The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
103%
Capacity
1,409
Pupils
3.6x
Demand
About The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
Parent feedback for The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe is overwhelmingly positive. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering responses from September 2024 to September 2025, 97% of the 360 parents who responded said they would recommend the school. The detail backs that up: 97% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 96% said the same about feeling safe. The school is also heavily oversubscribed. For entry in the 2025/26 academic year, there were 668 applications for 185 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.61 to one. Of those, 213 were first-preference applications, and 163 first-preference offers were made. Parents also report strong satisfaction with behaviour and personal development, with 93% agreeing the school ensures good behaviour and 94% agreeing it supports wider personal development. The school's most recent ungraded Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, judged that it had improved significantly since its previous graded inspection.
Academically, the school performs very strongly. At Key Stage 4, its Progress 8 score of 1.13 is rated as well above average and places it second out of 34 schools in Buckinghamshire, and 38th nationally out of 3,141 schools. That score is significantly above the local authority average of 0.25. The Attainment 8 score sits at 75.1, and 99.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school also has a strong focus on the EBacc, with 86.6% of pupils entering the qualification and 80.2% achieving a grade 4 or above across all components. At A-level, the school's progress score is above average, with pupils achieving an average of 42.72 points per entry, equivalent to a B+ grade. The sixth form provision was rated Outstanding in the school's most recent graded inspection, and 39.6% of entries achieved at least an AAB grade.
The school is a selective boys' grammar school with a co-educational sixth form, and it also offers boarding places. Facilities include a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, art studios, music rooms, and a sixth form centre. There is a wide range of clubs and activities, from Orchestra and Choir to Coding, Eco Club, Model UN, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school supports pupils with a range of special educational needs and disabilities, including those with dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and hearing or visual impairments. With a Progress 8 score that places it among the top-performing schools nationally and a parent recommendation rate of 97%, this is a school that suits families who are seeking a highly academic environment with strong pastoral care and a broad range of extracurricular opportunities.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Amersham Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP13 6QT |
| Headteacher | Philip Wayne |
| Local Authority | Buckinghamshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,409 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 5.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,409 / 1,371 (103% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
| Boarding | Yes — Boarding school |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Feb 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (26 Feb 2025): Improved significantly
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 28 Nov 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+1.13)
38th of 3,141
Nationally
4th of 461
In South East
2nd of 34
In Buckinghamshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
47.2
'22/23
44.2
'23/24
42.7
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
2022/2397%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 202 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)97%
- FE college2%
100% 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
2022/2375%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 208 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
57%
Russell Group
67%
Top-third HE
11%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)75%
- Employment10%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship2%
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- Mathematics125
- Economics81
- Biology51
- Chemistry48
- Physics47
- History46
- Geography35
- Business Studies:Single31
- Psychology31
- Mathematics (Further)30
- Government and Politics23
- Computer Studies / Computing20
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
360 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed185
668
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
213 families put this school as their 1st choice (32% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:30
Source: rgshw.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian42.8%
- White British37.9%
- Mixed8.7%
- White (other)4.0%
- 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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
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
Amersham Road, High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire, HP13 6QT
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