Denmark Road High School
102%
Capacity
1,013
Pupils
3.5x
Demand
About Denmark Road High School
Denmark Road High School’s Progress 8 score of 0.93 is a standout figure, sitting well above the Gloucestershire local authority average of 0.19 for state secondary schools. This puts the school in the top five in the South West region and 107th nationally out of over 3,100 schools, placing it firmly in the top five percent of schools across England. Within Gloucester specifically, it ranks first among nine schools of its type. The school is a girls’ state secondary with a sixth form, and its Attainment 8 score of 77 is notably high, as is the fact that 100 percent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. With 70.4 percent of pupils entered for the EBacc and 69.1 percent achieving it at grade 4 or above, the school clearly prioritises a broad academic curriculum.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021, the school was rated Good across all areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This represents a change from its previous inspection in 2006, when it was rated Outstanding overall. At Key Stage 5, the school’s average points per entry of 40.18 equates to a B grade, and the best three A-levels average out at a B grade as well. The sixth-form value-added score is -0.08, which is in line with the national average, and 24.2 percent of A-level entries achieved grades AAB or higher. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 526 applications for 148 places, with 222 first-preference applications and 135 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.55.
The school is well equipped with facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sixth-form centre. It offers a wide range of sports from rowing to hockey, and clubs such as Model UN, Young Enterprise, and a newspaper club. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social and emotional mental health support. With 5.4 percent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a relatively advantaged intake compared with the national average. Denmark Road High School is a strong choice for academically ambitious girls and their families, particularly those who value a structured, high-attaining environment with a broad extracurricular offer and a clear focus on EBacc subjects.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Denmark Road, Gloucester, Gloucester, GL1 3JN |
| Headteacher | Claire Giblin |
| Local Authority | Gloucestershire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,013 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 5.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,013 / 990 (102% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Oct 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 5 Dec 2021. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.93)
107th of 3,141
Nationally
5th of 306
In South West
1st of 9
In Gloucester
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
42.7
'22/23
39.0
'23/24
40.2
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: 151 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)93%
- Not sustained2%
- FE college1%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Employment1%
98% 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
2022/2367%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 127 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
44%
Russell Group
43%
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)67%
- Employment17%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Further 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- Psychology53
- Biology51
- History32
- Chemistry28
- Geography28
- Mathematics28
- English Literature20
- Economics14
- Sociology12
- Business Studies:Single11
- Spanish10
- English Language9
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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed148
526
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
222 families put this school as their 1st choice (42% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:30
Source: denmarkroad.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British43.1%
- Asian40.6%
- Mixed5.3%
- White (other)5.0%
- 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.
Better than half of schools in England.
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.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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 Denmark Road High 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
Denmark Road, Gloucester
Gloucester, GL1 3JN
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 Denmark Road High School!
Write a Review