Broadoak Academy Review 2026: A house-led 11 to 16 academy in Worle with improving attendance focus

Broadoak Academy is a mixed 11 to 16 secondary in Worle, Weston-super-Mare, part of Cabot Learning Federation. The culture is structured around a four-house system, which gives students a clear identity from Year 7 and a regular rhythm of competitions and leadership roles.

Leadership is currently in an interim phase. Ms Lis Jolley is listed as headteacher or principal on Get Information About Schools, and the academy confirmed she began leading Broadoak from Monday 29 September 2025. That context matters, because it usually coincides with tightened routines, sharper attendance work, and a renewed focus on consistency across classrooms.

Academic outcomes place the school below England average overall. GCSE performance sits in the lower-performing band nationally on the FindMySchool ranking, and the current improvement story is as much about securing stronger progress and reading habits as it is about raw headline scores.

A clear strength is that students are expected to belong to something concrete. The house system runs across Year 7 to Year 11 and is supported by designated house staff, including named Heads of House. In practice, this structure tends to help a large secondary feel smaller, because tutors, heads of house, and assistant heads of house become familiar points of contact for both students and families.

The academy’s stated values emphasise kindness, high standards of work and behaviour, and a strong sense of community. Those themes show up in the way student identity is treated, including visibility for groups such as Broadoak Pride Club, referenced within the school’s wider inclusion picture.

Daily routines are precise. Students arrive through one of several gates and are expected on site within a narrow arrival window, with registration anchored to tutor time at the start of the day. This sort of operational clarity usually appeals to families who want predictability, particularly for children who benefit from strong transitions and consistent expectations.

There is also evidence of a deliberate push on attendance and conduct. The academy publishes specific arrival expectations and reinforces punctuality as a core part of learning time. That sits alongside wider work on behaviour culture, where the aim is not just compliance, but a calm environment where learning interruptions are kept to a minimum.

On the FindMySchool GCSE ranking, Broadoak Academy is ranked 2,897th in England and 4th in Weston-super-Mare for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

The underlying attainment picture in the most recent dataset is:

• Attainment 8 score: 40.7

• EBacc average point score: 3.49

• Progress 8 score: -0.49

• Percentage achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc: 8.8%

Progress 8 is the number that often matters most for parents trying to understand impact. A score below zero indicates that, on average, students are making less progress than similar students nationally across a basket of subjects. Here, the figure suggests the school’s priority is not only attainment, but accelerating progress from students’ starting points.

It is also important to distinguish between outcomes and trajectory. Formal evaluation recognises a broad curriculum structure and purposeful curriculum sequencing from Year 7 through to Year 11, alongside decisive action intended to raise key stage 4 outcomes. For families comparing local options, the FindMySchool Local Hub and comparison tools can be useful for seeing how this profile sits alongside nearby schools, particularly if you are weighing progress measures against travel time and pastoral fit.

Curriculum information published by the academy shows a relatively traditional core at key stage 3, with defined weekly lesson allocations across English, mathematics, science, humanities, and languages. Languages are offered as French or Spanish at key stage 3, and there is a stated ambition for more pupils to pursue a language at key stage 4, which links to the broader EBacc strategy.

The learning model puts emphasis on building knowledge incrementally across year groups, with subject sequencing designed to help students connect new ideas to prior learning. For parents, the practical implication is that students who respond well to structured explanations and cumulative learning, particularly in subjects like history, languages, and mathematics, should find the curriculum approach coherent.

Reading is an explicit area of development. Formal evaluation indicates that the reading curriculum has been expanded in terms of range and text types, but that embedding reading for enjoyment and consistent implementation remains a work in progress. Families with children who are reluctant readers may want to ask how reading is taught across subjects, what targeted support looks like, and how home reading is encouraged without turning it into a source of conflict.

Support for students with special educational needs and disabilities is positioned as a strength, with a focus on communication with families and ensuring pupils can access the demands of learning.

Broadoak Academy is an 11 to 16 school, so the main transition point is post-16 education. The academy describes structured careers education, including interview practice and preparation for different pathways, and it references links with local further education providers, including Weston and Bridgwater and Taunton colleges.

Because there is no published destination dataset here, the most useful question for families is practical rather than statistical. Which local sixth forms and colleges are most common, how are applications supported, and how are students guided towards routes that fit their grades and interests, including apprenticeships and technical options. The Ofsted report also notes the school’s duty to provide access to technical and apprenticeship information from Year 8 onwards, which should translate into tangible encounters with providers and pathways rather than one-off assemblies.

Year 7 admissions operate through the North Somerset coordinated admissions scheme rather than direct application to the academy. For September 2026 entry, the published timetable states that the application information and form were available by 12 September 2025, with the national closing date of 31 October 2025 (11.59pm) for on-time secondary applications.

