48%
GCSE 9–4 · 2024/25
25%
GCSE 5+ · 2024/25
35.7
Attainment 8 · 2024/25
16%
EBacc entry · 2024/25
448.7
EBacc APS · 2024/25
929
Pupils · 2024/25
9%
EAL · 2024/25
30%
Persistent abs. · 2024/25
Ofsted inspection
Requires improvement
Ofsted inspection · 11/01/2023
Inadequate
Requires improvement
Good
Outstanding
Local authorityHertfordshire
PhaseSecondary with sixth form with sixth form
School typeAcademy
Pupil : teacher ratio16.9:1
AdmissionsNon-selective
Religious characterDoes not apply
StatusOpen
Overview of Ridgeway Academy · Secondary with sixth form · Hertfordshire
Part ofAMBITION EDUCATION TRUST
How does this school perform?
Key Stage 4 · 2024/25 · trend since 2017/18
GCSE 9–4 incl. Eng & maths
48%
-2pp
60%50%40%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 48%
GCSE 5+ incl. Eng & maths
25%
-3pp
31%22%12%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 25%
Attainment 8
35.7
-2.2
40.236.132.0
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 35.7
EBacc entry
16%
+7pp
16%10%4%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 16%
EBacc APS
448.7
-71.3
520.1396.4272.7
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 448.7
Sixth form
Key Stage 5 · 2024/25 · trend since 2018/19
A-level APS
27.7
-1.8
30.529.127.7
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 27.7
A-level value added
-0.38
-0.2
-0.1-0.3-0.4
'19'24'25
'25 · -0.4
AAB+ in facilitating subjects
0%
-14pp
14%7%0%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 0%
Average A-level grade
C-
0
CCC-
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · C-
Pupils & context
2024/25
Pupils on roll
929
Pupil : teacher ratio
16.9
Workforce data · 2025/26
EAL
9%
FSM eligible
33%
SEN
27%
Overall absence
12%
Persistent absence
30%
Contact
Address
Herns Lane, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 2AF
Local authority
Hertfordshire
Telephone
Email
—
History
All years · Historical DfE data by academic year
Secondary — Key Stage 4
GCSE attainment and Progress 8 — how pupils progressed from KS2 to KS4.
| Year | GCSE 9–4 | GCSE 5+ | Attainment 8 | Progress 8 | EBacc entry | EBacc APS | EBacc lang entry | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 48% | 25% | 35.7 | Not applicable | 16% | 448.7 | 18% | 929 |
| 2023/24 | 51% | 27% | 37.9 | -0.47 | 8% | 520.1 | 11% | 947 |
| 2022/23 | 57% | 29% | 38.9 | -0.36 | 6% | 448.5 | 8% | 904 |
| 2021/22 | 40% | 12% | 32.0 | -1.02 | 4% | 341.5 | 6% | 897 |
| 2018/19 | 60% | 31% | 40.2 | -0.23 | 5% | 272.7 | 7% | 631 |
| 2017/18 | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | New school |
Sixth form — Key Stage 5
| Year | A-level APS | Avg grade | VA progress | AAB+ | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 27.7 | C- | -0.38 | 0% | 48 |
| 2023/24 | 29.5 | C | -0.14 | 14% | 33 |
| 2022/23 | 27.8 | C- | — | 8% | 29 |
| 2021/22 | 30.0 | C | — | 10% | 52 |
| 2018/19 | 30.5 | C | -0.25 | 8% | 22 |
Pupils & absence
| Year | Pupils | Pupil:teacher | SEN | EAL | FSM ever | Absence | Persistent absence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 929 | 18.0 | 27% | 9% | 33% | 12% | 30% |
| 2023/24 | 947 | 19.4 | 28% | 8% | 33% | 14% | 34% |
| 2022/23 | 904 | 18.1 | 25% | 6% | 30% | 14% | 39% |
| 2021/22 | 897 | 25.5 | 26% | 6% | 32% | 14% | 46% |
| 2020/21 | 844 | 23.9 | 25% | 7% | 34% | — | — |
| 2018/19 | 631 | 16.0 | 26% | 9% | 38% | 6% | 18% |
School performance data © Crown copyright. Source: Department for Education.