The Misbourne School
103%
Capacity
1,126
Pupils
3.7x
Demand
About The Misbourne School
The Misbourne School, a mixed secondary in Buckinghamshire, was rated Good in its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2013, and an ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good. The single most informative exam metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.3, which is above average nationally and places the school in the top 50% of schools across England. This score means that, on average, pupils at The Misbourne achieve nearly a third of a grade more per subject than pupils with similar starting points nationally. It also sits above the local authority average Progress 8 score of 0.25, indicating the school is performing slightly better than the typical Buckinghamshire secondary. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 48.4, and 77% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 53.4% achieving a grade 5 or above.
Looking deeper at the breakdown, the school’s strongest Progress 8 pillar is English, where pupils score 0.49, well above the national average. Maths progress is also positive at 0.23, while the EBacc element sits at 0.25. The school’s EBacc entry rate is 27%, with 15.7% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above and 9% at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is more mixed: the value-added score is -0.16, which is below average, and the average points per entry is 25.07, equivalent to a C- grade. The best three A-levels average out at a D+. With 76 pupils in the sixth form cohort, it is a relatively small provision. The school ranks 18th out of 34 secondary schools in Buckinghamshire on Progress 8, placing it in the middle of the local authority, well behind selective grammar schools like Dr Challoner’s Grammar School but ahead of many other non-selective schools.
The Misbourne is a popular school, oversubscribed for 2025/26 with 626 applications for 170 places, a ratio of 3.68 applicants per place. Of 195 first-preference applicants, 147 received offers. The school has a capacity of 1,096 but currently holds 1,126 pupils, so it is operating slightly above capacity. Facilities include a sports hall, theatre, gymnasium, tennis courts, art studios, music rooms, and an ICT suite. The school offers a broad range of sports from hockey and rugby to martial arts and dance, plus clubs like Debate, Model UN, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. SEND provisions are extensive, covering dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and a resourced provision. With 12.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. It suits families looking for a strong, above-average performing comprehensive with a well-resourced sixth form and a wide co-curricular offer, particularly those who value progress in English and a supportive SEND framework.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Misbourne Drive, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, HP16 0BN |
| Headteacher | Richard Peters |
| Local Authority | Buckinghamshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,126 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 12.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,126 / 1,096 (103% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
25 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (25 May 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 19 Dec 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.30)
831st of 3,141
Nationally
129th of 461
In South East
18th of 34
In Buckinghamshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
34.5
'22/23
29.4
'23/24
25.1
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
2022/2357%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 178 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)57%
- FE college25%
- Sixth form college6%
- Not sustained4%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Employment3%
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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2355%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 85 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
11%
Russell Group
15%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)55%
- Employment27%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology31
- Business Studies:Single22
- Media/Film/Tv Studies20
- Geography18
- Sociology16
- Mathematics15
- Biology14
- Economics9
- Art and Design (Fine Art)8
- History8
- Physics8
- English Literature7
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.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: 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
2025/26Oversubscribed170
626
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
195 families put this school as their 1st choice (31% 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 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British78.4%
- Asian6.8%
- Mixed6.7%
- White (other)4.7%
- Black0.2%
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.
2
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 The Misbourne 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
Misbourne Drive, Great Missenden
Buckinghamshire, HP16 0BN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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