The Kings of Wessex Academy
Station Road, Cheddar, BS27 3AQOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
The Kings of Wessex Academy is a secondary school in Cheddar for ages 13 to 18. It is one of the 301 schools in Somerset. It ranks 4th of 27 secondary schools in Somerset. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in March 2015.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 5 March 2015, report published 15 April 2015
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Outstanding
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 5 November 2024
Pupils and staff are proud to be members of the Kings of Wessex Academy community. The school aims for all pupils to achieve well academically and develop a rich set of wider skills. This aspirational ethos is leading to improvements in outcomes for all pupils, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils and staff have positive and respectful relationships built on mutual respect. The recent changes to the behaviour and reward systems have been appreciated by pupils. They agree that systems are fair and consistently applied. This means they feel safe and learning takes place without disruption. Pupils are proud to represent their house. Avalon, Camelot, Lyonesse and Tintagel enjoy good natured competition to win the annual prize. The school have a wide range of extra-curricular clubs including, chess and the Kings Sixth debating group. School productions and musical events develop pupils' talents. Pupils are keen to volunteer and take on leadership roles such as being sports coaches and anti-bullying ambassadors. Sixth-form senior students lead the school council and mentor pupils, for example as 'maths buddies'. They are positive role models for younger pupils.
What the school should improve
- On occasion, assessment is not used effectively to check pupils' current knowledge and understanding. Consequently, some pupils are not supported to resolve misconceptions and gaps in their understanding. Equally, others are not moved on to more challenging work swiftly enough. The school should ensure that the checks teachers make are used to inform adjustments to the curriculum and its delivery, so pupils achieve well.
- Some areas of the curriculum are not as ambitious as others about what all pupils can achieve. This means that some pupils are not introduced to challenging concepts and ideas early enough. The school should ensure that all areas of the curriculum are ambitious for all pupils to know more and remember more.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
268 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
102 students
Average A level grade B-, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,043 pupils on roll, with places for 1,194
Schools near The Kings of Wessex Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidcot School | 3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 29.8 |
| Churchill Academy & Sixth Form | 4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | Attainment 8: 50.3 |
| The Blue School | 7 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 49.7 |
| Wells Cathedral School | 7 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 29.9 |
| Winterstoke Hundred Academy | 8 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 40.1 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- WESSEX LEARNING TRUST
- Age range
- 13 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr David Wiltshire
- Phone
- 01934742608
- Address
- Station Road, Cheddar, BS27 3AQ
- Local authority
- Somerset
- URN
- 136783
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.