Burford School
103%
Capacity
1,443
Pupils
2.2x
Demand
About Burford School
Burford School enjoys strong backing from its families. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering the period from September 2024 to September 2025, 80% of the 20 respondents said they would recommend the school to other parents. That confidence is reflected in the school's popularity: for entry in 2025/26, Burford received 515 applications for 232 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.22. Of those, 257 families put it as their first preference, and 228 first-preference offers were made. Parents reported particularly high satisfaction with their children's happiness and safety, with 80% strongly agreeing that their child is happy and 90% strongly agreeing or agreeing that their child feels safe. The school's leadership was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in its most recent inspection in 2023, and the school as a whole was judged to remain Good.
Academically, Burford performs above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.21 is well above the Oxfordshire local authority average of -0.07, meaning pupils typically achieve nearly a quarter of a grade more per subject than students with similar starting points nationally. The school's Attainment 8 score sits at 49.3, and 73.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. At A-level, the school's value-added score is 0.03, placing it in the 'Average' progress banding, with students averaging a B- grade per entry. The sixth form was rated Good by Ofsted. Nationally, Burford ranks in the top 34% of schools for Progress 8, and within the South East region it sits in the top 37%. In West Oxfordshire, it ranks 4th out of 6 schools.
Burford is a large secondary school with 1,443 pupils on roll, slightly above its official capacity of 1,400. It has a dedicated Sixth Form Centre and offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, and music rooms. The school supports pupils with a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and physical disabilities. An extensive programme of clubs and activities is on offer, from coding and debate to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Young Enterprise. With a 12.6% rate of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly representative community. Burford is a good fit for families seeking a well-regarded comprehensive with strong academic outcomes, a popular sixth form, and a clear sense of community backing.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Cheltenham Road, Burford, West Oxfordshire, OX18 4PL |
| Headteacher | Matthew Albrighton |
| Local Authority | Oxfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,443 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 12.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,443 / 1,400 (103% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
| Boarding | Yes — Boarding school |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
11 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (11 Oct 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 23 Oct 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.21)
1065th of 3,141
Nationally
169th of 461
In South East
4th of 6
In West Oxfordshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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
36.9
'22/23
35.8
'23/24
35.9
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
2022/2352%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 223 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)52%
- FE college30%
- Sixth form college6%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained1%
98% 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
2022/2359%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 98 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
34%
Russell Group
33%
Top-third HE
1%
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)59%
- Employment24%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained6%
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- Psychology39
- Geography36
- Mathematics28
- Sociology24
- Biology22
- Design and Technology (Product Design)22
- Media/Film/Tv Studies20
- Physics19
- Business Studies:Single18
- Chemistry18
- English Language and Literature17
- Economics16
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.
Ofsted Parent View
20 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed232
515
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
257 families put this school as their 1st choice (50% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half 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%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British53.4%
- Mixed3.5%
- White (other)2.2%
- Asian0.7%
- Black0.1%
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.
Half 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 Burford 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
Cheltenham Road, Burford
West Oxfordshire, OX18 4PL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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