Bilton School

About Bilton School

Bilton School sits in the Warwickshire local authority, a secondary with a mixed intake and a sixth form serving 1,165 pupils. In the Rugby area, it ranks sixth out of six schools when measured by Progress 8, placing it at the bottom of its immediate local table. The top-performing peers nearby include Stratford Girls' Grammar School, Lawrence Sheriff School, and Alcester Academy, all of which post significantly stronger Progress 8 scores. Across the wider Warwickshire authority, Bilton ranks 27th out of 42 same-type schools, and its Progress 8 score of -0.31 places it in the bottom 50 nationally. The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 449 applications for 241 places, with 134 first-preference applications and 133 offers made to first-preference families, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.86. That level of demand suggests it remains a popular choice locally despite its ranking position.

Academically, Bilton's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 rated the school Good overall, with Good marks across all categories including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership, and sixth-form provision. This was a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2019, when it was rated Inadequate overall. At Key Stage 4, the school's Attainment 8 score sits at 38.6, and its Progress 8 score of -0.31 is below the Warwickshire average of 0.02. The proportion of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths is 31.8%, while 55.5% achieved a grade 4 or above. Only 12.7% of pupils entered the EBacc, and just 2.3% achieved it at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school's value added score is -0.7, described as well below average, with an average point score per entry of 21.83 (equivalent to a D+ grade). The best three A-levels average out at a D- grade.

Bilton offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, music rooms, art studios, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision covers basketball, hockey, cricket, rowing, and athletics, among others, and there are over a dozen clubs from coding and Model UN to gardening and Young Enterprise. The school's SEND provision is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 29.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively disadvantaged catchment. Given its oversubscription and improved Ofsted rating, Bilton suits families seeking a large, inclusive secondary with strong SEND support and a wide extracurricular offer, though those prioritising top academic outcomes may want to consider higher-performing local grammars.

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