Hounsdown School, Southampton
Hounsdown School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Southampton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 6th-highest of the 21 schools in Southampton with published results, and 1,181st of 3,298 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Below average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Hampshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Hounsdown School in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at Hounsdown School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.6 in Hampshire and 47 across England.
48% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Hampshire and 47% in England.
That is up from 46.1 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.21: 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 34.3, against 51.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.8 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Religious Studies and Geography.
Getting a place at Hounsdown School
For September 2026 entry, 209 families put Hounsdown School as their first choice and 308 named it as one of their preferences, for 218 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Hounsdown School are Testwood School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39); Redbridge Community School (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 29.1); Regents Park Community College (2.5 miles); and Oasis Academy Lord's Hill (2.7 miles, Inadequate, Attainment 8 38.7).
Hounsdown School's 2026 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Testwood SchoolRedbridge Community SchoolRegents Park Community CollegeOasis Academy Lord's Hill
Where pupils go next
Of the 257 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.
Who goes there
5.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Totton Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Valley Road (adjacent), 200 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 46 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Hounsdown School issued 182 suspensions, 14.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Hounsdown School are Eling Infant School and Nursery (0.7 miles), Foxhills Junior School (0.8 miles), Foxhills Infant School (0.9 miles) and Lydlynch Infant School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Eling Infant School and NurseryFoxhills Junior SchoolFoxhills Infant SchoolLydlynch Infant School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
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?
Pupils are keen to make the best of the many opportunities that the school provides both in and out of lessons. Pupils in the eco-schools group are proud of the impact their actions have had on the school's environment. Pupils participate in themed days, subject-based enrichment and a range of house events as well as sports clubs and a school production. Leadership opportunities exist for older pupils who can mentor younger pupils, and some represent their peers as school prefects.
Expectations of pupils in lessons are high and pupils often rise to these expectations. Pupils enjoy learning and have positive attitudes to school. They are keen to succeed, and they value all the ways in which their teachers support and motivate them.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Pupils experience a rich, well-designed and varied curriculum. Leaders have identified what pupils need to learn and the ambitious end points in each subject. Leaders carefully monitor how well pupils are learning the important knowledge that they need in each subject. This helps teachers to be aware of the areas in which pupils could achieve more highly. Teachers use this information to focus their attention on how particular topics are taught.
Teachers are knowledgeable and passionate about inspiring pupils to learn their subjects. For example, in art, lessons are exciting and well ordered. This supports pupils in progressing well through the curriculum. Teachers work together to share their ideas and generate appropriate resources. However, some teachers are not successful in adapting teaching to the needs of all pupils. Leaders are aware of this and have prioritised appropriate professional development for teachers.
From Ofsted's June 2024 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 Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Leadership & management.
About
Hounsdown School is a secondary school in Totton, near Southampton, Hampshire, England The school has 1,215 pupils, spanning ages 11 to 16. Classes are held in renovated 1960s buildings and new specialist blocks built since 2000.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
18.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has remained stable at around -0.21 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 49.6 to 48.7 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has remained stable at around 48% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 48.7 | 47.6% |
| Disadvantaged(35) | - | 34.3 | 20% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(217) | - | 51.1 | 52.1% |
| Boys(130) | - | 47.1 | 46.9% |
| Girls(122) | - | 50.4 | 48.4% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(16) | - | 58.9 | 62.5% |
| Non mobile(245) | - | 48.9 | 48.2% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 7 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 257 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
182
Suspensions
14.21%
Suspension rate
81 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,281 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Hounsdown School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hounsdown School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hounsdown School is in Hampshire; for families living there:
Apply to Hampshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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 Hounsdown School
Will you get a place at Hounsdown School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Hounsdown School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Hounsdown School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Hounsdown School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hampshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Hounsdown School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hampshire 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
94%
Near capacity
1,284 pupils
1,369 places
85 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Southampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southampton
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,392
Applications
13,874
Got 1st preference
90.1%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
169
SEN Support
65
EHC Plans
18.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,283
Total Pupils
667
Boys
616
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
87
Teachers
14.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,194
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,604
Per pupil
£8924k
Total funding
£230k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.7%
Overall absence
22.1%
Persistent absence
1,314
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
Hounsdown School
Questions parents ask about Hounsdown School
What are GCSE results like at Hounsdown School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Hounsdown School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 48.7. 48% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Hounsdown School's Ofsted rating?
Hounsdown School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2017 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Hounsdown School?
No fixed boundary. When Hounsdown School is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Hounsdown School?
Hounsdown School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 1369 places.
How big are the classes at Hounsdown School?
Classes at Hounsdown School average 25.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Hounsdown School?
Hounsdown School has around 1283 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Hounsdown School?
8.7% of sessions were missed at Hounsdown School in 2024/25. 22.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hounsdown School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Hounsdown 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 Hounsdown School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hounsdown School?
Hounsdown School is at Jacobs Gutter Lane, Totton, Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 9FT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)