Kingsmead AcademyWest Somerset College
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
Kingsmead Academy and West Somerset College are secondary schools.
Kingsmead Academy scores 49 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and West Somerset College scores 40 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Kingsmead Academy is ahead on our composite score.
Kingsmead Academy was judged the expected standard and West Somerset College was judged in need of attention.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 43.8 for Kingsmead Academy and 41.2 for West Somerset College.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at Kingsmead Academy (46.8 in 2021-22, 43.8 in 2024-25) and has held broadly level at West Somerset College (42.0 in 2021-22, 41.2 in 2024-25).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | TauntonKingsmead Academy | MineheadWest Somerset College | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D49/100Stronger figure | D40/100 | |
| Local ranking | 22nd of 34 in Somerset Stronger figure | 27th of 34 in Somerset | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: GoodStronger figure | Ofsted: Needs attention | |
| School type | Academy converter | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 13-19 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 879 | 760 | |
| Capacity | 1,050 | 1,509 | |
| Location | Taunton, TA4 2NE | Minehead, TA24 6AY | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 43.8 Stronger figure | 41.2 | 46.0 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 39.1% Stronger figure | 32.6% | 45.4% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 62.1% Stronger figure | 54.9% | 64.8% |
| Entering EBacc | 75.1% Stronger figure | 25.1% | 40.5% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.11 Stronger figure | 3.41 | 4.09 |
| Cohort | 169 | 215 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | Not reported | 53 | |
| A-level average points | Not reported | 28.4 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | Not reported | C | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | Not reported | 30.8 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | Not reported | 3.3% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 879 | 760 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 19.1% | 25.2% | |
| English as an additional language | 2.4% | 4.7% | |
| SEN support | 13.0% | 15.1% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.6% | 2.0% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 10.7% Stronger figure | 13.8% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 26.6% Stronger figure | 37.6% | 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
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.
Kingsmead Academy
West Somerset College
Full profiles: Kingsmead Academy · West Somerset College