Tudor Grange Academy Worcester Review 2026: A Worcester secondary with an established Sixth Form and a strong personal development spine

Calm corridors, structured routines, and a clearly signposted personal development pathway shape day to day life at Tudor Grange Academy Worcester. The academy serves students from Year 7 to Year 13 and sits within Tudor Grange Academies Trust. In its most recent inspection cycle (completed across October 2024, with the report published on 20 November 2024), the key judgements were Good for Quality of education and Outstanding for Behaviour and attitudes, Personal development, Leadership and management, and Sixth form provision.

Leadership is stable, with Principal Mr David Butler stating that he joined the academy as Principal in 2018. For families, the immediate practical headline is that this is a state funded academy with no tuition fees, and admissions for Year 7 are co ordinated through the local authority timetable.

The academy’s own language places character development alongside academic progress. The WISER pathway is positioned as the organising framework for wellbeing, mental health and character education, and it is referenced as a whole school thread rather than a one off programme. The implication for families is that personal development is intended to be taught and tracked, not left to chance or pastoral goodwill.

Structures inside school are deliberately “secondary sized” rather than informal. Tutor time starts at 8:30am, with statutory registration also captured later in the day at the start of Period 5. Expectations around punctuality are explicit, and students can stay beyond the formal day for enrichment, with activities commonly running from 3:00pm until 4:00pm and sometimes later.

There is also a clear internal organisation model. The academy describes five Colleges, each with leadership and tutor teams, creating smaller communities within the larger school. For many students this kind of structure matters, it can make a large secondary feel more navigable, and it gives families clearer points of contact when issues arise.

Historically, the academy is a comparatively modern Worcester institution. Earlier inspection documentation records that it came into existence in September 2009 following the closure of the predecessor school, with sixth form provision commencing in September 2010. That matters because the school’s identity is not anchored in a long established grammar or independent tradition, it has been built in the academy era, with a deliberate focus on rebuilding culture, systems and outcomes over time.

At GCSE level, outcomes currently read as mixed, with one very clear caution signal. The academy’s Progress 8 score is -0.41, which indicates that, on average, students made less progress than other students nationally with similar starting points.

On attainment, the Attainment 8 score is 44.2. The England average is approximately 45.9, so the academy sits slightly below that benchmark on this measure. The EBacc average point score is 3.78 compared with an England benchmark of 4.08 which aligns with the picture of a cohort not consistently matching England averages across the full academic suite.

Rankings provide additional context for parents comparing local options. Ranked 2524th in England and 11th in Worcester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results sit in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). That is neither a red flag nor a strong differentiator on its own, but paired with the negative Progress 8 score it suggests that families should look carefully at how the school supports students across the full ability range, not only the most academically confident.

The Sixth Form profile is clearer. A level grade distribution shows 4.26% of entries at A*, 13.83% at A, and 36.17% achieving A* to B. England benchmarks are higher, with 23.6% at A* or A and 47.2% at A* to B. This is not a Sixth Form competing on raw top grade intensity against the strongest providers, but it may suit students who want a supportive post 16 pathway with strong guidance and clear pastoral scaffolding. Ranked 1765th in England and 6th in Worcester for A level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance is below England average overall.

The most helpful way to interpret the overall results picture is through fit. For families seeking a heavily academic environment where top grades and very high progress measures are the primary driver, the data does not currently point in that direction. For families prioritising behaviour, personal development, leadership stability, and a Sixth Form with strong oversight, the official judgements and the academy’s own programme design may be more persuasive than the exam headline figures.

Teaching aims to build secure knowledge over time. The most recent inspection report highlights an emphasis on recall of prior learning and connecting new concepts to what students already know, with an explicit note that this is implemented more consistently in some subjects than others. The educational implication is straightforward: where curriculum sequencing and retrieval are strong, students build confidence and fluency; where they are inconsistent, gaps persist and later learning becomes harder.

Reading is positioned as a cross curricular priority rather than a subject silo. The report describes teachers across subjects taking responsibility for building reading confidence, and it notes targeted support for students who struggle with reading. For families, that matters because weak literacy is one of the most common constraints on secondary progress across all subjects, including science, humanities and vocational pathways.

Personal development is intended to sit alongside the timetable, not outside it. WISER is described as a framework spanning lesson time, assemblies, guest speakers, activities and visits. In practical terms, this typically means students encounter the same vocabulary and expectations across multiple settings, which can support consistency in behaviour, attendance habits and post 16 decision making.

Where Students Go Next

The academy serves a broad set of destinations, and the available destination data reflects that breadth. For the 2023/24 leavers cohort, 48% progressed to university, 39% entered employment and 4% started apprenticeships. This suggests that the post 16 and careers offer is not solely university focused, it is designed to support multiple routes, including work and technical pathways.

Oxbridge outcomes are present but not a dominant feature. In the same measurement period, there were two applications to Cambridge, one offer and one acceptance. For families, the sensible interpretation is that very high attaining students can be supported through elite applications, but the typical experience is likely to be broader, with strong emphasis on making a good match between student, course and next step.

