Getting a Year 7 place in 2026
10.29 miles
Last year, The Cotswold Academy offered Year 7 places to children living up to 10.29 miles away, including some outside its catchment area.
241places
276families put it first
84%of those got in
Year by year since 2019
It moves a lot from year to year, so don't rely on one year alone.
More about how places were given
241 Year 7 places for September 2026. 276 families put it first, about 1.1 for each place.
The furthest distance offered a place in 2026 was 10.29 miles.
Looked-after children, EHC plans, siblings, catchment areas and faith can come before distance, and distances change every year. Read the admissions policy before you apply.
Last distance offered, September 2026 Year 7 entry, Gloucestershire County Council. Earlier years: allocation-day tables, Gloucestershire County Council. What this means
Secondary offer day (allocation day): 1 March 2027. Key dates
In short.
Worth knowing
- The distance that got a place has moved between 10.29 and 20.00 miles since 2019.
- It gives priority to children living in its catchment area.
- GCSE results are in the top 10% of Gloucestershire secondaries.
Average GCSE grade
5.9
▲ Higher than typical (4.5)
English: average grade
6.1
▲ Higher than typical (4.8)
Maths: average grade
5.6
▲ Higher than typical (4.5)
English and maths grade 4+
84%
▲ Higher than typical (65%)
English and maths grade 5+
66%
▲ Higher than typical (42%)
Ofsted
Outstanding
Full inspection, 2025
Lessons missed
7.1%
▼ Lower than typical (8.4%)
Pupils per teacher
17.1
About typical (16.6)
Typical is the middle school when all 34 Gloucestershire secondaries that are not grammar schools are lined up, half above and half below. Tap a box for the detail. GCSE grades run from 9 (highest) to 1; a 4 is a standard pass, roughly the old C.
How places are given.
This school sets its own admission rules. After children whose EHC plan names the school, if more families apply than there are places, its policy gives places in this order:
- Children in care, or who were in care
- Brothers and sisters of pupils, if you live in the catchment area
- Children living in the catchment area
- Children of staff (usually employed two years or more, or filling a hard-to-fill post)
- Brothers and sisters of pupils, if you live outside the catchment area
- Everyone else, nearest first (straight-line distance)
Our short summary of the school's 2027 policy, checked 7 November 2026. The policy has the full definitions, such as who counts as a brother or sister and how distance is measured.
It gives priority to children living in its catchment area. The admission policy defines it as these parishes: Andoversford, Barrington, Bourton-on-the-Water, Chedworth, Clapton, Cold Aston, Coln St. Dennis, Compton Abdale, Cutsdean, Donnington, Dowdeswell, Farmington, Great Rissington, Guiting Power, Hampnett, Hawling, Hazleton, Icomb, Little Rissington, Lower Slaughter, Maugersbury, Naunton, Northleach with Eastington, Notgrove, Sevenhampton, Sherborne, Shipton, Stow-on-the-Wold, Swell, Temple Guiting, Turkdean, Upper Rissington, Upper Slaughter, Westcote, Whittington, Windrush, Withington, Wick Rissington, Yanworth.
Read the school's admission rules for September 2027 (PDF)
Free school transport. If this is your nearest suitable school and the walking route is more than 2 miles (children under 8) or 3 miles (8 and over), the council usually provides free transport. Families on lower incomes can get help over shorter distances. School transport
GCSE results.
+1.0
grades higher in each subject, on average, than at schools in England with similar pupils. Similar pupils means a similar share from lower-income families (17% here).
Average GCSE grade, each year
Each year is a different group of pupils.
Results subject by subject
Average grade (9 is highest) and how many entries got a standard pass (grade 4+) or a top grade (7+), for subjects with 10 or more entries. "County" is the average for all Gloucestershire non-grammar schools.
