Sandhurst School
88%
Capacity
1,002
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Sandhurst School
Sandhurst School is one of seven state secondaries in Bracknell Forest, and its most recent Progress 8 score places it at the bottom of that local ranking. The three highest-performing schools in the area are Ranelagh School, Edgbarrow School and King's Academy Binfield, all of which recorded positive Progress 8 scores. Sandhurst, by contrast, sits in the bottom 50 nationally on this measure. The school is led by headteacher Gareth Croxon and caters for 1,002 pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It is a mixed, non-religious community school that is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, 348 families applied for 199 places, with 149 first-preference offers made. That level of demand suggests the school holds a strong local reputation, even if its academic outcomes don't match the top performers in the borough.
In its most recent graded inspection, Ofsted rated Sandhurst School Good overall, a rating it has held across both its 2017 graded inspection and the 2024 ungraded visit, where inspectors confirmed standards were maintained. Leadership and management, sixth-form provision and behaviour were all judged Good. However, the school's 2023/24 Progress 8 score of -0.37 is below the Bracknell Forest average of -0.01, and is classed as 'Below average' nationally. Pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 43.2, and 58.8% secured a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate was 19.1%, with 12.6% achieving the qualification at grade 4 or above. For the small group of 10 pupils taking A-levels, the average points per entry was 29, equivalent to a C grade, with a value-added score of 0.2 and an 'Average' progress banding.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, tennis courts, a theatre, science labs, art studios and music rooms. Sports on offer include football, rugby, gymnastics and martial arts, while clubs cover debate, choir, eco club and Young Enterprise. SEND support is provided for a broad spectrum of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Parent View responses from 146 families show 80% would recommend the school. Strong majorities agreed that their child is happy (85% strongly agree or agree) and feels safe (85%), and that there is a good range of subjects (89%) and clubs (94%). However, only 57% agreed the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 69% felt SEND children receive the support they need. This is a school that suits families who value a broad extracurricular offer and a strong sense of safety, but who may want to keep a close eye on academic progress and communication.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Owlsmoor Road, Sandhurst, Bracknell Forest, GU47 0SD |
| Headteacher | Gareth Croxon |
| Local Authority | Bracknell Forest |
| Number of Pupils | 1,002 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 14.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,002 / 1,136 (88% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Dec 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (4 Dec 2024): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 19 Dec 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.37)
2380th of 3,141
Nationally
343rd of 461
In South East
7th of 7
In Bracknell Forest
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
'21/22
21.6
'22/23
23.7
'23/24
29.0
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
2022/2332%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 199 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)32%
- Sixth form college28%
- FE college27%
- Employment6%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship3%
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.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology19
- Sociology15
- Geography14
- Business Studies:Single9
- Government and Politics6
- Mathematics6
- Art and Design (Fine Art)5
- Biology5
- English Literature5
- Physics4
- History3
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
146 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
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed199
348
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
149 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British73.6%
- Asian9.2%
- Mixed5.6%
- White (other)5.0%
- 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.
6
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sandhurst 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
Owlsmoor Road, Sandhurst
Bracknell Forest, GU47 0SD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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