The Magna Carta School
81%
Capacity
1,029
Pupils
1.2x
Demand
About The Magna Carta School
The Magna Carta School's headline Progress 8 score of 0.13 sits below the Surrey local authority average of 0.26 for secondary schools, meaning pupils here make less academic progress than the typical student across the county. That said, the score is still positive, indicating that students do make above-average progress compared with the national baseline. The school ranks 32nd out of 66 secondary schools in Surrey, placing it in the middle of the pack locally. Within its own borough of Runnymede, it comes second out of five schools, which is a stronger showing. The Attainment 8 score of 48.8 gives a sense of the average grade achieved per subject — roughly a high 4 or low 5 in GCSE terms. Just over half of pupils (53.2%) achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, while 68.6% managed a grade 4 or above. The school's EBacc average point score of 4.3 is modest, and only 18.2% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, well below the national trend.
The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2024 saw it bounce back from a Requires Improvement rating in 2022 to Good across all four graded areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This is a notable turnaround in just over two years. The parent view survey, based on 212 responses, shows a mixed picture. While 63% of parents would recommend the school, and strong majorities agree their child is happy (76% agree or strongly agree) and feels safe (79%), there are clear areas of concern. Only 19% of parents agree that SEND children get the support they need, with 46% strongly disagreeing. Communication is another weak spot: 60% of parents disagree that the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 38% disagree that concerns are dealt with properly.
The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 299 applications for 253 places and 132 first-preference offers, so it's a popular choice locally. It caters for pupils aged 11 to 16 with no sixth form. Facilities are strong for a state school, including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, and a gymnasium. The sports offering is broad, with rowing, martial arts, and cross country alongside the usual football and rugby. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model United Nations, and a science club. The school has a wide range of SEND provisions, covering everything from dyslexia and autism to physical disabilities and multi-sensory impairment. Given the mixed parent feedback on SEND support and communication, this school may suit families who are proactive about staying involved and advocating for their child's needs, particularly if their child does not require significant additional support.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Thorpe Road, Staines-upon-Thames, Runnymede, TW18 3HJ |
| Headteacher | Craig Adams |
| Local Authority | Surrey |
| Number of Pupils | 1,029 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 22.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,029 / 1,275 (81% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Sept 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 16 Oct 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.13)
1252nd of 3,141
Nationally
193rd of 461
In South East
2nd of 5
In Runnymede
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
2022/235%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 222 pupils).
- FE college71%
- Sixth form college9%
- School sixth form (stay)5%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment4%
94% 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
212 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
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed253
299
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
132 families put this school as their 1st choice (44% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:00
Source: mcs-unity.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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 British58.5%
- Asian13.7%
- White (other)10.9%
- Mixed7.1%
- 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
6
Oversubscribed
5
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About The Magna Carta 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
Thorpe Road, Staines-upon-Thames
Runnymede, TW18 3HJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at The Magna Carta School!
Write a Review