Whitmore High School
99%
Capacity
1,739
Pupils
5.2x
Demand
About Whitmore High School
Whitmore High School is a popular choice for Harrow families, and the numbers back that up. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 1,368 applications for 262 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 5.22. Of those, 348 families put it as their first preference, and 207 first-preference offers were made. Parent satisfaction is strong too: 78% of respondents to the most recent Parent View survey said they would recommend the school. On specific questions, 79% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 80% felt the same about their child feeling safe. The school also scores well on communication, with 88% of parents agreeing the school lets them know how their child is doing, and 97% agreeing there is a good range of subjects available.
Academically, Whitmore is one of the strongest schools in Harrow. Its Progress 8 score of 0.75 is rated 'well above average' nationally and places it third out of 13 schools in the local authority, well ahead of the Harrow average of 0.36. Pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 54.7, and 75.9% secured a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school also pushes the EBacc pathway hard, with 90.7% of pupils entering the qualification. In the sixth form, the picture is similarly strong: students achieved a B- average points per entry, and the value-added score of 0.23 is rated 'above average'. Ofsted visited in March 2025 and judged every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — as Outstanding.
The school is large, with 1,739 pupils on roll and capacity for 1,750, so it feels busy but not overcrowded. Facilities are extensive and include a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, a sports hall, music rooms, science labs, and a dedicated sixth form centre. There is a broad range of clubs and sports on offer, from rowing and cross country to orchestra, Model UN, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND provision is well developed, with support for specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and a resourced provision. The school is non-religious and mixed, and its sixth form is official, so pupils can stay on through to 18. Given its strong results and high demand, this is a school for families who want a proven academic track record and a wide choice of extracurriculars, but oversubscription means early and determined application is essential.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Porlock Avenue, Harrow, Harrow, HA2 0AD |
| Headteacher | James Rebbitt |
| Local Authority | Harrow |
| Number of Pupils | 1,739 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 31.1% |
| School Capacity | 1,739 / 1,750 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Mar 2025Quality of Education
Outstanding
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 11 May 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.75)
232nd of 3,141
Nationally
90th of 487
In London
3rd of 13
In Harrow
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
43.3
'22/23
39.0
'23/24
36.4
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
2022/2363%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 267 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)63%
- FE college28%
- Sixth form college4%
- Not sustained3%
- Employment1%
96% 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
2022/2369%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 151 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
30%
Russell Group
33%
Top-third HE
1%
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)69%
- Employment15%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Further education1%
- Other 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- Mathematics96
- Psychology45
- Economics38
- Biology36
- Chemistry32
- History24
- Mathematics (Further)23
- Business Studies:Single21
- Physics20
- Sociology19
- Media/Film/Tv Studies18
- Computer Studies / Computing17
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
80 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed262
1,368
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
348 families put this school as their 1st choice (25% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian54.8%
- White (other)10.1%
- Mixed8.9%
- White British4.8%
- Black0.8%
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
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half 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.
13
Total schools
10
Oversubscribed
10
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Whitmore High 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
Porlock Avenue, Harrow
Harrow, HA2 0AD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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