Didcot Girls' School
103%
Capacity
1,643
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Didcot Girls' School
Didcot Girls' School sits in the Oxfordshire local authority, a county with 46 state secondary schools, and it holds the second-highest Progress 8 score among them. That puts it just behind The Cherwell School, the top-ranked peer in the area, and ahead of Bartholomew School and Gillotts School. The school is the highest-ranked girls' secondary in South Oxfordshire, coming first out of 11 schools in that borough. Nationally, it sits in the top five percent of all state secondaries, ranked 139th out of 3,141 schools. It is one of only four schools in Oxfordshire rated Outstanding by Ofsted, a grade it has held since its 2015 graded inspection and which was confirmed as unchanged in its most recent ungraded inspection in 2022. With 1,643 pupils on roll, it is significantly over capacity, and the 550 applications for 264 places in the 2025/26 admissions round show just how strong local demand is.
Academically, the school's Progress 8 score of 0.87 is classed as well above average and sits far above the Oxfordshire LA average of -0.07. Pupils make particularly strong progress in English, with a Progress 8 score of 0.92, and in the EBacc subjects, where the score reaches 0.96. Attainment 8 sits at 58.8, and 86.8 percent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. Over half of pupils entered the EBacc, and 45 percent achieved it at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is more mixed: the average points per entry is 39.4, equivalent to a B grade, and the best three A-levels average out at a B. However, the value-added score of -0.11 is below average, and the progress banding is rated as below average, meaning students don't make as much progress here as they do at Key Stage 4.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, netball, hockey, and martial arts, while clubs range from Model UN and Young Enterprise to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and an orchestra. The school has a dedicated SEND department covering nine areas of need, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs. With an oversubscription ratio of 2.08 and 367 first-preference applications for 258 offers, it is a highly sought-after choice for families in South Oxfordshire. This school will particularly suit academically ambitious girls who thrive in a large, single-sex environment with strong results at GCSE and a busy extracurricular programme, though families should weigh the sixth form's value-added data when considering post-16 options.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Manor Crescent, Didcot, South Oxfordshire, OX11 7AJ |
| Headteacher | Sarah Roberts & Martha Hawes |
| Local Authority | Oxfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,643 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 12.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,643 / 1,593 (103% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (23 Nov 2022): School remains Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 Dec 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.87)
139th of 3,141
Nationally
19th of 461
In South East
1st of 11
In South Oxfordshire
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
43.1
'22/23
40.1
'23/24
39.4
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
2022/2351%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 255 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)51%
- FE college36%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained3%
- Sixth form college2%
96% 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
2022/2366%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 99 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
38%
Russell Group
40%
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)66%
- Employment15%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained5%
- Further education2%
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- Mathematics44
- Biology32
- Psychology31
- Sociology25
- English Language and Literature23
- Chemistry20
- English Literature20
- Business Studies:Single17
- Mathematics (Further)14
- Art and Design (Photography)12
- Media/Film/Tv Studies12
- History9
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
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed264
550
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
367 families put this school as their 1st choice (67% 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.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British71.7%
- Asian9.2%
- White (other)6.5%
- Mixed6.3%
- 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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half 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.
13
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
8
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 Didcot Girls' 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
Manor Crescent, Didcot
South Oxfordshire, OX11 7AJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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