Altwood Church of England School
89%
Capacity
794
Pupils
3.4x
Demand
About Altwood Church of England School
Altwood Church of England School was rated Good in its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2017, and a subsequent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good. The most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.2, which places pupils’ progress a fraction above the national average. That score puts Altwood 5th out of 10 secondary schools in the Windsor and Maidenhead local authority, and 171st out of 461 schools in the South East region. Nationally, it sits in the 35th percentile, meaning roughly two-thirds of schools achieve a higher Progress 8 score. The school’s Attainment 8 score sits at 43.4, and just over half of pupils (54.5%) achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The local authority average Progress 8 score is 0.18, so Altwood’s result is marginally stronger than the typical school in the area.
Looking deeper at the Progress 8 breakdown, the school’s strongest performance is in the open element (0.33) and the EBacc element (0.33), while maths progress is close to average (0.06) and English progress is slightly negative (-0.03). Only 7.9% of pupils entered the EBacc, and just 5% achieved it at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is based on a small cohort of just 7 pupils, but the value-added score of 0.3 is positive and the average points per entry of 32.5 equates to a grade of C+. The sixth form provision was rated Good in the 2017 inspection. The school’s overall progress banding is Average, and it ranks 5th out of 14 schools of the same type in the local authority. For context, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is Newlands Girls’ School, 0.8 km away.
Altwood is a Church of England secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18, with a current roll of 794 against a capacity of 890. It is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, there were 507 applications for 150 places, with 117 offers made to first-preference applicants out of 125 who put it first. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 3.38. The school has a notably high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 25.6%, well above the national average. Facilities include art studios, a sports hall, playing fields, astro turf, a theatre, library, chapel, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include cricket, athletics, hockey, basketball, swimming, rugby, and rounders, while clubs range from drama and choir to coding, eco club, and Young Enterprise. SEND provisions cover a wide range of needs, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. This is a school that suits families looking for a solidly Good, inclusive secondary with a strong sixth form offer and a clear Christian character, in a competitive admissions area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Altwood Road, Maidenhead, Windsor and Maidenhead, SL6 4PU |
| Headteacher | Cath Harden |
| Local Authority | Windsor and Maidenhead |
| Number of Pupils | 794 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.6% |
| School Capacity | 794 / 890 (89% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
20 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (20 Sept 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 22 Nov 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.20)
1086th of 3,141
Nationally
171st of 461
In South East
5th of 10
In Windsor and Maidenhead
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
'21/22
33.7
'22/23
27.0
'23/24
32.5
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2347%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 53 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)47%
- FE college43%
- Not sustained8%
- Sixth form college2%
92% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2340%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 50 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
17%
Russell Group
14%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)40%
- Other education20%
- Employment20%
- Not sustained10%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Further education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Biology10
- Mathematics9
- Geography7
- Chemistry6
- English Literature5
- Business Studies:Single4
- Computer Studies / Computing4
- Sociology3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed150
507
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
125 families put this school as their 1st choice (25% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British59.8%
- Asian14.2%
- Mixed9.4%
- White (other)9.3%
- Black0.8%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
11
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
8
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Altwood Church of England School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Altwood Road, Maidenhead
Windsor and Maidenhead, SL6 4PU
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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