Balcarras School, Cheltenham

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our aim at Balcarras is simple: we want this to be one of the very best schools in the country. We aim to ensure that our students receive a better education here than they would at any other school, be it comprehensive, grammar or independent."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, hockey, cricket, tennis, athletics, basketball, badminton and swimming.

In 2026, pupils at Balcarras School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 62.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 51.2 in Gloucestershire and 47 across England.

80% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 54% in Gloucestershire and 47% in England.

That is up from 58.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.83: pupils made well above 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 41.1, against 64.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 23.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Business Studies and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 239 families put Balcarras School as their first choice and 776 named it as one of their preferences, for 181 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 64 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Balcarras School are The High School Leckhampton (2.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 59.7); Pittville School (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.2); Cheltenham Bournside School and Sixth Form Centre (2.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.6); and Pate's Grammar School (3.5 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 82.4).

Balcarras School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Balcarras School is one of 3 schools run by The Balcarras Trust, an academy trust.

353 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Balcarras School (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 79% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (79%).

Of the 217 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 13% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 213 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 46% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 35% into work. 39% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (79%) and Mixed (6%).

In 2026, 87 pupils (6.1%) received SEN support and 39 (2.7%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Cheltenham Spa Rail Station, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.

18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Balcarras School (inside), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Balcarras School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Balcarras School issued 43 suspensions, 3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Balcarras School are Charlton Kings Junior School (under 0.1 miles), Charlton Kings Infants' School (0.3 miles), Glenfall Community Primary School (0.4 miles) and Holy Apostles' Church of England Primary School (1.2 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.