Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School

About Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School

Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School is a boys' state secondary in Wiltshire, and it sits second among the 26 same-type schools in the local authority, according to Progress 8 scores. The only school ahead of it is South Wilts Grammar School, with St Laurence School and St John's Marlborough completing the top four. It also ranks 26th out of 306 schools in the South West region and 439th nationally out of 3,141, placing it comfortably in the top 25 per cent of schools across England. The school is one of only three outstanding-rated schools in the Wiltshire local authority, a status it has held across both its most recent Ofsted inspections. Headteacher Michael Thorne leads a school of 1,188 pupils, close to its capacity of 1,200, and the religious character is Church of England. With just 4.1 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the intake is less disadvantaged than many local schools.

Academically, the school delivers strong results. Its Progress 8 score of 0.55 is well above the Wiltshire average of -0.01, meaning pupils make significantly more progress than their peers across the county. Attainment 8 sits at 72.3, and 99.4 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 95.5 per cent reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 6.44, and 37.4 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. At A-level, the school's value-added score is 0.03, rated as average, with pupils achieving an average of 42.97 points per entry, equivalent to a B+ grade. Some 38.5 per cent of A-level entries were graded AAB or higher. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, every category including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision was judged outstanding.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 235 applications for 157 places, with 214 of those as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.5. Facilities include a gymnasium, library, sixth-form centre, art studios, tennis courts, astro turf, swimming pool, sports hall, ICT suite, theatre, dining hall and chapel. Sports on offer include hockey, cricket, rugby, gymnastics, dance and rounders, while clubs range from Eco Club and Model UN to Young Enterprise and Debate. The school has a sixth form and provides SEND support for a range of needs including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language difficulties, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a strong choice for academically able boys who thrive in a structured, high-expectation environment and want a clear route to a competitive university.

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