Wallingford School
95%
Capacity
1,437
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Wallingford School
Wallingford School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections, with the most recent ungraded inspection in 2022 confirming it 'remains Good'. The real story, though, is in the exam data. The school's Progress 8 score of 0.31 is not just positive; it is officially rated 'Above average' and sits well above the Oxfordshire local authority average of -0.07. This means that, on average, pupils at Wallingford achieve nearly a third of a grade more per subject than students with similar starting points nationally. The school ranks 10th out of 46 secondary schools in the county on this measure, placing it in the top quarter. Its Attainment 8 score of 50.3 translates to roughly a strong pass (grade 5) across eight GCSEs, and over 70% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths.
At A-level, the sixth form is also rated Good by Ofsted. With 131 students in the cohort, the average points per entry was 35.08, equivalent to a B- grade. The best three A-levels averaged 37.07 points, also a B-. The value-added score of -0.02 is rated 'Average', meaning students leave sixth form with results broadly in line with expectations based on their GCSE starting points. Interestingly, the school's internal data shows a mixed picture: Progress 8 in maths is strong at 0.37, while English sits at -0.09, suggesting the school may be particularly effective at driving progress in mathematics. The EBacc entry rate of 45.8% is decent, and 38.2% of pupils achieved the EBacc at a grade 4 or above, reflecting a solid academic core.
Wallingford is a large, oversubscribed secondary school with 1,437 pupils and a capacity of 1,515. For 2025/26 entry, it received 498 applications for 234 places, with 217 of those going to first-preference applicants, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.13. The school has a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, and astro turf, plus a dedicated sixth form centre. It offers a wide array of sports from football to martial arts, and clubs including DofE, Model UN, and a science club. SEND provision covers eight areas, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech and language needs. With 13.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it is broadly representative of its local area. This is a solid, well-run comprehensive that suits families looking for a large secondary with strong academic progress, particularly in maths, and a full range of extracurricular opportunities.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | St George's Road, Wallingford, South Oxfordshire, OX10 8HH |
| Headteacher | John Marston |
| Local Authority | Oxfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,437 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 13.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,437 / 1,515 (95% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (9 Nov 2022): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 6 Apr 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.31)
825th of 3,141
Nationally
127th of 461
In South East
6th of 11
In South Oxfordshire
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
42.1
'22/23
38.2
'23/24
35.1
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
2022/2349%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 193 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)49%
- FE college20%
- Sixth form college13%
- Employment8%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained2%
97% 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
2022/2354%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 139 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
29%
Russell Group
35%
Top-third HE
4%
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)54%
- Employment30%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Further education2%
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- Psychology38
- Geography33
- Biology29
- History26
- Mathematics26
- Chemistry18
- Physics16
- English Literature9
- French9
- Media/Film/Tv Studies9
- Physical Education / Sports Studies8
- Design and Technology (Product Design)6
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
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed234
498
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
243 families put this school as their 1st choice (49% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:05
Source: wallingfordschool.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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British82.2%
- Mixed6.2%
- White (other)5.9%
- Asian2.1%
- Black0.1%
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.
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.
5
Total schools
4
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 Wallingford 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
St George's Road, Wallingford
South Oxfordshire, OX10 8HH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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