The academy’s careers education narrative reinforces that breadth, referencing structured careers programmes and tools such as Unifrog being introduced early. If your child is undecided at 16, this type of staged careers curriculum can be valuable, particularly when paired with real encounters with employers, further education and training providers.

For Year 7 entry, applications follow the Worcestershire coordinated admissions timetable. For entry in September 2026, applications open on 1 September 2025 and close on 31 October 2025, with offers issued on 2 March 2026. The key practical point is that families need to work to the local authority deadline even if they are in close proximity or have strong preference, late applications are treated differently and can materially reduce chances.

Demand data in the provided dataset indicates 443 applications and 205 offers in the latest available snapshot, which is consistent with an oversubscribed position. In practice, oversubscription means families should read the published admissions arrangements carefully and avoid assuming that proximity alone will be enough in every year.

For Sixth Form entry, the route is direct rather than local authority coordinated. The academy states that applications for entry to Sixth Form for the following September open in October of Year 11, and applicants are expected to apply online. This model typically benefits organised applicants who plan early, especially where particular subjects have limited class sizes or require minimum GCSE grades.

Parents considering this school alongside alternatives can use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check practical travel options and compare realistic commuting patterns across Worcester. For academic comparison, the Local Hub page and Comparison Tool are the quickest way to see GCSE and A level context side by side.

Pastoral systems are built around both structure and targeted support. The academy describes a Wellbeing Drop in service available to students during social times, supported by a wider safeguarding team and specialist roles. For many families, that kind of visible, timetabled availability matters more than policy statements, it gives students a low friction route to ask for help before issues escalate.

The inspection report also describes a “team around the child” approach, with needs of individual pupils identified and addressed, and with curriculum adaptations designed to support students with special educational needs and disabilities alongside their peers. The implication is that support is intended to be embedded into classroom practice rather than operating only as withdrawal or separate intervention.

Attendance is treated as both expectation and support issue. The inspection report notes that barriers to attendance are identified and addressed for students who struggle, including those arriving with a history of poor attendance and disengagement. Families dealing with attendance anxiety or complex circumstances should pay attention to how the school communicates, how quickly it intervenes, and how it coordinates with external agencies.

Enrichment is branded and organised as Period 6, with year group specific booklets provided to outline the offer. That level of organisation usually correlates with better take up, because students know where to go, when clubs run, and how to join.

The academy’s published materials reference a set of recognisable programmes that often appeal to different student types. These include Duke of Edinburgh, Young Enterprise, Combined Cadet Force, and STEM clubs. The value is not simply “more clubs”, it is breadth. DofE suits students who gain confidence through progressive challenge and teamwork; Young Enterprise suits students who enjoy practical responsibility and enterprise skills; CCF suits students who thrive with routine, teamwork and leadership; STEM clubs suit students who want applied problem solving outside lessons.

Sport and performance activity is also clearly positioned. A Period 6 PE clubs document shows options including Football, Dance Company, Rugby plus Touch, Dance, and Table Tennis, alongside GCSE intervention sessions. That mix matters because it signals a pragmatic offer, there is space for sport, for creative physical activity, and for academic catch up in the same enrichment window.

For Sixth Form, enrichment is described in terms of contribution to the school community, participation in sports teams, and involvement in performing arts groups, alongside broader leadership style responsibilities. This tends to suit students who want a more adult model of Sixth Form, where enrichment is part of building a personal statement, employability story, or apprenticeship readiness.

The academy day begins with Tutor Time at 8:30am and finishes at 3:00pm, with optional Period 6 enrichment commonly running from 3:00pm until 4:00pm and sometimes beyond. Lunch can be purchased on site or brought as a packed lunch, and the academy operates a cashless catering system.

Transport specifics vary by where you live in Worcester and beyond. Families should map the journey at peak times and consider how the return trip works on days with Period 6 activities. If your shortlist includes multiple Worcester secondaries, the Saved Schools feature can help keep admissions deadlines, travel notes and open event plans in one place.

• Progress measures are a concern. The Progress 8 score of -0.41 suggests below average progress from starting points. Families should ask how support is targeted for students who are not already confident learners.

• EBacc performance appears weaker than England benchmarks. The EBacc average point score is below the England comparator. If you are aiming for an academic EBacc heavy pathway, ask how subject combinations are supported and who typically succeeds.

• Year 7 entry runs to a strict county deadline. Applications for September 2026 close on 31 October 2025, and late applications can materially reduce options.

• A level outcomes are below England averages. This Sixth Form may suit students who value guidance, structure and personal development, but families seeking the most grade intensive academic route should compare alternatives carefully.

Tudor Grange Academy Worcester is best understood as a structured, values led academy with strong judgements on behaviour, personal development and Sixth Form oversight, paired with exam outcomes that are closer to the England middle ground at GCSE and below England averages at A level. It suits families who prioritise orderly culture, visible wellbeing systems, and a broad destination model that includes university, employment and apprenticeships. The main decision hinge is academic trajectory, particularly progress at GCSE and top grade intensity post 16.