Charters School
99%
Capacity
1,715
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About Charters School
Charters School is a large, mixed secondary in Windsor and Maidenhead, currently home to 1,715 pupils against a capacity of 1,740, so it’s running very close to full. The proportion of students eligible for free school meals stands at 11.7%, which is a touch below the national average for secondary schools and suggests a relatively affluent intake overall. Demand is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 547 applications for 270 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.03. Of those, 300 were first-preference applications, and 255 first-preference offers were made, meaning roughly 85% of first-preference families secured a place. That level of competition places it among the more sought-after schools in the local authority, and it’s worth noting that the school is non-denominational, so there’s no religious selection criterion to factor in.
Academically, Charters performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.25 is ‘Above average’ nationally and comfortably beats the Windsor and Maidenhead average of 0.18. Within the local authority, it ranks 4th out of 10 schools on this measure, placing it in the top 40% of the LA. Attainment 8 sits at 54.5, and 77.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 4.93, with 41.1% of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At A-level, the school’s most recent data shows a value-added score of -0.09, which is in the ‘Average’ band, and students averaged a B- grade per entry. The sixth form was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in 2023, even though the overall school judgement is Good, and the sixth form provision itself earned a grade 1.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, and dedicated sixth form centre, plus a strong list of sports from rowing to gymnastics. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, with a resourced provision on site. With an oversubscription ratio above 2:1, families need to be prepared for a competitive admissions process, particularly if they’re not in the catchment area. Charters suits families who want a large, well-resourced comprehensive with strong GCSE outcomes and a sixth form that’s been rated Outstanding, but who are realistic about the academic pressure that comes with a school of this size and popularity.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Charters Road, Ascot, Windsor and Maidenhead, SL5 9QY |
| Headteacher | John Fletcher |
| Local Authority | Windsor and Maidenhead |
| Number of Pupils | 1,715 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 11.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,715 / 1,740 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
28 Mar 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 23 May 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.25)
938th of 3,141
Nationally
146th of 461
In South East
4th of 10
In Windsor and Maidenhead
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
36.6
'22/23
34.6
'23/24
35.7
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
2022/2360%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 240 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)60%
- FE college22%
- Sixth form college9%
- Not sustained3%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Employment2%
95% 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: 187 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
38%
Russell Group
46%
Top-third HE
4%
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%
- Employment27%
- Not sustained8%
- 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- Mathematics61
- Psychology61
- Economics45
- Business Studies:Single40
- Biology38
- Chemistry36
- History27
- Physics24
- Physical Education / Sports Studies22
- Sociology18
- Religious Studies17
- Geography16
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
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed270
547
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
300 families put this school as their 1st choice (55% 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 75% 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%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British67.0%
- Asian9.7%
- Mixed9.5%
- White (other)9.3%
- Black0.3%
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.
75% 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.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
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 Charters 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
Charters Road, Ascot
Windsor and Maidenhead, SL5 9QY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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