| Subject | Entries | Average grade | Grade 4+ | Grade 7+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 242 | 5.8county 4.7 | 89% | 35% |
| Mathematics | 240 | 5.7county 4.7 | 88% | 35% |
| English Literature | 237 | 5.7county 4.7 | 91% | 29% |
| Combined Science | 173 | 4.8county 4.4 | 83% | 12% |
| Geography | 132 | 5.7county 4.7 | 83% | 39% |
| History | 123 | 6.2county 4.7 | 85% | 49% |
| Business Studies | 114 | 5.8county 4.7 | 85% | 39% |
| Religious Studies | 94 | 6.9county 5.1 | 96% | 63% |
| Art and Design | 75 | 5.2county 5.0 | 84% | 27% |
| Spanish | 68 | 6.6county 5.2 | 88% | 54% |
| Biology | 67 | 7.5county 5.9 | 100% | 73% |
| Chemistry | 67 | 7.4county 5.8 | 100% | 69% |
| Physics | 67 | 7.4county 6.0 | 100% | 70% |
| Physical Education | 64 | 5.5county 5.0 | 80% | 28% |
| Design and Technology | 60 | 5.8county 4.9 | 88% | 35% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 42 | 5.6county 4.7 | 83% | 36% |
| Drama | 31 | 5.8county 5.0 | 77% | 39% |
| German | 25 | 6.4county 5.2 | 96% | 48% |
| Computer Science | 23 | 6.7county 4.3 | 87% | 52% |
| Music | 20 | 6.0county 5.1 | 85% | 45% |
| French | 17 | 7.3county 5.3 | 94% | 71% |
GCSE results 2025/26 (provisional), subject results. Small subjects can swing a lot from year to year.
Where it ranks in Gloucestershire
Positions are among Gloucestershire secondary schools that are not grammar schools with a published figure. 1st means the highest results. Typical is the school in the middle when they are lined up from highest to lowest. Jargon buster.
GCSE results 2025/26 (provisional).
Sixth form and next steps.
After Year 11
Where pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24 went.
Stayed in education, training or work
92%
Glos 92% · England 91%
Went to a school sixth form
64%
here or at another school
Went to a college
20%
sixth form or further education college
Started an apprenticeship
4%
See three years and more detail
| Leaving year | 2021/22223 pupils | 2022/23205 pupils | 2023/24241 pupils | Glos 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, training or work | 97% | 97% | 92% | 92% |
| School sixth form | 66% | 60% | 64% | 46% |
| Sixth form college | 8% | 13% | 7% | 10% |
| Further education college | 8% | 14% | 13% | 29% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 2% | 4% | 4% |
| Work | 6% | 5% | 4% | 3% |
| Did not stay in any of these | 2% | 2% | 5% | 5% |
| Not known | 0% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
Percentages of pupils who left that year. “Glos” is all Gloucestershire state schools and colleges. Rows can add up to more or less than 100% because of rounding and pupils doing more than one thing.
A level results 2025
Average grade per A level
B
Glos B- · England C+
Average of best three A levels
B+
Got AAB or better
25%
in three A levels
Progress
Above average
compared with similar students nationally
138 students took A levels. “Progress” compares grades with students across England who got similar GCSEs.
A level results subject by subject
2025: how many entries got the top grades, and whether students did better or worse than expected from their GCSEs.
| Subject | A* to B | Progress | A* or A | Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 65%England 63% | Average | 46% | 37 |
| Economics | 82%England 62% | Average | 41% | 27 |
| Business Studies | 80%England 49% | Above | 52% | 25 |
| Media / Film / TV Studies | 74%England 46% | Above | 35% | 23 |
| Geography | 86%England 55% | Average | 50% | 22 |
| History | 82%England 59% | Above | 54% | 22 |
| Chemistry | 76%England 57% | Average | 48% | 21 |
| Biology | 55%England 52% | Average | 40% | 20 |
| English Literature | 89%England 56% | Average | 44% | 18 |
| Fine Art | 82%England 72% | Above | 71% | 17 |
| Psychology | 50%England 48% | Average | 6% | 16 |
| Sociology | 73%England 49% | Average | 27% | 15 |
| Physics | 50%England 54% | Average | 21% | 14 |
| Drama and Theatre Studies | 100%England 63% | Average | 64% | 11 |
| English Language | 80%England 46% | Average | 30% | 10 |
| Religious Studies | 80%England 57% | Average | 60% | 10 |
| Computer Science | 67%England 49% | Average | 33% | 9 |
| Spanish | 100%England 67% | Average | 33% | 9 |
| Textiles | 75%England 72% | Average | 50% | 8 |
| Design and Technology (Product Design) | 83%England 45% | Average | 0% | 6 |
| Mathematics (Further) | 67%England 80% | Average | 50% | 6 |
| French | 0%England 68% | – | 0% | 5 |
Subjects with 5 or more entries. Progress “Above” or “Below” means the difference from expected grades is big enough not to be chance; otherwise it shows “Average”. Small subjects can swing a lot from year to year.
Other courses taken in 2025: Extended Project (15 entries); Business Studies (BTEC) (14 entries); Health Studies (Cambridge Technical) (14 entries); Core maths (14 entries); Sports Studies (BTEC) (8 entries).
