The Blue Coat School Basingstoke
90%
Capacity
896
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About The Blue Coat School Basingstoke
The Blue Coat School Basingstoke is a popular choice among local families, with 231 applications for 127 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.82. Of those who applied, 84 put the school as their first preference, and all first-preference applicants were offered a place. This level of demand suggests the school has a solid reputation in the Basingstoke area, even though its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Requires Improvement overall. The school serves a diverse intake, with 33.1 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, and it has capacity for 1,000 pupils, currently housing 896.
The Ofsted inspection in February 2023 found that while the school requires improvement in most areas, personal development was rated Good. Behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and the quality of education all received Requires Improvement grades. This is a step down from the school’s previous inspection in 2019, which also rated overall effectiveness as Requires Improvement. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16. There are no published Progress 8 scores or GCSE attainment figures in the available data, which makes it difficult to compare academic outcomes directly with the Hampshire local authority average Progress 8 of -0.17. Parents looking for a clear academic benchmark may need to seek this information directly from the school.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including art studios, a sports hall, astro turf, playing fields, and a chapel. Sports provision includes swimming, rowing, rugby, and athletics, while extracurricular clubs range from Model UN and Young Enterprise to gardening and eco club. The school has a dedicated Sixth Form Centre, though it does not operate a sixth form itself. For pupils with additional needs, the school supports a range of SEND categories including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech language and communication needs. With strong local demand and a non-religious character, this school may suit families who value a well-equipped, inclusive secondary that is actively oversubscribed, but who are comfortable with an institution still working through improvement priorities identified by Ofsted.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Western Way, Basingstoke, Basingstoke and Deane, RG22 6HA |
| Headteacher | Jane Halsey |
| Local Authority | Hampshire |
| Number of Pupils | 896 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 33.1% |
| School Capacity | 896 / 1,000 (90% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 23 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
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
2025/26Oversubscribed127
231
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
84 families put this school as their 1st choice (36% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British70.9%
- Asian7.9%
- Mixed6.9%
- White (other)4.5%
- Black1.0%
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.
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.
13
Total schools
10
Oversubscribed
9
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 The Blue Coat School Basingstoke
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
Western Way, Basingstoke
Basingstoke and Deane, RG22 6HA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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