Offer timing is explicit. For the 2026 cycle, the scheme notes national offer day is usually 1 March, but in 2026 outcomes were released on Monday 2 March 2026 because 1 March falls on a Sunday. The scheme also sets out a response expectation for offers by 16 March 2026, and an intention-to-appeal date of 10 April 2026 for appeals to be heard before the September term.

Open events appear to follow a predictable seasonal pattern. The academy published an Open Evening on Wednesday 10 September 2025 (5pm to 7pm), which aligns with typical autumn decision-making for Year 7 applications. If you are planning a 2027 entry instead, it is reasonable to expect open events to fall in early autumn again, but families should rely on the academy’s calendar for confirmed dates.

For families trying to model chances, the most important thing is the published oversubscription criteria in the current admissions policy, and whether distance is a deciding factor once priority groups are applied. FindMySchool’s Map Search can help you understand how your address relates to the school and to other realistic options, but it should be used alongside the formal criteria rather than as a substitute for them.

Pastoral support is built around the house and tutor structure, which creates multiple layers of contact. The day also includes a built-in additional period at the end of the afternoon for revision, extra study, or enrichment, which can provide a quieter space for students who need time to consolidate learning or catch up.

Attendance has been treated as a strategic focus, with the academy publishing clear expectations for arrival and timekeeping. For parents, the practical implication is that routines at home, transport reliability, and punctuality will matter. Children who struggle with mornings may need an earlier reset, or structured support, to avoid falling into a pattern of late starts that compound gaps in learning.

The academy’s approach to inclusion and identity is also visible. Student-led work around discrimination and the presence of a specific pride club are signals that personal development is addressed explicitly, not left to chance.

The latest Ofsted inspection (7 to 8 November 2023, published 15 January 2024) judged the school Good across all graded areas. The report also states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Extracurricular activity is not treated as an optional extra for a small minority. The academy publishes a broad set of clubs and enrichment routes, and there is an annual Enrichment Week in the summer term with trips and on-site activities. The key point for families is that students can find a structured reason to stay engaged beyond lessons, which often supports attendance, friendships, and confidence.

The club list includes both interest-based and identity-based options. Examples include Broadoak Pride, Charity Club, and Citizens Club, alongside sport and activity options such as Basketball Club, CrossFit, and Running Club. For a child who is unsure where they fit, this breadth matters. It increases the chance they can attach to at least one group early in Year 7, which can make the wider transition feel less daunting.

Creative and performance routes are also clearly established. The academy references school drama production, a choir, and wider productions and showcases in its published materials. Those options are particularly relevant for students who are motivated by public outcomes, rehearsals, and team roles. They also provide visible milestones through the year, which can help some teenagers stay connected when academic motivation dips.

Sport looks like both participation and pathway. Published materials reference lunchtime gym access and a range of team sports, plus evidence of girls’ football representation across year groups. Again, the key is not simply that sport exists, but that it is integrated into the social and pastoral fabric of the school through houses, competitions, and routine.

Finally, Duke of Edinburgh is presented as a significant strand, which often appeals to families who value responsibility, teamwork, and structured challenge.

The school day runs 8.45am to 3.00pm, with an additional Period 7 from 3.00pm to 3.50pm for revision, study, or enrichment. Breakfast provision is available from 8.00am.

Arrival is managed through multiple gates and a defined arrival window, which is useful for families thinking about walking routes, drop-off planning, and punctuality expectations. As a state-funded academy, there are no tuition fees, but families should still budget for the usual secondary costs such as uniform and optional trips.

• Below-average progress at GCSE level. Progress measures indicate students have, on average, made less progress than similar pupils nationally. Families should ask what targeted catch-up looks like for their child’s profile, and how reading support is implemented across subjects.

• Reading culture is still being embedded. Published evaluation highlights that strengthening reading habits, especially reading for enjoyment beyond school, remains an improvement priority. If your child is a reluctant reader, clarify expectations and support early.

• Attendance and punctuality expectations are explicit. The academy has clear arrival routines and a focus on attendance. This can be a positive for structure, but it requires reliable family routines and transport planning.

• Leadership is in transition. Interim leadership can be a period of positive tightening and renewed focus, but it can also bring change in routines and expectations. Families may want to understand the medium-term leadership plan.

Broadoak Academy offers a clearly structured secondary experience, with a strong house system, visible enrichment, and a curriculum designed to build knowledge steadily through to Year 11. It is currently balancing that offer with the practical work of raising progress and strengthening reading habits. Best suited to students who respond well to routines, benefit from belonging to a house and club culture, and will engage with the school’s expectations around attendance and punctuality.