Rugby Free Secondary School Review 2026: A growing 11–19 free school with clear routines and an inclusive offer

Rugby Free Secondary School is a relatively young 11–19 free school serving Brownsover and wider Rugby. It opened in September 2016 and has expanded quickly, with a published capacity of 1,260 students.

Leadership is settled under Mr Iain Green, who became permanent Headteacher in June 2023 after serving as Acting Headteacher from March 2023.

The latest inspection judgement is Good (13 July 2021).

Academically, Rugby Free sits around the middle of the pack in England on the FindMySchool measures used here. GCSE outcomes rank 2,568th in England and 5th in Rugby (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), while A-level outcomes rank 1,582nd in England and 6th in Rugby (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). That profile is often a good fit for families seeking a school with stable systems, improving trajectory, and an inclusive culture, rather than a narrowly exam-driven environment.

A key theme across the school’s published material is consistency, high expectations, and inclusion. That shows up in the way routines are structured across the day, and in the way transition into Year 7 is treated as a programme rather than a single event. The school’s term dates make clear that Year 7 and the Specialist Resource Provision (SRP) students start at the beginning of the autumn term ahead of the rest of the school, which is a practical way to reduce pressure for new starters and families.

The school is part of Triumph Learning Trust, created through a merger in September 2024. For parents, the most relevant point is governance and shared standards. The school’s Local Accountability Board is positioned as a group that challenges and supports leaders on curriculum, teaching, behaviour, and community engagement, which is useful context for how oversight works in practice.

Inclusion is not presented as an add-on. The SRP model is described as integrated, with students encouraged to attend at least 50% of lessons in the main school with support from SRP staff. That is a meaningful design choice, because it signals mainstream membership first, with specialist scaffolding wrapped around it.

The most useful way to read Rugby Free’s headline outcomes is as “solid, with pockets of strength, and room to develop breadth of high grades”. On the FindMySchool GCSE ranking, Rugby Free is 2,568th in England and 5th in Rugby. This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

At GCSE, the Attainment 8 score is 43.8, and Progress 8 is +0.13. A positive Progress 8 typically indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points, even if the raw headline grades are not at the very top end. The EBacc picture is mixed. The average EBacc APS is 3.73 compared with an England average of 4.08 and 8.7% achieved grade 5 or above in the EBacc measure recorded here.

At A-level, Rugby Free’s FindMySchool ranking is 1,582nd in England and 6th in Rugby. This again reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of providers in England (25th to 60th percentile). The grade distribution in the most recently published data here is: A* at 1.54%, A at 15.38%, B at 27.69%, and A*–B at 44.62%. The England comparator is 47.2% at A*–B, so Rugby Free is close to that benchmark on the broader A*–B measure, with fewer top-end A* grades than the England average shown here.

Parents comparing options locally should use the FindMySchool Local Hub and comparison tools to view GCSE and sixth form performance alongside nearby schools in Rugby, because small differences in Progress 8 and post-16 grades can be meaningful when matched to a child’s learning style and confidence.

Rugby Free publishes curriculum structures and rationales that give a more concrete view than the usual generic statements. In Key Stage 3, the model is deliberately structured: English and maths are taught in sets, while most other subjects are taught in mixed groups, and PSHE is timetabled in tutor groups on a weekly cadence. That mix can work well for a comprehensive intake because it allows targeted support in core subjects without narrowing the social experience across the day.

Languages are built into the curriculum, with Spanish and French both present in the Key Stage 3 structure. The published document also references practical considerations such as workshop and kitchen safety as part of how technology is organised, which suggests that design and practical learning are intended to be “normal” rather than occasional.

For students who need additional scaffolding, the school’s published inclusion material points to a mainstream-first approach through the SRP, which matters for families weighing whether their child will feel separated from peers.

Where Students Go Next

Rugby Free does not publish a detailed “Russell Group and Oxbridge numbers” pipeline on its main pages that would allow a more granular destinations story. In that context, the most reliable published benchmark here is the official 16–18 leaver destination measure included.

For the 2023/24 leaver cohort (47 students), 77% progressed to university. Apprenticeships are recorded at 2%, and 15% went into employment. This mix is broadly what many families want from a local sixth form: credible university progression for those aiming that way, plus a visible route into employment and apprenticeships for students seeking a more direct transition.

