Burford School
Burford, OX18 4PL · Oxfordshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
13th of 40 secondary schools in Oxfordshire we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 665 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 3.6/10 among them, against 6.4/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 48.6 · 59 | 30% | 1.78 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.21 · 65 | 25% | 1.63 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 50.7 · 73 | 10% | 0.73 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Burford School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 59.6% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 52.4, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.21 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally who started from the same place. Ofsted rated the school Good in 2023. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 5.3 out of 10 among them, against 7.5 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils join the Symphony Orchestra, Choral Society, and Musical Theatre. Sports include Rugby Union, Hockey, and Cricket. Trips include a ski trip to Austria and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,452 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,400. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
What support is available for pupils aiming to improve their Progress 8 scores? How are places allocated for the next entry year?
What Ofsted said about Burford School
Overview
Burford School continues to be a good school, where pupils are keen to attend and benefit from high expectations for conduct and learning. The curriculum is ambitious, with a strong focus on vocabulary and consistent assessment methods that help pupils understand their progress. However, the report highlights that teaching quality and support for disadvantaged pupils require further refinement to ensure all students achieve their potential.
Strengths
- Pupils enjoy a wide variety of clubs and extra-curricular activities, fostering a commitment to "life-long learning".
- Sixth-form students value the support to "follow their passions" and take pride in leadership roles within the school.
- Teachers use consistent methods to check pupil knowledge, ensuring students find feedback useful and know how to act on it.
- Behaviour is described as "calm, polite and friendly," with lessons rarely disrupted due to high expectations.
- The personal, social and health education curriculum is "well-developed," providing age-appropriate guidance on important concepts.
Areas to improve
- The school must monitor the impact of its support for disadvantaged pupils, who do not always achieve as well as their peers or gain fully from personal development opportunities.
- Teaching and resources do not consistently support all pupils to learn as much as they can, meaning some are not consistently learning the ambitious curriculum.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 49.3 |
| 2024/25 | 52.4 |
| 2025/26 | 50.7 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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