The Nobel SchoolFreman College
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
The Nobel School and Freman College are secondary schools.
The Nobel School scores 64 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Freman College scores 68 out of 100 (grade C, average). Freman College is ahead on our composite score.
The Nobel School was judged Good and Freman College was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 49.0 for The Nobel School and 51.8 for Freman College.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at The Nobel School (51.1 in 2021-22, 49.0 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Freman College (56.6 in 2021-22, 51.8 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | StevenageThe Nobel School | BuntingfordFreman College | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C64/100 | C68/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 37th of 81 in Hertfordshire | 29th of 81 in Hertfordshire Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Foundation school | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 13-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,475 | 1,049 | |
| Capacity | 1,526 | 903 | |
| Location | Stevenage, SG2 0HS | Buntingford, SG9 9BT | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 49.0 | 51.8 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 50.6% | 53.5% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 69.5% | 73.2% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 239 | 254 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 115 | 90 | |
| A-level average points | 33.3 | 36.8 Stronger figure | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C+ | B- | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 34.8 | 38.4 Stronger figure | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 14.1% | 15.5% Stronger figure | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,490 | 1,022 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 19.9% | 12.1% | |
| English as an additional language | 14.0% | 2.8% | |
| SEN support | 19.1% | 14.7% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.4% | 2.6% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 7.3% | 7.3% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 19.8% Stronger figure | 20.6% | 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
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.
The Nobel School
Freman College
Full profiles: The Nobel School · Freman College