The Clere School, Newbury
The Clere School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Newbury. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2026 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 5th-highest of the 5 schools in Newbury with published results, and 2,803rd of 3,298 across England. It was 62% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
- Progress (2024)
- Well 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
The Clere School in detail
The Clere School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our vision at The Clere is that “Every member of our community is supported and challenged to succeed and flourish now and in the future.” This is something that we are absolutely wedded to and drives everything that we do. This is underpinned by our school values of Community, Integrity and Respect."
Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 28 April 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Hampshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at The Clere School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.6 in Hampshire and 47 across England.
35% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Hampshire and 47% in England.
That is down from 41.3 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.62: pupils made well 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 30.9, against 41.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.7 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Social Studies.
Getting a place at The Clere School
For September 2026 entry, 33 families put The Clere School as their first choice and 99 named it as one of their preferences, for 36 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 The Clere School are Park House School (2.3 miles, Attainment 8 50.5); St Bartholomew's School (3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 57.7); Trinity School (4.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.2); and Kennet School (4.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48).
Each of them had higher 2026 results than The Clere School.
Park House SchoolSt Bartholomew's SchoolTrinity SchoolKennet School
What parents say
61 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Clere School (as of April 2026): 53% would recommend the school, 61% say their child is happy there and 53% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (74%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (39%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 72 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 74% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 32% to a further education college, 15% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.
Who goes there
3.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 53 pupils (13.9%) received SEN support and 25 (6.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of The Clere School.
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Harts Lane (s-bound), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 6 crimes within a mile of the school, most often vehicle crime, burglary and weapons possession. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Clere School issued 195 suspensions, 41.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 4 months agoThis judgement is from May 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Clere School has made positive strides in creating a calm, structured learning environment with new teaching approaches that pupils find helpful. Leaders demonstrate clear focus and commitment to improvement, with particular success in behaviour management and attendance. The school is investing in staff development and supporting vulnerable pupils more effectively through adapted teaching practices.
Key Strengths
- Leadership has a clear, accurate understanding of school strengths and areas for development with well-communicated improvement plans
- Behaviour and attendance are improving, with calmer classrooms and more regular pupil attendance
- New teaching methodology ('The Clere Way') is providing consistent lesson structure that pupils appreciate
- Staff for vulnerable pupils and pupils with SEND are developing better adaptive teaching practices
- Middle leaders are being developed to coach teaching teams and drive long-term improvement
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching quality remains too variable across the school, despite improvement steps showing positive impact
- Too many pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, have persistent absence and high suspension rates
- Teachers do not consistently identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge and misconceptions
- Some staff expectations of pupils are not high enough, particularly in writing practice and vocabulary development
- Achievement of disadvantaged pupils, especially those receiving free school meals, remains low
Safeguarding
Safeguarding was evaluated as effective at the previous inspection.
The Clere School is working to improve from a 'requires significant improvement' designation. Leaders and governors are taking effective action, with positive progress in behaviour, attendance, and teaching consistency, though variability in teaching quality remains.
About
The Clere School is a small co-educational community secondary school in Burghclere, Hampshire, England. The headteacher is Jayne McLaren.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
28.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
61 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -0.73 to -0.62 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 38.6 to 38.8 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 40% to 35% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 38.8 | 34.8% |
| Disadvantaged(24) | - | 30.9 | 20.8% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(68) | - | 41.6 | 39.7% |
| Boys(41) | - | 35.9 | 34.1% |
| Girls(51) | - | 41.2 | 35.3% |
Show more breakdowns (1)
| Non mobile(90) | - | 39.4 | 35.6% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 72 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
1
Permanent exclusions
0.21%
Exclusion rate
195
Suspensions
41.67%
Suspension rate
52 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 468 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby secondary schools
Social & online
Keep up with The Clere School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Clere School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Clere 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 The Clere School
Will you get a place at The Clere School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Clere School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Clere School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Clere School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hampshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Clere 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
62%
Available places
446 pupils
725 places
279 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Newbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newbury
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
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
53
SEN Support
25
EHC Plans
20.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
382
Total Pupils
186
Boys
196
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
28
Teachers
13.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,477
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,306
Per pupil
£3682k
Total funding
£126k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.9%
Overall absence
35.2%
Persistent absence
509
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
The Clere School
Questions parents ask about The Clere School
What are GCSE results like at The Clere School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Clere School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 38.8. 35% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Clere School's Ofsted rating?
The Clere School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Clere School?
No fixed boundary. When The Clere 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 The Clere School?
The Clere School was not full in 2025: it ran at 62% of its 725 places.
How big are the classes at The Clere School?
Classes at The Clere School average 20.1 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Clere School?
The Clere School has around 382 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Clere School?
10.9% of sessions were missed at The Clere School in 2024/25. 35.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Clere School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Clere 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 The Clere School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Clere School?
The Clere School is at Earlstone Common, Burghclere, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 9HP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)