Bartholomew School
104%
Capacity
1,383
Pupils
2.8x
Demand
About Bartholomew School
Bartholomew School is a highly sought-after secondary in West Oxfordshire, and the numbers tell a clear story of parental demand. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 585 applications for just 213 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.75. Of the 197 first-preference applications, 195 were offered places, meaning that while the school is heavily oversubscribed, families who put it first stand a very strong chance. This level of competition reflects the school’s reputation locally, and while the data doesn’t include a specific parent-view survey percentage, the sheer volume of applications is a powerful signal in itself. The school is led by headteacher Craig Thomas and has a capacity of 1,325 pupils, currently housing 1,383, so it is running slightly above its official roll. It is a mixed, non-religious state secondary with a sixth form, and it is not a boarding school.
Academically, Bartholomew School is performing at an exceptionally high level. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, it was rated Outstanding across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This is a clean sweep of top grades. At GCSE, the school’s Progress 8 score of 0.8 is classed as ‘well above average’ and sits far above the Oxfordshire local authority average of -0.07. Attainment 8 stands at 57.3, and 80.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 4.97, with 28.6% of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At A-level, the average points per entry is 39.86, equivalent to a B grade, and 35% of entries were graded AAB or higher. The sixth form’s value-added score is -0.01, which is in line with the national average, and its progress banding is rated as Average.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, astro turf, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, hockey, cricket, and gymnastics, while extracurricular clubs cover debate, choir, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. Bartholomew School also has extensive SEND provisions, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate and severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a genuinely inclusive school. For families in West Oxfordshire, particularly those living within the catchment or able to secure a first-preference place, this is a school that combines outstanding academic outcomes with strong pastoral and enrichment opportunities. It is particularly well-suited to academically ambitious pupils who will thrive in a high-performing, oversubscribed environment.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Witney Road, Witney, West Oxfordshire, OX29 4AP |
| Headteacher | Craig Thomas |
| Local Authority | Oxfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,383 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 11.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,383 / 1,325 (104% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 May 2024Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 17 Jun 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.80)
190th of 3,141
Nationally
31st of 461
In South East
1st of 6
In West Oxfordshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
42.0
'22/23
41.8
'23/24
39.9
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
2022/2365%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 210 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)65%
- FE college25%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained3%
97% 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
2022/2350%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 117 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
40%
Russell Group
39%
Top-third HE
4%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)50%
- Employment28%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Further education3%
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- Mathematics46
- Biology38
- Psychology36
- Sociology34
- Chemistry28
- Geography27
- History24
- Business Studies:Single23
- Government and Politics23
- Physics23
- English Literature16
- Physical Education / Sports Studies12
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
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed213
585
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
197 families put this school as their 1st choice (34% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:05
Source: bartholomew.oxon.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British73.2%
- Mixed7.9%
- Asian7.4%
- White (other)6.4%
- Black0.4%
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.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bartholomew 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
Witney Road, Witney
West Oxfordshire, OX29 4AP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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