Cove School
Farnborough, GU14 9RN · Hampshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
58th of 69 secondary schools in Hampshire we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 870 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.6/10 among them, against 1.4/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 31.5 · 18 | 46% | 0.81 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.74 · 7 | 38% | 0.27 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 39.6 · 18 | 15% | 0.27 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Cove School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 35.5% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 42.7, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.74 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.4 out of 10 among them, against 2.1 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join Computing, Science, and Eco-warriers clubs, or participate in football, rugby, netball, table tennis, basketball, indoor rowing, cycling, and boxing. Arts options include the Cove Choir, steel pans group, and Rock and Pop Foundation. An after-school club is available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,007 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,050. 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
With a Progress 8 score of -0.74, how does the school support pupils to improve their progress from their starting point? How does the school integrate the wide range of
What Ofsted said about Cove School
Overview
Cove School is a place where pupils are generally happy and behaviour is typically calm, with staff maintaining high expectations. However, the quality of education and leadership require improvement because the curriculum is not delivered consistently well, preventing some pupils from achieving as highly as they should.
Strengths
- Pupils benefit from a "positive and open culture" where they feel teachers care about them and want them to succeed.
- Behaviour is "typically calm" with lessons focused and learning rarely disrupted; bullying is handled effectively.
- Personal development is prioritised through a "carefully planned curriculum" in PSHE that helps pupils keep themselves safe and make informed career choices.
- The school has done "very effective work to improve attendance" and significantly reduced suspensions by supporting pupils with behavioural needs.
- Pupils take full advantage of extracurricular opportunities, including clubs and the pupil leadership team.
Areas to improve
- The school must ensure teachers have the expertise to adapt the curriculum for pupils with SEND or those who find reading difficult, so all pupils can succeed.
- Leaders need to ensure improvements to curriculum delivery are applied consistently and check their impact to reduce variation in education quality.
- Governors must focus more effectively on challenging leaders to raise standards and secure robust assurances about the impact of initiatives on pupils’ learning.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 40.4 |
| 2024/25 | 42.7 |
| 2025/26 | 39.6 |
| 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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