Herschel Grammar School
117%
Capacity
1,056
Pupils
8.0x
Demand
About Herschel Grammar School
Herschel Grammar School’s Progress 8 score of 0.76 is more than double the Slough local authority average of 0.32, placing it firmly among the highest-achieving secondaries in the area. That score earns a national banding of “well above average” and ranks the school 4th out of 12 similar schools in Slough, 36th out of 461 in the South East, and 213th out of 3,141 schools nationally. Its Attainment 8 score of 75.4 is exceptionally high, and 99.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs. The school also performs strongly on the EBacc measure, with 82.5% of pupils entering the qualification and 72.7% achieving a grade 5 or above in it. For context, the school sits just behind three grammar and faith schools in the local rankings, but its Progress 8 score is notably higher than many non-selective peers.
The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024 awarded it Outstanding across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This is a repeat of its previous Outstanding rating from 2012, so the school has maintained the highest standard over more than a decade. At A-level, the picture is slightly more mixed. The school’s value-added score of -0.15 is banded as “below average”, meaning pupils’ progress from GCSE to A-level is slightly behind expectations, though the average points per entry of 38.97 equates to a B grade, and 29.6% of entries were at AAB or higher. The best three A-levels averaged a B grade. The sixth form is large, with 152 pupils in the data, and the school has an official sixth form.
Herschel is heavily oversubscribed: for 146 places in 2025/26, it received 1,170 applications, an oversubscription ratio of 8.01, with only 46 first-preference offers made out of 126 first-preference applications. This suggests a highly competitive admissions process. The school is a mixed, non-religious state secondary for ages 11 to 18, with 1,056 pupils on roll against a capacity of 900, meaning it is over capacity. Facilities are strong, including a theatre, swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, tennis courts, and a sixth-form centre. Sports offered include rowing, rugby, and gymnastics, and clubs range from Model UN and Debate to Eco Club and Duke of Edinburgh. SEND provisions cover autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 6.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school is less diverse in terms of disadvantage than many local secondaries. This is a school for academically ambitious families who are prepared for a competitive entry process and value strong GCSE outcomes and a broad extracurricular offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Northampton Avenue, Slough, Slough, SL1 3BW |
| Headteacher | Joanne Rockall |
| Local Authority | Slough |
| Number of Pupils | 1,056 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 6.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,056 / 900 (117% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 May 2024Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 25 Jun 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.76)
213th of 3,141
Nationally
36th of 461
In South East
4th of 12
In Slough
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
41.1
'22/23
39.4
'23/24
39.0
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
2022/2391%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 128 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)91%
- FE college5%
- Sixth form college2%
- Employment1%
- Not sustained1%
99% 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: 163 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
33%
Russell Group
42%
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%
- Employment12%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Further education1%
- Other 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- Mathematics94
- Chemistry87
- Biology80
- Psychology38
- Economics34
- Physics34
- Government and Politics18
- Computer Studies / Computing16
- Mathematics (Further)16
- Geography14
- English Literature13
- History11
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
2025/26Oversubscribed146
1,170
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
126 families put this school as their 1st choice (11% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 14:55
Source: herschel.slough.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian78.7%
- Mixed10.2%
- White (other)1.0%
- White British0.9%
- 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.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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.
15
Total schools
10
Oversubscribed
6
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 Herschel Grammar 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
Northampton Avenue, Slough
Slough, SL1 3BW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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