Bournemouth School, Bournemouth

In its own words: "Bournemouth School provides an excellent education, enabling all students to choose a career path that is fulfilling, exciting and challenging. We believe that exceptional teaching and learning happens when the teacher captivates students' attention with deep expertise and a clear understanding of what they need to learn."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, cricket, tennis, athletics, basketball, badminton, swimming, cross-country and drama.

In 2026, pupils at Bournemouth School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 71.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.2 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; and 47 across England.

93% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 56% in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; and 47% in England.

That is down from 74.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.71: 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 61.5, against 72 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Physics, Biology and Chemistry.

Bournemouth School is a grammar school: places go to children who reach the required standard in its entrance test, and only then are the oversubscription criteria applied.

For September 2026 entry, 238 families put Bournemouth School as their first choice and 384 named it as one of their preferences, for 179 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 60 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

Bournemouth School admits pupils through an entrance test, usually called the 11-plus. Children have to be registered for it in advance, normally in the spring or summer of Year 5; the test itself is usually sat in September of Year 6, and results come out in October, before the 31 October deadline for naming secondary schools.

Passing the test makes a child eligible rather than guaranteeing a place: when more children pass than there are places, Bournemouth School ranks them by the criteria in its admissions policy, which can include test score and distance. Check Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's admissions pages and the school's own policy for this year's registration deadline - a child who is not registered in time cannot sit the test.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has 4 state grammar schools in all, so a child who passes may have several selective schools to choose between.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Bournemouth School are Bournemouth School for Girls (0.3 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 72); The Bishop of Winchester Academy (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.1); Glenmoor Academy (1.4 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 59.3); and Winton Academy (1.4 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56.1).

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

Of the 180 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 6% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 153 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 59% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 20% into work. 38% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 58 pupils (4.4%) received SEN support and 10 (0.8%) 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 autism.

The nearest railway station is Bournemouth Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bournemouth School For Boys (e-bound), 90 metres away.

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

In August 2026, police recorded 355 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (223), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Bournemouth School issued 72 suspensions, 5.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Bournemouth School are Queen's Park Infant Academy (under 0.1 miles), Queen's Park Academy (under 0.1 miles), St. Walburga's Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles) and St Luke's Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.