Barnwell SchoolThe Nobel School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Stevenage.
Summary of the comparison
Barnwell School and The Nobel School are secondary schools in Stevenage.
Barnwell School scores 49 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and The Nobel School scores 64 out of 100 (grade C, average). The Nobel School is ahead on our composite score.
Barnwell School was judged the expected standard and The Nobel School was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 38.7 for Barnwell School and 49.0 for The Nobel School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at Barnwell School (43.2 in 2021-22, 38.7 in 2025-26) and has fallen at The Nobel School (51.1 in 2021-22, 49.0 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | StevenageBarnwell School | StevenageThe Nobel School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D49/100 | C64/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 71st of 81 in Hertfordshire | 37th of 81 in Hertfordshire Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Expected | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Foundation school | Foundation school | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,270 | 1,475 | |
| Capacity | 1,590 | 1,526 | |
| Location | Stevenage, SG2 9SW | Stevenage, SG2 0HS | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 38.7 | 49.0 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 33.1% | 50.6% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 52.0% | 69.5% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 248 | 239 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 29 | 115 | |
| A-level average points | 30.5 | 33.3 Stronger figure | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C | C+ | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 34.6 | 34.8 Stronger figure | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 0.0% | 14.1% Stronger figure | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,315 | 1,490 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 30.1% | 19.9% | |
| English as an additional language | 14.5% | 14.0% | |
| SEN support | 18.1% | 19.1% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 4.6% | 2.4% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 10.9% | 7.3% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 28.2% | 19.8% Stronger figure | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
A-level average points
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Barnwell School
The Nobel School
Full profiles: Barnwell School · The Nobel School