Aureus School, Didcot
Aureus School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Didcot, part of GLF Schools. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 32nd-highest of the 41 schools in Oxfordshire with published results, and 2,635th of 3,298 across England. It was 42% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
- Progress (2024)
- Below average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Oxfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Aureus School in detail
Aureus School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am immensely proud to be the Headteacher of Aureus School. I have a passion for comprehensive education and I firmly believe that every student deserves the opportunity to succeed. My approach is driven by my belief in inclusive education and centred around high expectations of all students."
Coming up: an open day on Monday 26 April 2027, an open day on Wednesday 12 May 2027 and an open day on Monday 7 June 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Oxfordshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Aureus School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.2 in Oxfordshire and 47 across England.
32% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Oxfordshire and 47% in England.
That is up from 33.7 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.46: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 29, against 45.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.5 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Religious Studies and History.
Getting a place at Aureus School
For September 2026 entry, 148 families put Aureus School as their first choice and 478 named it as one of their preferences, for 142 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 17 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Aureus School are UTC Oxfordshire (0.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 33.1); Didcot Sixth Form College (0.8 miles); Didcot Girls' School (0.8 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 59.6); and St Birinus School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.8).
Aureus School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
UTC OxfordshireDidcot Sixth Form CollegeDidcot Girls' SchoolSt Birinus School
The trust
Aureus School is one of 43 schools run by GLF Schools, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49 in 2024/25.
What parents say
96 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Aureus School (as of September 2025): 79% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (88%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 127 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 61% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 101 pupils (19%) received SEN support and 43 (8.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Didcot Parkway Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is ASDA (opposite), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Aureus School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Aureus School issued 292 suspensions, 60.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Aureus School are Didcot Primary Academy (0.1 miles), Aureus Primary School (0.4 miles), Stephen Freeman Primary School (0.6 miles) and Manor Primary School (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Didcot Primary AcademyAureus Primary SchoolStephen Freeman Primary SchoolManor Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Aureus School has changed for the better. Leaders and staff share the same high ambitions for pupils, who understand what is expected of them. Academic standards have risen, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Adults know pupils and families well, which enables them to act in their best interests. Consequently, pupils feel safe at school, trusting staff to help them with their learning and emotional needs.
Classrooms are typically calm and purposeful. Most pupils understand the importance of working hard and behaving well. When things go awry, well-rehearsed routines help staff deal with situations calmly and proportionately, so that the impact on learning is minimised. Pupils are encouraged to learn from their mistakes, be kind to one another and face the consequences of their actions. Occasionally, behaviour outside of lessons is less respectful. In these instances, adults make every effort to ensure pupils' concerns are heard and addressed.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's improvement journey has gained momentum over the past year. Staff strive to provide pupils with the best possible education. Trustees, school standards board (SSB) members and senior leaders all understand the school's strengths and weaknesses. School leaders work closely with trust colleagues to address improvement priorities. Staff, pupils, parents and carers describe a school which is settled and growing in quality.
In 2023, standards at the end of Year 11 were too low, and behaviour and attendance were also concerning. Through a clear and focused approach, with useful support from the trust, there are now consistent routines in place that help pupils learn vital knowledge in a planned, logical way. Opportunities for pupils to connect and apply what they learn, such as through extended writing, are less evident. Nevertheless, standards have risen and pupils gain the knowledge they need to move on to further education, employment and training at the end of Year 11. For some, this represents strong progress from their low starting points. Introducing a second language in Year 7 supports the ongoing ambition for even more pupils to study the broad English Baccalaureate suite of qualifications.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its March 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Personal development.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement), Behaviour & attitudes (Requires Improvement), Leadership & management (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
31.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
96 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has remained stable at around -0.46 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 36.5 to 40.0 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 25% to 32% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 40.0 | 31.9% |
| Disadvantaged(30) | - | 29.0 | 13.3% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(61) | - | 45.5 | 41% |
| Boys(47) | - | 36.2 | 29.8% |
| Girls(44) | - | 44.1 | 34.1% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(15) | - | 51.4 | 53.3% |
| Non mobile(85) | - | 40.6 | 32.9% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 3 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 127 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
2
Permanent exclusions
0.41%
Exclusion rate
292
Suspensions
60.21%
Suspension rate
82 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 485 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Latest from Aureus School
Headteacher's Weekly Update
2 Oct 2026
Headteacher's Weekly Update
25 Sep 2026
Our World Challenge Trip to Morocco
3 Sep 2026
Aureus Celebrates Impressive GCSE Results
20 Aug 2026
Thames Valley PCC encourages more schools to consider locking away students' phones
25 Mar 2026
Aureus School Dance Showcase takes place in Didcot
25 Mar 2026
From Aureus School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Aureus School
Term dates
Aureus School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Oxfordshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Aureus School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Aureus School is in Oxfordshire; for families living there:
- Oxfordshire's school travel policy: Free home to school travel assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Aureus School
Will you get a place at Aureus School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Aureus School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Aureus School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Aureus School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Oxfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Aureus School for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Oxfordshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
42%
Available places
505 pupils
1,200 places
695 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Didcot
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Didcot
Across Oxfordshire council
Places available
7,654
Applications
6,814
Got 1st preference
85.4%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Oxfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
101
SEN Support
43
EHC Plans
27.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
531
Total Pupils
283
Boys
248
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
36
Teachers
14.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,892
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,675
Per pupil
£3893k
Total funding
£163k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.4%
Overall absence
33.5%
Persistent absence
538
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Aureus School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Aureus School
What are GCSE results like at Aureus School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Aureus School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 40. 32% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Aureus School's Ofsted rating?
Aureus School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Aureus School?
No fixed boundary. When Aureus School is oversubscribed, Oxfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Aureus School?
Aureus School was not full in 2025: it ran at 42% of its 1200 places.
How big are the classes at Aureus School?
Classes at Aureus School average 25.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Aureus School?
Aureus School has around 531 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Aureus School?
13.4% of sessions were missed at Aureus School in 2024/25. 33.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Aureus School?
Apply through Oxfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Aureus School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Aureus School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Aureus School?
Aureus School is at Candytuft Way, Great Western Park, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 6FF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)