Bitterne Park School

About Bitterne Park School

Bitterne Park School is a large, mixed secondary in Southampton that is currently running very close to its capacity of 2,000 pupils, with 2,015 on roll. This slight oversubscription is reflected in its admissions data for the 2025/26 intake, where the school received 638 applications for 324 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.97. Of those applications, 319 were first-preference choices, and 296 of those were offered places. The school serves a community with a notably high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, at 30.2 per cent. That figure is significantly above the national average for secondary schools, which typically sits around 23-24 per cent, and suggests the school draws from an area with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. The school is non-denominational and has no religious character, and it operates an official sixth form, meaning it caters for students from age 11 right through to 18.

Academically, Bitterne Park School holds a Good rating from Ofsted across all categories in its most recent inspection in May 2024, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. Its sixth form provision is also rated Good. In terms of exam results, the school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.19, which is classified as ‘Below average’ nationally, but it actually sits above the Southampton local authority average of -0.26. This places the school 5th out of 11 secondary schools in the LA when ranked by Progress 8. The Attainment 8 score was 43.9, and 56.6 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school’s value-added score was 0.25, which is in the ‘Average’ band, with an average points per entry of 32.91, equivalent to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels averaged a C- grade.

The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre, alongside a library and science labs. Sports on offer include martial arts, swimming, hockey, basketball, rounders, and netball, and there are clubs covering coding, debate, Model UN, gardening, film, and a newspaper. For families with children who have additional needs, the school has a substantial SEND provision list, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. It also has a resourced provision. Given its size, strong demand, and above-average FSM intake, this is a school that suits families looking for a large, inclusive, and well-resourced state secondary with a good Ofsted rating and a sixth form, particularly those living within the Southampton area.

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