Wigmore School

About Wigmore School

Wigmore School is a mixed state secondary in Herefordshire, County of, serving 463 pupils aged 11 to 19. It sits 8th out of 15 schools in the local authority when ranked by Progress 8, placing it in the middle of the pack. The top-performing peers in the area are The Steiner Academy Hereford, Fairfield High School, and St Mary's RC High School, all of which post stronger Progress 8 scores. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, receiving 144 applications for 81 places, with 88 first-preference applications and 80 first-preference offers made. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.78, suggesting solid local demand. Headteacher Robert Patterson leads a school that has held a Good rating from Ofsted since its graded inspection in 2018, and an ungraded visit in 2023 confirmed it remains Good. Its previous inspection in 2008 rated it Outstanding, so the current rating reflects a step down, but the school continues to attract families across the county.

Academically, Wigmore's Progress 8 score of -0.32 is below the local authority average of -0.22, placing it in the bottom 50 nationally. The Attainment 8 score stands at 46.2, and 63.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though only 36.4% reached grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.13, with 35.2% of pupils entering the EBacc and 22.7% achieving a grade 4 or above across the full suite. The school's Progress 8 banding is rated as Average, but the breakdown shows weaker progress in English (-0.63) and open subjects (-0.32), while EBacc progress is closer to the average (-0.11). The sixth form is officially part of the school, though no separate A-level data is provided here. Compared with its top local peers, Wigmore's outcomes are notably lower, but it still serves a significant proportion of disadvantaged pupils, with 15.8% eligible for free school meals.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including science labs, an ICT suite, art studios, music rooms, a theatre, a sixth form centre, and outdoor sports provision such as astro turf, tennis courts, and a swimming programme. Clubs include gardening, chess, coding, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, orchestra, choir, and a newspaper group. SEND provision covers eight categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs, making it a potentially suitable choice for families whose children require additional support. With 463 pupils against a capacity of 450, the school is effectively full, and the oversubscription figures confirm it is a popular option locally. For parents weighing up options in Herefordshire, Wigmore offers a solid, well-resourced comprehensive experience, though its academic outcomes trail the strongest peers in the county.

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