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Cheltenham Bournside School and Sixth Form Centre

Cheltenham, GL51 3EFSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Sep 2022
Progress 8
+0.44
Above average
−20+2
Competition
0.8×
Not oversubscribed
247 1st-choice / 291 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#584 of 3,141 nationally

About Cheltenham Bournside School and Sixth Form Centre

Cheltenham Bournside School and Sixth Form Centre is one of the largest secondary schools in Gloucestershire, with 1,862 pupils on roll, and sits within a local authority that has six schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Among the five secondary schools in Cheltenham itself, Bournside ranks third by Progress 8 score, placing it in the top quarter nationally. Its closest high-performing peers are Pate's Grammar School, Denmark Road High School, and Churchdown School, all of which post stronger Progress 8 scores. Bournside's own Progress 8 score of 0.44 is well above the local authority average of 0.19, meaning pupils here make significantly more academic progress than the typical student in Gloucestershire. The school is heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 748 applications for 291 places, with 232 of the 247 first-preference families offered a spot. That works out at 2.57 applicants per place, a clear sign of local demand.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressWarden Hill Road, Cheltenham, Cheltenham, GL51 3EF
HeadteacherSteven Jefferies
Local AuthorityGloucestershire
Number of Pupils1,862
Free School Meals (FSM)21.2%
School Capacity1,862 / 1,958 (95% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

27 Sept 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 27 Nov 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
ICT SuiteLibrarySwimming PoolAstro TurfSports HallArt StudiosTennis CourtsScience LabsSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

18

Sports

NetballBadmintonGymnasticsFootballRugbyHockeyTennisCricketDanceMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

Model United NationsBook ClubDramaYoung EnterpriseCodingChessDuke of EdinburghDebate

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultySevere LearningOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Cheltenham Bournside School and Sixth Form Centre

Cheltenham Bournside School and Sixth Form Centre has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.