The Cottesloe School, Aylesbury

Ofsted's report card from its 17 March 2026 inspection grades The Cottesloe School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have developed a comprehensive personal development programme."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Across the curriculum, pupils gain appropriate knowledge and skills."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders consistently promote the importance of attending well."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school's curriculum is broad and tailored to pupils' needs and interests."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have established effective systems to identify pupils' barriers to learning promptly."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear and accurate view of the school's strengths and areas for improvement."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure that the post-16 provision offers an inclusive and supportive environment."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching strategies, including effective checks on pupils' learning, are fully embedded across subjects and used with precision to further deepen pupils' learning".

In its own words: "The Cottesloe School is a vibrant and inclusive learning community. Our students benefit from highly qualified and exceptionally committed staff, who recognise the importance of creative and challenging teaching and high professional standards. Our curriculum has carefully designed pathways to make sure it meets the needs of all our students."

From the headteacher's welcome: "At The Cottesloe School, we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to thrive academically, socially, and personally. Our dedicated staff work tirelessly to create an environment where students are encouraged to explore their interests, develop their talents, and achieve their full potential."

The school runs after-school care.

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 4 November 2026, an open evening on Tuesday 10 November 2026 and an open evening on Saturday 14 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Cottesloe School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 55 in Buckinghamshire and 47 across England.

45% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 61% in Buckinghamshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 45.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.11: 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, against 48.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.7 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 217 families put The Cottesloe School as their first choice and 431 named it as one of their preferences, for 203 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 42 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Cottesloe School are Linslade School (2.3 miles, Good); Cedars Upper School (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.1); Leighton Middle School (2.9 miles, Good); and Brooklands Middle School (3.6 miles, Good).

220 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Cottesloe School (as of April 2026): 87% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 66% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (87%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (66%).

Of the 187 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 43% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 70 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 34% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 41% into work. 14% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

15.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Leighton Buzzard Rail Station, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cottesloe School (adjacent), 120 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Cottesloe School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 13 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Buckinghamshire (44).

In 2024/25, The Cottesloe School issued 242 suspensions, 21.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.