Stanborough SchoolRidgeway Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Welwyn Garden City.
Summary of the comparison
Stanborough School and Ridgeway Academy are secondary schools in Welwyn Garden City.
Stanborough School scores 64 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Ridgeway Academy scores 48 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Stanborough School is ahead on our composite score.
Stanborough School was judged Good and Ridgeway Academy was judged the expected standard.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 49.3 for Stanborough School and 37.4 for Ridgeway Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at Stanborough School (50.2 in 2021-22, 49.3 in 2025-26) and has risen at Ridgeway Academy (32.0 in 2021-22, 37.4 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | Welwyn Garden CityStanborough School | Welwyn Garden CityRidgeway Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C64/100Stronger figure | D48/100 | |
| Local ranking | 36th of 81 in Hertfordshire Stronger figure | 72nd of 81 in Hertfordshire | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Academy converter | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,287 | 875 | |
| Capacity | 1,419 | 1,220 | |
| Location | Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6YR | Welwyn Garden City, AL7 2AF | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 49.3 Stronger figure | 37.4 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 52.4% Stronger figure | 27.3% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 74.5% Stronger figure | 52.7% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 208 | 150 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 90 | 34 | |
| A-level average points | 36.1 Stronger figure | 27.7 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | B- | C- | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 37.9 Stronger figure | 28.3 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 19.0% Stronger figure | 0.0% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,261 | 929 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 20.0% | 32.5% | |
| English as an additional language | 17.8% | 9.0% | |
| SEN support | 13.6% | 23.3% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 3.6% | 4.0% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 5.5% Stronger figure | 11.5% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 11.9% Stronger figure | 30.1% | 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.
Stanborough School
Ridgeway Academy
Full profiles: Stanborough School · Ridgeway Academy