The Grange School

About The Grange School

The Grange School in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is a mixed state secondary with a sixth form, currently educating 470 pupils against a capacity of 769. This leaves significant room for growth, but the school is already heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 159 applications for just 75 places, with 70 of those going to first-preference families. That works out at 2.12 applications per place, a clear signal of local demand. The school’s intake is notably diverse in terms of disadvantage: 43.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average and a figure that suggests The Grange serves a community with higher-than-average levels of economic need. Under headteacher Matthew Woodville, the school has turned a corner since its previous Ofsted inspection in 2018, when it was rated Inadequate. Its most recent graded inspection, in November 2021, awarded a Good rating across the board, including for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

Academically, The Grange is performing above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.27 means pupils achieve nearly a third of a grade more per subject than similar students nationally, and it comfortably beats the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole LA average of 0.17. That places the school 9th out of 21 secondaries in the local authority, and in the top 29% of schools nationally. Attainment 8 sits at 44.8, with 72.4% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though that drops to 52.6% at the stronger grade 5 threshold. The EBacc entry rate is low at 13.2%, and only 9.2% of pupils achieved the full EBacc at grade 5 or above, which may reflect the school’s focus on a broader curriculum. Progress in English (0.56) and maths (0.37) is strong, while the open element of Progress 8 is slightly negative at -0.19, suggesting some variation across other subjects.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including science labs, an astro turf pitch, a sixth form centre, and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, tennis, cricket, gymnastics, and martial arts, while clubs include coding, debate, Model UN, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. SEND support is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. With a sixth form on site, pupils can stay on post-16, though the school is not a boarding option. Given its oversubscription and strong Progress 8 relative to the local authority, The Grange suits families who want a Good-rated comprehensive with a clear upward trajectory, a diverse intake, and a broad extracurricular offer. The low EBacc entry rate may be a consideration for those prioritising the full English Baccalaureate.

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