Hartpury College
N/A
Capacity
N/A
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About Hartpury College
Hartpury College sits within Gloucestershire's Forest of Dean as a 16-99 state secondary, but its local landscape is dominated by grammar schools. Among the top-performing peers in the local authority are Pate's Grammar School, Denmark Road High School, and Churchdown School, all of which post significantly higher Progress 8 scores. Hartpury itself ranks 30th out of 44 same-type schools in Gloucestershire, and 5th out of 7 in the Forest of Dean specifically, placing it in the bottom half nationally. The school is mixed, non-religious, and led by headteacher Andrew Collop. It has a capacity of 1,238 and a relatively high proportion of students eligible for free school meals at 27.6%, well above the national average. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in 2023, confirmed the school remains Good, a rating it has held consistently since at least its previous graded inspection in 2018.
Academically, Hartpury's results paint a mixed picture. At KS4, its Progress 8 score of -0.06 is below the Gloucestershire local authority average of 0.19, though still within the 'Average' banding nationally. The Attainment 8 score sits at 44.5, and just 35.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. EBacc entry is low at 16.8%, with only 3.4% achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. At KS5, the picture is more encouraging: the value-added score of 0.1 is positive, and the average points per entry of 32.77 equates to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels average out at a C+ as well, with 8.3% of entries achieving AAB or higher. The sixth form provision was rated Good in the 2018 graded inspection, and the school's progress banding for A-levels is rated Average.
Hartpury offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, and dedicated sixth form centre, alongside specialist spaces like art studios, music rooms, and science labs. Sports provision is strong with football, netball, rugby, tennis, and athletics, while extracurricular options include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Young Enterprise, and a debate club. The school lists ten SEND provisions, covering areas from dyslexia and autism to physical disabilities and multi-sensory impairment, suggesting a well-resourced inclusion offer. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school was oversubscribed: 293 applications for 200 places, with 152 first-preference offers made. This level of demand, combined with its Good rating and accessible sixth form, makes Hartpury a solid local option for families in the Forest of Dean seeking a non-selective secondary with a strong practical and sporting focus.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 16 to 99 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Hartpury University and Hartpury College, Gloucester, Forest of Dean, GL19 3BE |
| Headteacher | Andrew Collop |
| Local Authority | Gloucestershire |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,238 |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Jun 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (22 Jun 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 27 Apr 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.06)
1676th of 3,141
Nationally
163rd of 306
In South West
5th of 7
In Forest of Dean
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
29.1
'22/23
20.9
'23/24
32.8
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
2022/2336%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 187 pupils).
- FE college47%
- School sixth form (stay)36%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment5%
94% 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
2022/2345%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 49 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
14%
Russell Group
17%
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)45%
- Employment41%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship4%
- 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- Biology13
- Mathematics13
- Psychology12
- Geography10
- Sociology10
- Chemistry6
- History6
- Media/Film/Tv Studies6
- English Language5
- Environmental Science5
- Law5
- Physics5
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
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed200
293
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
152 families put this school as their 1st choice (52% 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.
Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British92.1%
- White (other)2.5%
- Mixed2.3%
- Asian0.4%
- Black0.3%
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.
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.
1
Total schools
1
Oversubscribed
0
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 Hartpury College
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
Hartpury University and Hartpury College, Gloucester
Forest of Dean, GL19 3BE
Hartpury University and Hartpury College, Gloucester
Forest of Dean, GL19 3BE
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