy, Garden Mentoring and Talk about for Teenagers. Wave 3 draws in outside specialists, from the Mental Health Support Team and Sensory Inclusion Service to educational psychologists. The Inclusion Centre, housed in the school's oldest building (dating from 1957), is the physical base for this work.
Early help is shared with the trust. Beyond the school's own pastoral team, families can draw on School Counsellors, Education Mentors and Education Welfare Officers at Learning Community Trust. Students have routes to raise concerns through wishes and worries boxes, safety squads and mental health and wellbeing ambassadors.
Attendance is taken seriously, with the school stating that every student should strive for 100% attendance and rewarding strong records. For families facing costs, a hardship fund can help subsidise compulsory uniform in exceptional circumstances; requests go in writing to the Head of Year.
Access is the defining feature of enrichment here. All clubs are free, running after school from 3:15 to 4:15pm, and the school says every student should have access to enrichment regardless of background. For a comprehensive with a broad intake, removing cost removes the most common barrier to joining in.
Sport. The facilities are extensive for a state school. The Sports Hall holds 4 badminton courts, 1 full basketball court and 2 half basketball courts. Outside, refurbished courts from 2025 provide 2 tennis courts, 2 netball courts and 2 pickleball courts, and the Multi-Use Games Area adds 6 netball courts and 8 tennis courts. The school field carries an intermediate 11-a-side football pitch, a 9-a-side pitch and a rugby pitch with brand-new posts, and a 3G pitch has now been completed for the school and wider community. Clubs include Boys' Football, Girls' Football and Social Football, Rugby, Netball, Badminton and Running Club, with invite-only Netball Fixtures and Elite Dance for committed students. Trips range from rock climbing, Go Ape and PGL residentials to visits to Manchester City FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, and older students have an annual international trip alternating between a Ski Trip and a Sports Tour.
Music. A purpose-built Music Block anchors the department. Students can join the Choir, Concert Band (brass, woodwind and percussion) and Junior Band, and rock bands and soloists can rehearse in practice rooms at lunch and after school. The calendar is busy: a Remembrance Concert, Christmas Concert, Newport's Big Sing, Easter Showcase and Summer Concert, plus community appearances at the Christmas light switch on and the Newport Show. Individual instrumental lessons with peripatetic teachers are available, paid for by parents.
Drama and performing arts. KS3 Drama Club meets on Fridays, and the Whole School Musical rehearses on Wednesdays, with the Main Hall used for school performances. The Performing Arts Champion pathway rewards commitment with Bronze, Silver and Gold awards, which gives regular performers something to work towards across five years.
Leadership. This is where the school has built most structure. The Pathways to Platinum programme links the School Council, Subject Leaders (Years 9 and 10), Sports Leaders (Year 9, with a route through Newport Rugby Club) and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award from Year 9. School Council officers, from Student President to Wellbeing Officer and Charity Officer, receive training through a partnership with Newport Town Council. In Year 10, students can apply and interview for Platinum Roles such as Transition, Nurture, Library, Reading Partner and PE Support. Through the Community Pride Programme, run with The Hub Newport, students can take a 14-week course in hospitality and customer service.
House competition adds another layer. Each house supports a local charity: Newport Food Bank for Chetwynd, West Midlands Air Ambulance for Hawkstone and Newport Hub for Aqualate. Hawkstone has won Sports Day two years running, and Chetwynd's motto, Strength runs red through us all, gives a flavour of the rivalry.
Students arrive between 8:35am and 8:45am, when the main gate closes; latecomers enter through the late door and are marked late. A short welcome runs until 8:50am, followed by form time until 9:15am. The school follows a 5-period day on a two-week rotation, with split breaks and lunchtimes for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. Lessons end at 3:10pm, and clubs and interventions start from 3:15pm.
The Bistro, refurbished in March 2024, offers a full roast dinner with pudding for £2.60, and Fridays bring Catch of the Day alongside curly fries. Lunch is staggered between key stages to keep the queue moving, and the catering team, run by Caterlink, takes allergen and dietary questions directly. Families who may qualify for free school meals apply through the local authority. Payment is cashless through ParentPay, using a biometric system. As a state school there are no tuition fees; uniform is designed to be affordable, with branded items kept to a minimum. Uniform centres on a black blazer with the BBS badge and a blue Kelso tartan skirt or black tailored trousers. Families should check local bus options and school transport eligibility with the council. Outside school hours, the sports hall and classrooms are hired out through Vivify Venues.
GCSE results are well below average. A Progress 8 score of -0.59 and a ranking in the lowest tenth of England mean students here make considerably less progress than similar students elsewhere. Families with academically ambitious children should ask what is being done, subject by subject, and what the most recent results show.
No inspection of the current school yet. The school is still waiting for its first inspection in its current form, so there is no official judgement of it yet. Before this school opened, the predecessor school (URN 123574) was judged Requires Improvement by Ofsted in November 2021. Parents are relying on results, the school's own account and their own visits for now.
Everyone moves on at 16. There is no sixth form, so every student makes a post-16 application in Year 11. The careers programme and destinations record are strong, but families who want continuity to A-level will need to plan for a second move.
Some extras cost money. Clubs are free, but individual instrumental lessons are paid for by parents, and international trips such as the Ski Trip will carry costs. Ask about charges and support early if budget is tight.
The Burton Borough School is a large, inclusive Newport comprehensive with far more going on outside lessons than its results suggest. Free clubs, sports facilities that include a new 3G pitch, a busy music calendar, a detailed SEND model and a structured leadership ladder in Pathways to Platinum are real strengths. Leaver destinations are consistently sound, with nearly every student moving on to education, training or work.
The academic record is the counterweight. Progress 8 well below zero and a low GCSE ranking mean parents are, to some degree, backing improvement rather than a proven record, and there is no inspection of the current school yet.
Best suited to local families who value inclusion, enrichment and strong pastoral structures, and to students who will make full use of the sport, music and leadership opportunities. Families prioritising top GCSE grades above all should look closely at the latest results before deciding.
It offers strong enrichment, free clubs, extensive sports facilities and a detailed SEND model, and nearly all leavers move into education, training or work. However, GCSE results are weak: it ranks 3,570th of 3,895 in England for GCSE results and has a Progress 8 score of -0.59. The school has not yet been inspected in its current form.
Yes. In 2025 there were 317 applications for 198 offers, about 1.6 applications per place. First-preference demand only slightly exceeded first-preference offers, so most families who named the school first were likely to secure a place.
They are weak. Attainment 8 is 40.7 and Progress 8 is -0.59, meaning students make less progress than similar students elsewhere. The average EBacc point score is 3.4, with 4.7% achieving grade 5 or above across the EBacc subjects.
Clear routines set the tone, from a firm 8:45am gate time to strict uniform standards. Students can raise worries through wishes and worries boxes, safety squads and wellbeing ambassadors, and early help is available from the pastoral team plus trust counsellors, mentors and education welfare officers.
Applications go through Telford and Wrekin Council, and when there are more applicants than places, they are ranked using the oversubscription criteria in the school's admissions policy. Families should read the determined admissions document and check the council's allocation information before applying.
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