The practical implication is that sixth form choice should be framed around “fit”: subject availability, teaching style, and support for next steps, rather than assuming it is a purely university pipeline model. For many students, especially those who thrive with continuity, staying on in a familiar environment can be a genuine advantage.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Warwickshire’s secondary admissions process. For September 2026 entry, Warwickshire states that applications open on 1 September 2025, close on 31 October 2025, and offers are issued on National Offer Day, 2 March 2026.

The school’s admissions policy sets the published admission number at 180 places for Year 7. It also notes an expanded Year 7 intake for September 2023 at the request of the local authority, which is relevant context in an area where demand can be influenced by housing growth and place planning.

Oversubscription criteria follow the typical hierarchy you would expect for a school in a normal admissions round: children with Education, Health and Care Plans naming the school are admitted, followed by looked-after and previously looked-after children, siblings, eligible children of staff, feeder-school links within the trust, and then proximity measured by straight-line distance.

If you are considering an in-year move, the admissions policy states that parents are notified of the outcome within 15 school days, and that in-year applications are accepted up until 30 May, with later applications treated as applications for the next academic year.

Because distance cut-offs are not provided here, families should use FindMySchoolMap Search to check precise home-to-school distance and then validate the current pattern against Warwickshire’s published admissions guidance each year.

The school’s safeguarding material is extensive and clear about what safeguarding is and how child protection fits within it. That matters because families are often trying to assess whether a school has practical systems rather than simply the right vocabulary.

A further indicator of seriousness is the breadth of wellbeing policies available to parents, including mental health and emotional wellbeing, self-harm, attendance and punctuality, and positive handling and de-escalation. The existence of these policies does not guarantee quality on its own, but it does provide transparency about expectations, escalation routes, and how concerns should be handled.

For students with additional needs, the SRP and wider SEND approach is presented as integrated and inclusive, with an explicit emphasis on belonging and participation in wider school life.

Rugby Free puts enrichment front and centre, and importantly, it names specific opportunities rather than relying on generalities. The school’s enrichment description includes Duke of Edinburgh, STEM clubs, an Equality club, and sign language, alongside homework clubs and targeted interventions.

The prospectus adds further named examples that help parents picture what “after school” can mean in practice, including Coding with LEGO and Voice in a Million, plus school council, drama and sport leadership roles, eco work, drama club, and art club.

This matters because extracurricular life is often where students build confidence, identity, and friendships, particularly in Years 7 and 8 when academic self-concept is still forming. A student who is not initially motivated by exams may still flourish through a club that builds routine and belonging, and the named offer suggests there are multiple routes in.

The published school day structure is clear and consistent. Tutor time runs 08.45 to 09.05, with five periods and a lunch break, and the day ends at 15.10. The school also states that typical time in school is 32 hours 5 minutes per week.

Term dates are published on the school site, including training days, which is useful for working families planning childcare and travel.

The prospectus map highlights local reference points such as Rugby train station and nearby green space, which is helpful for families thinking about travel routines, independence in sixth form, and the feasibility of walking or cycling for older students.

• Admissions competition. The published admission number is 180 for Year 7. If demand rises locally, oversubscription criteria and distance become decisive, so families should plan realistically and use Warwickshire’s published timeline to avoid late applications.

• EBacc profile. The EBacc measures shown here are lower than the England comparator. If a family strongly prioritises a traditional EBacc-heavy route, it is worth asking how the school supports those choices and what the local pattern of entries looks like for your child’s year group.

• Post-16 top-end grades. A-level results here sit close to the England benchmark on A*–B overall, but with a smaller proportion of A* grades than the England comparator shown. Students aiming for the most competitive university routes should look closely at subject-specific support and guidance.

• Specialist support integration. The SRP model is integrated and expects at least 50% mainstream lesson attendance. That suits many students well, but families of children who need a highly specialised environment all day should discuss suitability early.

Rugby Free Secondary School is best understood as a modern, inclusive 11–19 school with clear routines, a structured day, and a strongly signposted enrichment programme. Academic outcomes are broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England on the measures used here, with a positive Progress 8 score suggesting students tend to make above-average progress from their starting points.

It suits families who value a settled daily structure, an improving trajectory, and an inclusive approach that does not separate students from the main community unnecessarily. The main challenge is ensuring it aligns with your child’s preferred pathway, particularly if you are aiming for a strongly EBacc-led GCSE diet or very top-end post-16 outcomes.