Whitefriars School

About Whitefriars School

Whitefriars School sits below the Harrow local authority average for Progress 8, scoring -0.1 against the LA average of 0.36 for secondary schools. That places it 12th out of 15 schools of its type in the borough, in the bottom half locally. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 39 is modest, and just 37.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 5 measure), compared with 53.7% at the grade 4 threshold. Only 10.9% entered the EBacc at grade 5 or above, though a much higher 70.7% entered the EBacc suite of subjects. The school’s Progress 8 banding is officially rated as ‘Average’, meaning the headline figure is within the normal range for schools nationally, but in the context of Harrow’s strong performance it looks weaker. The most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024 rated the school Good overall, with Outstanding early years provision. That’s a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2018, but the school remains a solid choice within a competitive local market.

At Key Stage 5, the sixth form is smaller with 53 pupils and a value-added score of -0.49, which the Department for Education bands as ‘Below average’. The average points per entry are 17.85, equivalent to a D- grade, and the best three A-levels average out at D- as well. Only 1.9% of entries achieved AAB or higher. These are not strong outcomes, and parents considering the sixth form should weigh them carefully. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 breakdown shows variation: pupils taking the EBacc subjects actually made positive progress (+0.18), while open subjects (-0.41) and maths (-0.19) dragged the overall score down. English was essentially flat at +0.01. The school serves a relatively disadvantaged intake, with 31.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The Ofsted report noted that behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership are all Good, and the early years provision remains Outstanding.

Whitefriars is a large all-through school for ages 3 to 18, with 1,443 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,582. It is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 182 applications for 60 places, a ratio of 3.03 applicants per place, and all 30 first-preference applicants were offered a spot. The school has a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, science labs, music rooms, and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, netball, rugby, cricket, and martial arts, while clubs range from Model UN and Young Enterprise to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The SEND provision is comprehensive, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language issues, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autism. This is a school that suits families looking for an inclusive, well-resourced environment with a strong early years foundation, but where academic outcomes at secondary and sixth-form level are more mixed than the local average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Whitefriars School

Helpful Guides for Parents