Burnham Grammar School
118%
Capacity
1,271
Pupils
5.4x
Demand
About Burnham Grammar School
Burnham Grammar School is a popular choice among Buckinghamshire families, and the numbers back that up. For the 2025/26 secondary intake, the school received 971 applications for just 180 places, giving it an oversubscription ratio of 5.39. That means more than five families applied for every available spot, and of the 314 who put it as their first preference, 150 were offered a place. While the school doesn't publish a formal parent satisfaction survey, this level of demand is a strong signal of its reputation in the local area. It's a mixed, non-denominational state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 18, and it operates as a grammar school within Buckinghamshire's selective system. The current headteacher is Andrew Gillespie, and the school community is sizeable, with 1,271 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,078.
Academically, Burnham Grammar School performs well above the national average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.7 is classified as 'Well above average', and it ranks 10th out of 34 schools in Buckinghamshire on this measure. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 score is 0.25, so pupils here make significantly more progress than their peers across the county. The Attainment 8 score sits at 69.9, and 94.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the average points per entry is 40.36, which translates to a B grade, and 27.7% of entries were graded AAB or higher. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2022 confirmed it remains Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. The previous graded inspection in 2012 also rated the school Good overall.
The school offers a solid range of facilities, including science labs, music rooms, art studios, tennis courts, an astro turf pitch, and a dedicated sixth form centre. There is also a chapel on site. Sports on offer include badminton, hockey, rowing, swimming, and football, while extracurricular clubs cover everything from Model UN and Debate to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and coding. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists support for a wide range of SEND categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. Given its high oversubscription and grammar school status, this is a school that suits families who are confident their child will thrive in a selective, academically driven environment and who are prepared for a competitive admissions process.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Hogfair Lane, Slough, Buckinghamshire, SL1 7HG |
| Headteacher | Andrew Gillespie |
| Local Authority | Buckinghamshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,271 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 12.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,271 / 1,078 (118% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Dec 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (7 Dec 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 13 Dec 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.70)
283rd of 3,141
Nationally
49th of 461
In South East
10th of 34
In Buckinghamshire
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
42.4
'22/23
38.2
'23/24
40.4
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
2022/2393%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 175 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)93%
- FE college5%
- Sixth form college2%
100% 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
2022/2372%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 159 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
32%
Russell Group
40%
Top-third HE
2%
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)72%
- Employment16%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Other education1%
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- Mathematics114
- Biology62
- Chemistry56
- Psychology43
- Geography38
- Economics36
- Physics35
- Computer Studies / Computing27
- Business Studies:Single21
- Government and Politics19
- Sociology18
- Mathematics (Further)16
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
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed180
971
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
314 families put this school as their 1st choice (32% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:30
Source: burnhamgrammar.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian65.4%
- White British15.6%
- Mixed6.1%
- White (other)3.9%
- Black0.2%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
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.
6
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Burnham Grammar 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
Hogfair Lane, Slough
Buckinghamshire, SL1 7HG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Burnham Grammar School!
Write a Review