Chenderit School
93%
Capacity
1,093
Pupils
2.2x
Demand
About Chenderit School
Chenderit School in West Northamptonshire is a mixed secondary with 1,093 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,178, so it is nearly full but not yet at its limit. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 14.2%, which is above the national average for secondary schools in England, indicating that the school serves a community with higher-than-average levels of economic disadvantage. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 365 applications for 169 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.16. Of those, 205 were first-preference applications, and 161 first-preference offers were made, meaning that while many families rank Chenderit as their top choice, not all can be accommodated. This level of demand places the school in a competitive position within the local area, and it is the seventh most popular secondary in West Northamptonshire out of 22 schools ranked by Progress 8.
Academically, Chenderit delivers results that sit above the local authority average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.18 means pupils achieve nearly a fifth of a grade more per subject than similar students nationally, compared with the West Northamptonshire average of 0.05. The Attainment 8 score of 47.9 translates to just under a grade 5 per subject, and 67.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The school’s EBacc entry rate of 44.1% is healthy, though only 25.7% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is more mixed: the value-added score of -0.07 is rated as average, and the average points per entry of 30.9 equates to a grade C. However, Ofsted rated the sixth form provision as Outstanding in its most recent inspection in 2022, and the school’s overall effectiveness remains Good, with leadership and management, behaviour, and personal development all judged Good.
Chenderit offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, astro turf, science labs, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Its sports programme covers swimming, cross country, gymnastics, netball, cricket, tennis, and rugby, while clubs include debate, coding, orchestra, drama, Model UN, and chess. The school has a comprehensive SEND offer, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language difficulties, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families considering Chenderit, the key takeaway is that it is a popular, oversubscribed school with above-average academic progress and strong sixth form provision, but competition for places is high. It suits families who value a state education with good facilities and a supportive SEND framework, and who are prepared to apply early and make it their first preference.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Archery Road, Banbury, West Northamptonshire, OX17 2QR |
| Headteacher | Christopher Billings |
| Local Authority | West Northamptonshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,093 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 14.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,093 / 1,178 (93% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
27 Sept 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 9 Nov 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.18)
1116th of 3,141
Nationally
81st of 273
In East Midlands
7th of 22
In West Northamptonshire
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
37.3
'22/23
32.5
'23/24
30.9
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
2022/2350%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 169 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)50%
- FE college33%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment2%
93% 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
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 98 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
20%
Russell Group
22%
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)54%
- Employment20%
- Not sustained10%
- Further education4%
- Apprenticeship4%
- 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- Sociology27
- Biology20
- Mathematics18
- Psychology18
- History17
- Geography16
- Chemistry13
- Physics12
- Business Studies:Single11
- English Language and Literature10
- Government and Politics8
- Religious Studies8
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
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
2025/26Oversubscribed169
365
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
205 families put this school as their 1st choice (56% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:00
Source: chenderit.northants.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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 British81.6%
- Asian6.6%
- White (other)5.7%
- Mixed3.9%
- Black0.6%
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.
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Chenderit 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
Archery Road, Banbury
West Northamptonshire, OX17 2QR
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 Chenderit School!
Write a Review