Howard of Effingham School
99%
Capacity
1,503
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Howard of Effingham School
Howard of Effingham School is a large secondary in Guildford, Surrey, running close to its full capacity of 1,522 with 1,503 pupils on roll. The school serves a relatively less disadvantaged intake than the national average, with 9.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals compared with the typical state secondary figure of around 23%. Demand is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 454 applications for 248 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.83. Of those, 230 families put it as their first preference, and 223 of those were offered a place, meaning roughly 97% of first-preference applicants secured a spot. The school is non-selective and has no religious character, drawing from a wide catchment. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in March 2025, confirmed that standards were maintained, with the school retaining its overall Good rating from the previous graded inspection in December 2019.
Academically, the school performs well above the national average. At Key Stage 4, its Progress 8 score of +0.24 is rated 'Above average' and sits just below the Surrey local authority average of +0.26. Attainment 8 stands at 57.9, and 70.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 34.6%, with 26% achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. Progress in maths is notably strong at +0.41, while English progress is slightly negative at -0.03. At A-level, the school's value-added score of +0.08 is rated 'Average', with students achieving an average grade of B- per entry and 24.5% gaining AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. The sixth form was rated Outstanding by Ofsted, a grade it has held consistently across inspections.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision covers hockey, rugby, gymnastics, and martial arts, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Young Enterprise, and an eco club. SEND support is comprehensive, covering ten categories from dyslexia to autistic spectrum disorder and multi-sensory impairment. Parent feedback is largely positive: 88% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 91% felt their child is safe. However, only 65% agreed that SEND children receive the support they need, with 34% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing. The school suits families looking for a well-subscribed, high-attaining secondary with a strong sixth form and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, particularly those who can secure a first-preference place.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Lower Road, Leatherhead, Guildford, KT24 5JR |
| Headteacher | James Baker |
| Local Authority | Surrey |
| Number of Pupils | 1,503 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 9.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,503 / 1,522 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Mar 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (26 Mar 2025): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 19 Jan 2020. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.24)
972nd of 3,141
Nationally
152nd of 461
In South East
4th of 6
In Guildford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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
43.3
'22/23
37.0
'23/24
37.5
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
2022/2365%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 237 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)65%
- FE college20%
- Sixth form college10%
- Not sustained3%
- Employment1%
97% 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
2022/2361%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 170 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
24%
Russell Group
28%
Top-third HE
1%
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)61%
- Employment25%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship2%
- 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- Mathematics49
- Business Studies:Single42
- Design and Technology (Product Design)40
- Economics30
- Psychology24
- Biology21
- Geography20
- Physics20
- Chemistry18
- History16
- Sociology16
- English Literature15
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.
Ofsted Parent View
415 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed248
454
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
230 families put this school as their 1st choice (51% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:30
Source: thehoward.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British78.0%
- White (other)9.7%
- Mixed5.5%
- Asian4.3%
- Black0.1%
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.
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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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 Howard of Effingham 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
Lower Road, Leatherhead
Guildford, KT24 5JR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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