Winchcombe School

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Part of THE BALCARRAS TRUST

Greet Road, Winchcombe, Cheltenham, GL54 5LB

01242 602233 · School website · Map and directions

Ofsted report card6 expectedSafeguarding met · 16 June 2026
Grade 5 or above in English and maths32%England 45% · 2024/25
8th highest of 8 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Higher than 20% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils515Room for 460 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 492 in 2019, 500 in 2021, 496 in 2022, 476 in 2023, 491 in 2024, 528 in 2025, 515 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place0.888 for 111 places, September 2026
8th highest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Higher than 25% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 16 June 2026 , published 7 July 2026.

In short: 6 expected, and safeguarding met.

Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.

AreaGrade
SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. Met
InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

98 pupils in this year group.

32% — 22 points below the Gloucestershire average, and 14 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolGloucestershireEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 32% 53% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 42.8 50.3 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 3.6 4.4 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 48%This school 2023/24: 49%This school 2024/25: 32% This school England 45% 2022/23 48% 2023/24 49% 2024/25 32%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

97 pupils in this year group.

95% — 2 points above the Gloucestershire average, and 3 points above the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 38%38%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolGloucestershireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 95% 93% 92%
School sixth form 38% 46% 34%
Sixth form college 8% 11% 13%
Further education college 38% 26% 37%
Apprenticeship 6% 4% 3%
Work 4% 4% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
98%95%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Gloucestershire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were fewer first-choice applications than places.

Places offered111
Families who put it first88
Of those, offered a place87 (99%)
Families who listed it at all324

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 0.9 · 2026: 0.8

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in Gloucestershire

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolGloucestershireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
4th highest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Higher than 35% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
21.8% 19.4%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
2nd highest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Higher than 89% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
5.5% 3.2%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
5th highest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Higher than 27% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
10.8% 12.7%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
9th highest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Higher than 5% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
1.9% 9.9%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
8th lowest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Lower than 26% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
9.8% 8.1%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
8th lowest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Lower than 27% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
28.0% 21.7%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
6th lowest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Lower than 60% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
11.0 18.2 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
7th lowest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Lower than 46% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
7.2% 6.0% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.17% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
8th highest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Higher than 27% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
15.7 17.0 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
8th highest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Higher than 15% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
10.1 12.3 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
2nd highest of 9 state secondary schools in Cheltenham.
Higher than 57% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
14.7% 11.3%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Questions parents ask

What is Winchcombe School's Ofsted rating?

Winchcombe School was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 16 June 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 6 expected, and safeguarding was met.

How did Winchcombe School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 32% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 14 points below the England average of 45%.

Is Winchcombe School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 88 families put Winchcombe School as their first choice for 111 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 87 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.