After sixth form
Where students who finished here went.
Started a degree within two years
76%
Glos 56% · England 58%
Went to a ‘top third’ university
38%
Glos 20% · England 16%
Went straight into work
27%
Glos 35% · England 27%
Started an apprenticeship
4%
Glos 8% · England 7%
Started a degree within two years: girls 78%, boys 72%.
See three years and more detail
| Leaving year | 2021/22141 pupils | 2022/23139 pupils | 2023/24150 pupils | Glos 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, training or work | 84% | 89% | 88% | 83% |
| University or other higher education | 58% | 52% | 52% | 38% |
| Further education | 4% | 6% | 4% | 3% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 2% | 4% | 7% |
| Work | 20% | 25% | 27% | 34% |
| Did not stay in any of these | 12% | 7% | 7% | 12% |
| Not known | 4% | 4% | 5% | 6% |
Percentages of pupils who left that year. “Glos” is all Gloucestershire state schools and colleges. Rows can add up to more or less than 100% because of rounding and pupils doing more than one thing.
‘Top third’ universities are those with the highest entry grades. Degree figures count the two years after sixth form, so include gap years (students who finished in 2022/23); the yearly table counts only the first year, so its university figure is lower. Progression to higher education and destination measures, Department for Education, published October 2026.
Ofsted.
Ofsted
Outstanding
Full inspection, 2025
“The school’s vision is to ‘create brilliant futures’ and this drives all areas of school life. Pupils and students in the sixth form leave for their future destinations with excellent qualifications and a wealth of experiences that have developed their individual characters. […]”
Read the full report (PDF) · Ofsted, Open Government Licence.
Inspection history (3 reports)
- 11 March 2025School inspection · report
- 05 November 2020Monitoring visit · report
- 18 March 2015Full inspection: Outstanding · report
Grades from different years were given under different rules, so they are not directly comparable. Reports from before a school became an academy are listed under its old school on the Ofsted website.
What parents told Ofsted.
Not enough parents filled in Ofsted's Parent View survey for this school to publish results. Ofsted only publishes a school's results once 10 or more parents have answered (November 2025 to September 2026).
See this school on Ofsted Parent View, or add your own views if your child goes there.
Day to day.
Pupils
Attendance and behaviour
Teachers and money
Behaviour policies differ between schools, so compare suspensions with care. Pupils and staff: school census and workforce census, Department for Education.
Questions parents ask.
How close do you need to live to get a place at The Cotswold Academy?
Last year, The Cotswold Academy offered Year 7 places to children living up to 10.29 miles away, including some outside its catchment area. Year by year since 2019: 2019: not full: everyone who applied got in; 2020: not full: everyone who applied got in; 2021: 20.00 miles; 2022: 12.18 miles; 2023: 11.20 miles; 2024: 12.07 miles; 2025: 13.26 miles; 2026: 10.29 miles. It moves a lot from year to year, so don't rely on one year alone. Distances change every year, and children in priority groups (such as looked-after children, children with an EHC plan naming the school and brothers or sisters of current pupils) can get places before distance is used.
How many families applied to The Cotswold Academy?
For September 2026 Year 7 entry, 276 families put The Cotswold Academy as their first choice, and 241 places were offered. (Department for Education, secondary applications and offers 2026)
What are The Cotswold Academy's GCSE results?
In 2026, pupils at The Cotswold Academy got an average Attainment 8 score of 58.7, and 84% got grade 4 or above in both English and maths. (Department for Education, provisional GCSE results 2025/26)
What did Ofsted say about The Cotswold Academy?
Rated by Ofsted in each area at its last full inspection (11 March 2025):
How do I apply for a place at The Cotswold Academy?
You apply to your home council, not to the school. If you live in Gloucestershire, that is Gloucestershire County Council. For September 2027 entry, on-time applications closed at midnight, 31 October 2026, and offers are sent on 1 March 2027. Late applications are dealt with after on-time ones.
Contact and nearby.
The Avenue, Bourton-on-the-Water, Cheltenham, GL54 2BD
Principal: Mr W Morgan
Run by an academy trust: The Cotswold School Academy Trust
Nearby secondary schools
Spotted something wrong on this page? Tell us
This is a guide, not an admissions decision. Figures come from the Department for Education, Ofsted and Gloucestershire County Council and were last updated 7 November 2026. Always check the school's admissions policy and the council's admissions pages before applying. How admissions work