St Birinus School, Didcot

In its own words: "St Birinus is unique as the only state boys' secondary school in Oxfordshire. We were eighty years old in 2016 and value our history and place in Didcot and the surrounding villages but are also committed to innovation, new technology and an education fit for the 21st century for all our students."

From the headteacher's welcome: "St Birinus is a vibrant and very welcoming school, where we develop our boys into well rounded, successful young men who epitomise masculinity in a modern sense and who are supremely well prepared to contribute to society and thrive personally. Academic standards are prized as much as character, good manners, contribution and leadership."

In 2026, pupils at St Birinus School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.2 in Oxfordshire and 47 across England.

56% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Oxfordshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 48.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.36: pupils made 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 37.8, against 53 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 196 families put St Birinus School as their first choice and 341 named it as one of their preferences, for 235 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St Birinus School are Didcot Girls' School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 59.6); Didcot Sixth Form College (0.7 miles); UTC Oxfordshire (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 33.1); and Aureus School (1.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 40).

St Birinus School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

St Birinus School is one of 8 schools run by Ridgeway Education Trust, an academy trust.

230 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Birinus School (as of September 2025): 82% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 69% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (69%).

Of the 166 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 39% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 85 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 48% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 28% into work. 29% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

14.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Didcot Parkway Rail Station, about 1060 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Birinus School (outside), 80 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 135 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 Oxfordshire (52), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St Birinus School issued 504 suspensions, 41.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to St Birinus School are Willowcroft Community School (under 0.1 miles), Northbourne Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles), Manor Primary School (0.6 miles) and Hagbourne 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.