Aureus School
About Aureus School
Aureus School in Didcot is a mixed secondary for 11-16 year olds that currently serves 485 pupils against a capacity of 1,200, meaning it is operating at just over 40% of its potential size. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 32. 7%, which is notably high compared with the national average for secondary schools. Despite this spare capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 336 applications for 104 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3. 23 to one. Only 53 of those applications were first-preference offers, indicating strong local demand but also that many families are not getting their top choice. The school has no religious character and is led by headteacher Kirsty Rogers, who took over a school that had been rated Requires Improvement in its previous inspection.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 96 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Oct 2024From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.
Source: Ofsted, 27 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Aureus 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
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications