Icknield Community College
109%
Capacity
766
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About Icknield Community College
Parents at Icknield Community College are overwhelmingly positive about their experience. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering the period from September 2024 to September 2025, 98% of the 176 respondents said they would recommend the school. That level of endorsement is hard to ignore. The detail backs it up: 98% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and the same proportion felt their child does well there. The school is clearly popular locally, too. For entry in 2025/26, Icknield received 309 applications for 161 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.92. Of those, 148 put the school as their first preference, and 147 of those families were offered a place. It is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form, and it is a mixed, state-funded school in South Oxfordshire.
Academically, Icknield is performing well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.24 is rated as above average nationally, and it sits comfortably ahead of the Oxfordshire local authority average of -0.07. That means pupils here typically achieve nearly a quarter of a grade more per subject than students with similar starting points across the country. The Attainment 8 score is 47.2, and 66.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The school also has a strong focus on the English Baccalaureate: 60.4% of pupils entered for the EBacc suite of subjects, and 32.2% achieved a grade 4 or above across all five components. In its most recent graded inspection, which took place in 2015, Ofsted rated the school Good overall, and an ungraded inspection in December 2024 confirmed that standards are being maintained. The previous inspection in 2013 had rated the school as Requires Improvement, so the trajectory is clearly upward.
The school is well equipped, with facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, astro turf, music rooms, and art studios. There is a strong extracurricular offer: clubs include choir, orchestra, drama, chess, and science club, while sports range from cricket and football to martial arts and gymnastics. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. In the Parent View survey, 91% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need. With oversubscription at nearly two applications per place, it is a school that families in the area clearly want to get into. It is best suited to families looking for a strong, well-regarded local secondary that delivers solid academic progress and a broad range of activities.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Love Lane, Watlington, South Oxfordshire, OX49 5RB |
| Headteacher | Mat Hunter |
| Local Authority | Oxfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 766 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 13.9% |
| School Capacity | 766 / 700 (109% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Dec 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (4 Dec 2024): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 20 Apr 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.24)
991st of 3,141
Nationally
157th of 461
In South East
7th of 11
In South Oxfordshire
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2319%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 140 pupils).
- Sixth form college33%
- FE college28%
- School sixth form (stay)19%
- Employment8%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained4%
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.
Ofsted Parent View
176 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
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed161
309
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
148 families put this school as their 1st choice (48% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Source: icknield.oxon.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British86.4%
- Mixed5.0%
- White (other)4.0%
- Asian0.9%
- 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.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
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 Icknield Community 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
Love Lane, Watlington
South Oxfordshire, OX49 5RB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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