Upper Shirley High School, Southampton

In its own words: "USH is a happy place where all are challenged to achieve; where we are distinguished as leaders of learning and the passion of our people transforms futures. Our Values of Believe, Respect and Succeed underpin our school motto of Learning without Limits. We expect all members of the USH community to live and breath our values."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am immensely proud to be Headteacher of our values led family school. We are passionate about providing young people with opportunities to develop their own individual unique talents and be the best that they can be. USH students are truly inspiring; they are respectful, eloquent, and full of character."

In 2026, pupils at Upper Shirley High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 41.1 in Southampton and 47 across England.

48% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 37% in Southampton and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 47.

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 39.5, against 52.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 248 families put Upper Shirley High School as their first choice and 559 named it as one of their preferences, for 215 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 51 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Upper Shirley High School are Regents Park Community College (0.9 miles); St Mark's Church of England School (0.9 miles, Good); St Anne's Catholic School (1.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 54.4); and Oasis Academy Lord's Hill (1.4 miles, Inadequate, Attainment 8 38.7).

Upper Shirley High School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.

Upper Shirley High School is one of 37 schools run by Hamwic Education Trust, an academy trust.

151 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Upper Shirley High School (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (88%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).

Of the 210 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 15% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

32.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (58%), Asian (12%) and Mixed (8%).

The nearest railway station is Millbrook (Hants) Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Vincent Avenue, 190 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Upper Shirley High School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Upper Shirley High School issued 161 suspensions, 14.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Upper Shirley High School are Shirley Junior School (0.1 miles), Shirley Infant School (0.1 miles), Hollybrook Junior School (0.4 miles) and Hollybrook Infant School (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.