Dene Magna School

About Dene Magna School

Dene Magna School, a mixed state secondary in the Forest of Dean, holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, but the detail tells a more nuanced story. The school was previously rated Outstanding in 2012, and while its overall effectiveness was not re-judged in the latest inspection, inspectors awarded top marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes, both rated Outstanding. Academically, the school's Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year sits at 0.05, which is broadly in line with the national average. This is a solid result, but it is worth noting that the local authority average for Gloucestershire is higher at 0.19, and the school ranks 24th out of 44 similar schools in the county. For a school that once held Outstanding status, the current data suggests it is performing at a respectable but not exceptional level compared with its immediate peers.

Looking more closely at the exam results, Dene Magna's Attainment 8 score is 45.3, and 65.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, which is a strong basics measure. The school's EBacc average point score is 3.87, though only 26.6% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. At sixth form, the picture is similarly steady: the average points per entry is 30.79, equivalent to a grade C, and the best three A-levels average out at a C grade as well. The sixth form value added score is -0.07, which is within the average banding, meaning students generally achieve as expected given their prior attainment. The school's Progress 8 banding is also rated as Average, and its ranking in the Forest of Dean local authority is 2nd out of 7 schools, placing it in the top 28th percentile locally. Nationally, it sits in the 44th percentile out of over 3,100 schools.

The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 315 applications for 165 places and 185 first-preference applications, so it is a popular choice locally. Facilities include a sports hall, science labs, art studios, a sixth form centre, and a gymnasium, with a wide range of clubs from coding and Model UN to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school has a comprehensive SEND provision, covering needs from dyslexia and moderate learning difficulties to autistic spectrum disorder and physical disabilities. Parent View responses, based on 163 respondents, are overwhelmingly positive: 89% would recommend the school, and 91% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-regarded, community-focused secondary with a strong sixth form, where behaviour and personal development are seen as genuine strengths, even if academic outcomes are more middle-of-the-road than outstanding.

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