John O'Gaunt School
73%
Capacity
440
Pupils
1.2x
Demand
About John O'Gaunt School
John O'Gaunt School in West Berkshire received a Requires Improvement overall rating from Ofsted following its graded inspection in January 2025, though the picture is more nuanced than that single label suggests. The inspection judged leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development all as Good, with the Requires Improvement grade applying specifically to the quality of education. The school's most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of -0.53, which the Department for Education bands as well below average. This means that, on average, pupils achieved roughly half a grade less per subject across eight GCSEs than students with similar prior attainment nationally. The school ranks 9th out of 9 secondary schools in West Berkshire on this measure, placing it at the bottom of the local authority table. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 score is 0.02, so John O'Gaunt sits significantly below that benchmark.
Looking at the detail behind the headline figures, the school's Attainment 8 score sits at 34.9, and just 31.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, compared with 52.4% achieving a grade 4 or above. The English Baccalaureate entry rate is low at 14.6%, and only 4.9% of pupils entered the full EBacc achieved at grade 5 or above. Breaking down Progress 8 by subject area, maths shows the least negative score at -0.2, while English is -0.52 and the EBacc bucket is -0.56. The open element, which includes non-EBacc subjects, is the weakest at -0.75. The school has no sixth form, so all pupils leave at 16. In its previous inspection in 2019, the school was rated Good overall, so the 2025 inspection represents a decline in the quality of education judgement.
The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 107 applications for 86 places and 79 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.24. It serves 440 pupils against a capacity of 600, and 30.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, art studios, music rooms, and a chapel. The school offers rowing, hockey, athletics, and tennis among its sports, and clubs range from coding and Model UN to gardening and Young Enterprise. SEND provision covers a wide range of needs including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent View responses from 62 respondents show 73% would recommend the school, though responses on SEND support were notably split, with 38% strongly agreeing and 31% strongly disagreeing that the school gives SEND children the support they need. This is a school that suits families who value its strong behaviour and personal development culture but who are aware that academic outcomes currently lag behind local averages.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Priory Road, Hungerford, West Berkshire, RG17 0AN |
| Headteacher | Richard Hawthorne |
| Local Authority | West Berkshire |
| Number of Pupils | 440 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 30.5% |
| School Capacity | 440 / 600 (73% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 Jan 2025Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 3 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.53)
2649th of 3,141
Nationally
380th of 461
In South East
9th of 9
In West Berkshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2317%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 77 pupils).
- FE college60%
- School sixth form (stay)17%
- Employment9%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship1%
91% 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
62 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed86
107
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
79 families put this school as their 1st choice (74% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:10
Source: johnogauntschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British92.3%
- White (other)3.4%
- Mixed2.3%
- Asian0.7%
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.
3
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 John O'Gaunt 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
Priory Road, Hungerford
West Berkshire, RG17 0AN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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