Testbourne Community School, Whitchurch
Testbourne Community School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Whitchurch. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 12th-highest of the 69 schools in Hampshire with published results, and 769th of 3,298 across England. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- GCSE results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Hampshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Testbourne Community School in detail
Testbourne Community School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Since 2017, I’ve had the privilege of leading this exceptional school. We are proud to be the highest-performing secular school in the Basingstoke, Deane, and Andover areas, and our success has led to student numbers growing by 20% to over 950. Our students are friendly, respectful, and a true reflection of our mission to develop independence, resilience, and responsibility."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, cricket, tennis, athletics, basketball, badminton, cross-country and STEM.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Testbourne Community School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.6 in Hampshire and 47 across England.
59% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Hampshire and 47% in England.
That is down from 53.3 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.09: 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 36.6, against 55.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 18.8 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.
Getting a place at Testbourne Community School
For September 2026 entry, 154 families put Testbourne Community School as their first choice and 274 named it as one of their preferences, for 179 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Testbourne Community School
Where pupils go next
Of the 184 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 28% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.
Who goes there
16% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Whitchurch (Hants) Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Micheldever Road (s-bound), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 20 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Testbourne Community School issued 147 suspensions, 15.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
About
Testbourne Community School in Whitchurch, Hampshire, England, has been a secondary school since the Victorian era and is a foundation school. It has around 900 pupils aged 11–16.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
16.0%
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 0.09 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 51.6 to 51.7 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 55% to 59% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 51.7 | 59% |
| Disadvantaged(35) | - | 36.6 | 28.6% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(143) | - | 55.4 | 66.4% |
| Boys(80) | - | 51.1 | 60% |
| Girls(98) | - | 52.3 | 58.2% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(10) | - | 50.6 | 30% |
| Non mobile(172) | - | 52.8 | 61% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 3 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 184 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
147
Suspensions
15.64%
Suspension rate
70 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 940 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby secondary school
Social & online
Keep up with Testbourne Community School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Testbourne Community School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Testbourne Community 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
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 Testbourne Community School
Will you get a place at Testbourne Community School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Testbourne Community School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Testbourne Community School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Testbourne Community School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hampshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Testbourne Community 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
936 pupils
916 places
20 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Whitchurch
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Whitchurch
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
144
SEN Support
33
EHC Plans
18.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
949
Total Pupils
454
Boys
495
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
60
Teachers
15.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,440
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,628
Per pupil
£6551k
Total funding
£153k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.5%
Overall absence
20.1%
Persistent absence
963
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
Testbourne Community School
Questions parents ask about Testbourne Community School
What are GCSE results like at Testbourne Community School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Testbourne Community School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 51.7. 59% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Testbourne Community School's Ofsted rating?
Testbourne Community School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2010 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Testbourne Community School?
No fixed boundary. When Testbourne Community 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 Testbourne Community School?
Testbourne Community School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Testbourne Community School?
Classes at Testbourne Community School average 27 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Testbourne Community School?
Testbourne Community School has around 949 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Testbourne Community School?
8.5% of sessions were missed at Testbourne Community School in 2024/25. 20.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Testbourne Community School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Testbourne Community 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 Testbourne Community School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Testbourne Community School?
Testbourne Community School is at Micheldever Road, Whitchurch, Hampshire, RG28 7JF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)