Winchcombe School, Cheltenham
Winchcombe School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Cheltenham, part of The Balcarras Trust. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 6 expected standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2022. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 8th-highest of the 9 schools in Cheltenham with published results, and 1,988th of 3,298 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted report card
- 0 of 6 areas strong or better
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
- Progress (2024)
- Average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Gloucestershire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Winchcombe School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 16 June 2026 inspection grades Winchcombe School on 6 areas: 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils typically complete their chosen qualifications successfully."
Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "The school and the trust have high expectations for pupils' attendance."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have planned the curriculum to be broad and ambitious."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils to achieve well."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and those responsible for governance have correctly identified the development priorities for the school."
Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have planned a personal development curriculum that prepares pupils well for healthy adult lives."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise they need to consistently identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding and use this information to help pupils to close these gaps quickly"; "Leaders should continue to embed the attendance support strategies so that attendance continues to rise for all pupils".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Results
In 2026, pupils at Winchcombe School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 51.2 in Gloucestershire and 47 across England.
39% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 54% in Gloucestershire and 47% in England.
That is up from 42.8 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.01: 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 37.6, against 46.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.7 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 18 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Design and Technology.
Getting a place at Winchcombe School
For September 2026 entry, 88 families put Winchcombe School as their first choice and 324 named it as one of their preferences, for 111 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Winchcombe School are Cleeve School (4.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.4); and Pittville School (5.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.2).
Each of them had higher 2026 results than Winchcombe School.
The trust
Winchcombe School is one of 3 schools run by The Balcarras Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 97 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 34% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.
Who goes there
2.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 47 pupils (9.1%) received SEN support and 35 (6.8%) 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
The nearest tram or metro stop is Winchcombe (Gloucs Warwicks Railway), about 300 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Winchcombe School (outside), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Winchcombe School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Winchcombe School issued 58 suspensions, 11 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Winchcombe School are Winchcombe Abbey Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles) and Gretton Primary School (1.2 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Winchcombe Abbey Church of England Primary SchoolGretton Primary School
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- InclusionExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Winchcombe School
Pupils at Winchcombe School are very proud of their school. They know that adults will help and support them with their learning and their wellbeing. Pupils typically achieve well in most areas of the curriculum. Where pupils have not made as much progress from their starting points as they should, leaders have acted quickly to improve the curriculum and adapt teaching to meet pupils' needs. This means that pupils are increasingly better prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training. Pupils have positive relationships with their peers and staff. This makes them feel safe. Pupils joining the school are quickly welcomed into the school community. Pupils appreciate the clarity about the expectations for their behaviour. This means that typically pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning and lessons are not disrupted. On the rare occasion that bullying occurs, pupils report concerns to adults and peer mentors so that issues are quickly resolved. Pupils know that it is important to attend school regularly so that they do not miss learning. Most pupils attend well. Where a pupil finds it difficult to attend school, staff work with the pupil and their family to understand and overcome any barriers. Student leaders act as role models for other pupils. Pupils are keen to help improve the school for the benefit of everyone. For example, the Eco Club have created a Zen Garden where pupils and staff can find a moment of calm to support their wellbeing. Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils are proud to represent the school at sports, perform in school productions and raise money for charities. They develop employability skills through workshops with local businesses and higher education providers. These opportunities prepare pupils well for their adult lives.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise they need to consistently identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding and use this information to help pupils to close these gaps quickly.
- Leaders should continue to embed the attendance support strategies so that attendance continues to rise for all pupils.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 16 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Winchcombe School creates a welcoming, supportive environment where pupils feel safe and are proud to learn. The school excels at identifying individual pupil needs quickly and providing tailored support, whether academic or pastoral, ensuring all pupils can succeed. Staff genuinely care about pupil wellbeing and offer an impressive range of experiences from chess leagues and drama productions to work experience and Duke of Edinburgh's Award, helping every pupil discover and develop their talents.
Key Strengths
- Strong careers programme with multiple work experience and employer engagement opportunities
- Effective support for pupils with additional needs through early identification and tailored strategies
- Calm, respectful school culture with rare bullying and quick resolution of behaviour concerns
- Wide range of extracurricular activities and enrichment opportunities
- Rapid improvements to curriculum and teaching to address historical gaps in some subjects
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not always use assessment information effectively to adjust activities and close knowledge gaps quickly enough
- Some pupils still miss too much time in school despite significant improvements to attendance strategies
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Chess leagues, spelling bees, school productions, trips (including geography fieldwork and university visits), Duke of Edinburgh's Award, sports representation, charity fundraising, Eco Club, Zen Garden, student leadership roles (Head Students and Peer Counsellors), workshops with local businesses and higher education providers
Winchcombe School is meeting expected standards across all areas of inspection. The school has a calm, positive learning environment where pupils are well-supported and show pride in their work.
About
Winchcombe School is a mixed secondary school located in Winchcombe in the English county of Gloucestershire. The school opened in 1952.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
21.6%
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 declined from 0.18 to -0.01 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 47.5 to 44.0 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 49% to 39% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 44.0 | 39.4% |
| Disadvantaged(26) | - | 37.6 | 30.8% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(73) | - | 46.3 | 42.5% |
| Boys(50) | - | 44.7 | 38% |
| Girls(49) | - | 43.4 | 40.8% |
Show more breakdowns (1)
| Non mobile(98) | - | 44.3 | 39.8% |
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) - 97 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
58
Suspensions
10.98%
Suspension rate
38 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 528 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Winchcombe School
Term dates
Winchcombe School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Gloucestershire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Winchcombe School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Winchcombe School is in Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 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 Winchcombe School
Will you get a place at Winchcombe School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Winchcombe School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Winchcombe School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Winchcombe School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Gloucestershire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Winchcombe School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Gloucestershire 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
87%
Available places
522 pupils
600 places
78 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Cheltenham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cheltenham
Across Gloucestershire council
Places available
7,977
Applications
6,517
Got 1st preference
86.8%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
47
SEN Support
35
EHC Plans
15.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
515
Total Pupils
269
Boys
246
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
35
Teachers
14.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,822
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,012
Per pupil
£3866k
Total funding
£116k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.8%
Overall absence
28.0%
Persistent absence
542
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
Questions parents ask about Winchcombe School
What are GCSE results like at Winchcombe School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Winchcombe School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 44. 39% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Winchcombe School's Ofsted rating?
Winchcombe School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2022, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Winchcombe School?
No fixed boundary. When Winchcombe School is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Winchcombe School?
Winchcombe School was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 600 places.
How big are the classes at Winchcombe School?
Classes at Winchcombe School average 24 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Winchcombe School?
Winchcombe School has around 515 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Winchcombe School?
9.8% of sessions were missed at Winchcombe School in 2024/25. 28% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Winchcombe School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Winchcombe 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 Winchcombe School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Winchcombe School?
Winchcombe School is at Greet Road, Winchcombe, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 5LB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)