Sir Thomas Fremantle School, Winslow
Sir Thomas Fremantle School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Winslow. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 29th-highest of the 36 schools in Buckinghamshire with published results, and 2,410th of 3,298 across England. It was full in 2025, at 106% of capacity.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
- Progress (2024)
- Average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Buckinghamshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Sir Thomas Fremantle School in detail
Sir Thomas Fremantle School in its own words
Coming up: an open evening on Saturday 31 October 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Buckinghamshire
Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Sir Thomas Fremantle School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 55 in Buckinghamshire and 47 across England.
40% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 61% in Buckinghamshire and 47% in England.
That is up from 40.4 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.03: pupils made about 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 34.4, against 43.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.2 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Geography, Combined Science and Spanish.
Getting a place at Sir Thomas Fremantle School
For September 2026 entry, 120 families put Sir Thomas Fremantle School as their first choice and 347 named it as one of their preferences, for 139 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 12 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Sir Thomas Fremantle School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Sir Thomas Fremantle School are Buckingham School (5.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.3); Royal Latin School (5.1 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 75); Oakhill Secure Training Centre (5.7 miles); and Shenley Brook End School (5.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.9).
Sir Thomas Fremantle School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Buckingham SchoolRoyal Latin SchoolOakhill Secure Training CentreShenley Brook End School
Where pupils go next
Of the 101 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 90% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.
Of the 64 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 45% went on to university or other higher education, 8% to apprenticeships and 30% into work. 16% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Who goes there
8.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (78%) and Mixed (7%).
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Sir Thomas Fremantle School.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sir Thomas Freemantle School, 60 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Sir Thomas Fremantle School issued 197 suspensions, 31.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Sir Thomas Fremantle School are Winslow Church of England School (0.6 miles) and Great Horwood Church of England School (1.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Winslow Church of England SchoolGreat Horwood Church of England 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); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Buckinghamshire published that the last place for 2021 entry went to a family 4.794 miles away (straight line). The cut-off moves every year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
The school's new vision is underpinned by an inclusive ethos and ambition for all. Whilst this marks a change in direction for some parts of the school community, overall, parents, carers and pupils can see the improvements taking place at the school. Indeed, many pupils value these changes highly and are keen to contribute to further developments. The impressive School Council members are excellent examples of this.
The school's 'RISE' values (Resilience, Integrity, Success, Empathy) are understood and embraced by most pupils who are proud of their school. Overall, most behaviour in lessons and around the school is positive and there are respectful relationships between pupils and with staff. Pupils are happy and welcoming. They feel safe and understand that bullying is not tolerated. They know how to report any incidents, and trust staff to address them.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
In most areas, the curriculum is thoughtfully sequenced so that knowledge and skills build over time. Most teachers introduce new content clearly and select activities which help pupils to remember and apply their learning. The school identifies clearly any needs individual pupils may have and how to support them. This helps teachers adapt approaches effectively. Most teachers check understanding regularly and provide pupils with useful feedback to encourage them to develop their thinking. For example, in mathematics pupils' verbal answers are frequently well-reasoned. However, the delivery of the curriculum is variable and sometimes teachers' expectations of what pupils can do could be higher, particularly regarding written work and in key stage 3. Consequently, while most pupils produce work of an expected standard or better, including pupils with SEND, some pupils could achieve more.
The school has a carefully considered literacy strategy. Pupils are exposed to diverse and ambitious texts during tutor sessions and through their subjects. For pupils who need help with reading, staff identify their gaps accurately. Support is then targeted for each pupil, so they catch up quickly.
From Ofsted's May 2024 ungraded 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 May 2015 inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
About
Sir Thomas Fremantle School is a secondary free school that opened in Winslow, Buckinghamshire in September 2013. It was proposed by a group of local parents and educationalists to improve the quality and choice of available secondary education in North Buckinghamshire.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
25.4%
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 improved from -0.16 to 0.03 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 41.1 to 41.6 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has remained stable at around 40% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 41.6 | 39.8% |
| Disadvantaged(21) | - | 34.4 | 14.3% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(77) | - | 43.6 | 46.8% |
| Boys(62) | - | 38.8 | 37.1% |
| Girls(36) | - | 46.5 | 44.4% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(7) | - | 48.8 | 57.1% |
| Non mobile(92) | - | 42.3 | 42.4% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 1 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 101 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
197
Suspensions
31.17%
Suspension rate
80 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 632 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Latest from Sir Thomas Fremantle School
Latest News - 2nd Oct 2026
2 Oct 2026
Latest News - 25th Sept 2026
25 Sep 2026
Latest News - 18th Sept 2026
18 Sep 2026
Latest News - 11th Sept 2026
11 Sep 2026
Latest News - 4th Sept 2026
4 Sep 2026
Latest News - 21st July 2026
21 Jul 2026
From Sir Thomas Fremantle School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Sir Thomas Fremantle School
Term dates
Sir Thomas Fremantle School is a free school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Buckinghamshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sir Thomas Fremantle School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sir Thomas Fremantle School is in Buckinghamshire; for families living there:
- Buckinghamshire's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy (0 to 25 Year Olds)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 Buckinghamshire is 4 (the median across 274 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 Sir Thomas Fremantle School
Will you get a place at Sir Thomas Fremantle School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Sir Thomas Fremantle School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Sir Thomas Fremantle School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Sir Thomas Fremantle School.
- Last distance offered for 2019 and 2021 entry, from Buckinghamshire's own figures, and how your distance compares each year.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Sir Thomas Fremantle School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Buckinghamshire 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
106%
Over capacity
637 pupils
600 places
37 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Winslow
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Winslow
Across Buckinghamshire council
Places available
6,847
Applications
6,535
Got 1st preference
76.7%
Got preferred school
93.9%
All secondary applications across Buckinghamshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
131
SEN Support
26
EHC Plans
23.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
681
Total Pupils
368
Boys
313
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
45
Teachers
15.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,717
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,060
Per pupil
£5045k
Total funding
£156k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.6%
Overall absence
27.0%
Persistent absence
662
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
Sir Thomas Fremantle School
Questions parents ask about Sir Thomas Fremantle School
What are GCSE results like at Sir Thomas Fremantle School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Sir Thomas Fremantle School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 41.6. 40% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Sir Thomas Fremantle School's Ofsted rating?
Sir Thomas Fremantle School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2015, it was rated Good.
How close to Sir Thomas Fremantle School do you need to live?
Buckinghamshire publishes how far the last offered place was, in miles: 3.026 for 2019 entry, then 4.794 for 2021 entry. The cut-off has loosened over that period, so places have been reaching further out. These are the authority's own figures, not a fixed boundary - the cut-off moves with the number of applications each year.
Is it hard to get a place at Sir Thomas Fremantle School?
Sir Thomas Fremantle School was full in 2025, at 106% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Sir Thomas Fremantle School?
Classes at Sir Thomas Fremantle School average 22.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Sir Thomas Fremantle School?
Sir Thomas Fremantle School has around 681 pupils on roll. 25% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sir Thomas Fremantle School?
9.6% of sessions were missed at Sir Thomas Fremantle School in 2024/25. 27% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sir Thomas Fremantle School?
Apply through Buckinghamshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Sir Thomas Fremantle 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 Sir Thomas Fremantle School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Buckinghamshire is 4 (the median across 274 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sir Thomas Fremantle School?
Sir Thomas Fremantle School is at George Pass Avenue, Winslow, Buckinghamshire, MK18 3GH.
Sources: Buckinghamshire admissions booklets; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)