Houlton School, RUGBY
Houlton School is an all-through school for pupils aged 4 to 18 in Rugby, part of Transforming Lives Educational Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 4th-highest of the 8 schools in RUGBY with published results, and 1,626th of 3,298 across England. It was 79% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Warwickshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Warwickshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Houlton School in detail
Houlton School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Houlton is a special place. With its unique heritage, inspirational setting and state-of-the-art facilities, it is a place where young people can grow, discover what they are capable of and look ahead with confidence."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Houlton School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50 in Warwickshire and 47 across England.
49% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 52% in Warwickshire and 47% in England.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 32.8, against 48.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.1 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Spanish.
Getting a place at Houlton School
For September 2026 entry, 179 families put Houlton School as their first choice and 630 named it as one of their preferences, for 172 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 30 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Houlton School are Ashlawn School (1.9 miles, Inadequate, Attainment 8 50.2); Lawrence Sheriff School (2.8 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 75.7); Rugby Free Secondary School (3.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.5); and Harris Church of England Academy (3.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.8).
Houlton School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Ashlawn SchoolLawrence Sheriff SchoolRugby Free Secondary SchoolHarris Church of England Academy
The trust
Houlton School is one of 4 schools run by Transforming Lives Educational Trust, an academy trust.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Rugby Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Houlton School (opposite), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 20 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Warwickshire (88).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Houlton School issued 220 suspensions, 31 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Houlton School are St Gabriel's CofE Academy (0.7 miles), Hillmorton Primary School (1.1 miles), English Martyrs Catholic Primary School (1.5 miles) and Abbots Farm Junior School (1.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
St Gabriel's CofE AcademyHillmorton Primary SchoolEnglish Martyrs Catholic Primary SchoolAbbots Farm Junior School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
About
Houlton School is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form located in Houlton, Warwickshire, England. The school's buildings have been developed on the historic site of the Rugby Radio Station.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
19.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
46.0
Attainment 8
49.2%
Eng+Maths 5+
2025/26 academic year
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 46.0 | 49.2% |
| Disadvantaged(31) | - | 32.8 | 19.4% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(146) | - | 48.9 | 55.5% |
| Boys(85) | - | 43.8 | 48.2% |
| Girls(92) | - | 48.1 | 50% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(28) | - | 50.0 | 50% |
| Non mobile(163) | - | 46.8 | 50.9% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 4 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
220
Suspensions
30.99%
Suspension rate
99 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 710 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Latest from Houlton School
Summer Term 2 - July 2026 - 17 Jul 2026
17 Jul 2026
Summer Term 1 - May 2026 - 22 May 2026
22 May 2026
Spring Term 2 - March 2026 - 27 Mar 2026
27 Mar 2026
Spring Term 1 - February 2026 - 13 Feb 2026
13 Feb 2026
Autumn Term 2 - December 2025 - 19 Dec 2025
19 Dec 2025
Autumn Term 1 - October 2025 - 24 Oct 2025
24 Oct 2025
From Houlton School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Houlton School
Term dates
Houlton School is a free school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Warwickshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Houlton School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Houlton School is in Warwickshire; for families living there:
- Warwickshire's school travel policy: Free school transport for students under the age of 16
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Warwickshire is 7 (the median across 286 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 Houlton School
Will you get a place at Houlton School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Houlton School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Houlton School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Houlton School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Warwickshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Houlton School for 2022 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Warwickshire 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
79%
Available places
711 pupils
900 places
189 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - RUGBY
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for RUGBY
Across Warwickshire council
Places available
7,662
Applications
6,716
Got 1st preference
82.3%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Warwickshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
141
SEN Support
37
EHC Plans
19.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
895
Total Pupils
450
Boys
445
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
43
Teachers
20.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,338
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,659
Per pupil
£6212k
Total funding
£153k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.0%
Overall absence
20.8%
Persistent absence
741
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
Questions parents ask about Houlton School
What are GCSE results like at Houlton School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Houlton School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 46. 49% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Houlton School's Ofsted rating?
Houlton School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024.
What is the catchment area for Houlton School?
No fixed boundary. When Houlton School is oversubscribed, Warwickshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Houlton School?
Houlton School was not full in 2025: it ran at 79% of its 900 places.
How big are the classes at Houlton School?
Classes at Houlton School average 28.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Houlton School?
Houlton School has around 895 pupils on roll. 20% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Houlton School?
8% of sessions were missed at Houlton School in 2024/25. 20.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Houlton School?
Apply through Warwickshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Houlton 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. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Houlton School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Warwickshire is 7 (the median across 286 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Houlton School?
Houlton School is at Signal Drive, Houlton, RUGBY, Warwickshire, CV23 1ED.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)