Bartholomew School, Witney

In its own words: "Bartholomew School is committed to achieving excellence in every aspect of school life. While qualifications are an essential focus, at the heart of our ethos is the wellbeing of our students and staff, and generating a sense of belonging to our diverse and inclusive community. We develop academic accomplishment, we nurture talent, we celebrate dedication."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are incredibly proud to lead a school with a long-standing reputation for excellence, where high expectations sit alongside a strong sense of community, care and opportunity for every student. Following our Ofsted inspection in May 2024, Bartholomew School was once again judged to be Outstanding in all areas."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include cricket, drama, chess, STEM, Duke of Edinburgh and homework club.

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 26 November 2026 at 5.30pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Bartholomew School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 55, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.2 in Oxfordshire and 47 across England.

61% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Oxfordshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 57 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.8: 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 32.3, against 57.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 25.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 202 families put Bartholomew School as their first choice and 556 named it as one of their preferences, for 207 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 12 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Bartholomew School are Wood Green School (3.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.6); Matthew Arnold School (4.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.6); The Henry Box School (4.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.6); and The Marlborough Church of England School (4.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.5).

Bartholomew School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Bartholomew School is one of 11 schools run by Epa Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 206 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 25% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 142 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 52% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 28% into work. 48% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 11.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (71%), Mixed (8%) and Asian (5%).

In 2026, 218 pupils (15.7%) received SEN support and 39 (2.8%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Hanborough Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bartholomew School (outside), 20 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Bartholomew School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 27 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Oxfordshire (52).

In 2024/25, Bartholomew School issued 255 suspensions, 18.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Bartholomew School are Eynsham Community Primary School (0.4 miles); and St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Cassington (1.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.