Gillotts School

About Gillotts School

Gillotts School’s headline Progress 8 score of 0.71 is a striking outlier when set against the Oxfordshire local authority average of -0.07 for state secondary schools. That difference of nearly eight-tenths of a grade per subject places the school firmly in the “well above average” national banding and makes it the fourth highest-performing school out of 46 in the county. In its immediate South Oxfordshire district, it ranks second among 11 schools, sitting behind only Didcot Girls’ School. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 56.6 further underscores the gap: pupils here are achieving close to a grade higher per subject than the typical Oxfordshire secondary student. With an EBacc average point score of 5.3 and 59.4% of pupils entering the EBacc suite, the school clearly prioritises academic breadth. The data suggests that for families in South Oxfordshire, Gillotts is not just a good local option but one of the strongest academic performers in the entire region.

Exam results across the board are consistently strong. The school’s Progress 8 score of 0.71 means pupils on average achieve nearly three-quarters of a grade more per subject than pupils with similar starting points nationally. The breakdown shows particular strength in the EBacc element, where Progress 8 hits 1.06, and in maths at 0.66, while English sits at a still-solid 0.43. Over four in five pupils (82.8%) achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, and more than two-thirds (67.7%) reached the higher grade 5 threshold. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 awarded Outstanding across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — a clean sweep that represents an upgrade from its previous Good rating in 2012. With 918 pupils on roll against a capacity of 900, the school is operating at full stretch, and the 2025/26 admissions data confirms its popularity: 479 applications for 170 places, with 214 first-preference applications and an oversubscription ratio of 2.82.

Gillotts is a non-selective, mixed 11-16 state school with no sixth form, so families will need to plan for post-16 options elsewhere. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, and dedicated music rooms, and runs clubs from orchestra and choir to Debate, DofE, and Young Enterprise. Its SEND provisions cover eight categories including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, dyslexia, and speech and language needs, which suggests a genuine commitment to inclusion. The school’s religious character is listed as “does not apply”, so there is no faith-based admissions criteria. Given its outstanding Ofsted rating, strong Progress 8 outcomes, and high oversubscription, Gillotts is best suited to families who value rigorous academic progress and can commit to the competitive admissions process. The 10.3% pupil premium rate is below the national average, reflecting a relatively advantaged intake, but the school’s results show it adds significant value regardless of starting point.

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