Gosford Hill School
77%
Capacity
848
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About Gosford Hill School
Gosford Hill School in Kidlington was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018. The school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year sits at -0.36, which is below the national average and places it in the bottom half of schools nationally at the 75th percentile. This score is also notably lower than the Oxfordshire local authority average of -0.07, and within the Cherwell district it ranks 7th out of 9 schools on this metric. The Attainment 8 score of 45.2 means pupils achieve just over a grade 4 on average across their best eight subjects, while the basics measure shows 45.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, compared with 68.9% at the standard 4+ threshold.
The school’s sixth form provision was also rated Good by Ofsted, and the data for the 2023/24 academic year shows a value added score of -0.15, which is within the average banding. Students achieved an average of 31.66 points per entry, equivalent to a grade C, and the best three A-levels averaged a C+ grade. The EBacc entry rate stands at 29.3%, with 22.2% of pupils achieving the EBacc at a grade 4 or above and 10.8% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score of 3.96 reflects a typical grade profile around a low 4. While these outcomes are below the local authority averages, the school has clearly stabilised its leadership and teaching since the 2018 inspection, with all Ofsted categories now rated Good.
Gosford Hill is a mixed secondary school for ages 11 to 18 with 848 pupils against a capacity of 1100, so there is some room for growth. It was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 226 applications for 147 places, with 98 first-preference offers made. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, and sixth form centre, and runs clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. It has a broad SEND offer covering dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, among others. With 22.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. This is a school that has turned around its Ofsted rating and offers solid sixth form provision, but families should weigh the below-average Progress 8 score against the improved leadership and broad extracurricular offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Oxford Road, Kidlington, Cherwell, OX5 2NT |
| Headteacher | Nigel Sellars |
| Local Authority | Oxfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 848 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 22.1% |
| School Capacity | 848 / 1,100 (77% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Feb 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 7 Apr 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.36)
2374th of 3,141
Nationally
342nd of 461
In South East
7th of 9
In Cherwell
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
33.8
'22/23
31.5
'23/24
31.7
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
2022/2343%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 161 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)43%
- FE college37%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Employment6%
- Not sustained2%
95% 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: 55 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
20%
Russell Group
18%
Top-third HE
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%
- Employment22%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained4%
- Other 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- Business Studies:Single23
- Mathematics21
- Psychology16
- English Language and Literature12
- Physics12
- Sociology12
- Biology10
- English Literature9
- Geography9
- Physical Education / Sports Studies9
- Chemistry8
- Computer Studies / Computing8
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
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed147
226
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
98 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:15
Source: gosford-hill.oxon.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
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%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British59.6%
- White (other)11.3%
- Asian10.1%
- Mixed9.7%
- Black0.7%
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.
5
Total schools
4
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Gosford Hill 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
Oxford Road, Kidlington
Cherwell, OX5 2NT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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