Matthew Arnold School
Oxford, OX2 9JE · Oxfordshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
14th 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 640 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.7/10 among them, against 5.8/10 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 | 46.0 · 53 | 46% | 2.43 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.18 · 63 | 38% | 2.43 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 48.6 · 63 | 15% | 0.97 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Matthew Arnold School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 65.2% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 56.5, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.18 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better 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 5.7 out of 10 among them, against 7.8 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join clubs including Chess, Creative Writing, Drama, and Mandarin. Sports include Tennis Tuesdays. Arts and music offerings feature the MASsive Orchestra, Choir, Jazz band, and Big Sing. An after-school club is available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,255 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,220. 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
How does the school support pupils to maintain progress scores above 0? What specific support is available for students joining the drama or music ensembles?
What Ofsted said about Matthew Arnold School
Overview
Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming school, where the ethos of ‘Success for Everyone’ is lived out by staff and pupils. The report describes a setting where pupils benefit from positive relationships, high-quality pastoral support, and an ambitious curriculum that is carefully sequenced across all subjects. Leaders have taken effective action since the last inspection, ensuring that staff feel supported and that statutory duties are fulfilled to a high standard.
Strengths
- The curriculum is ‘ambitious for all pupils’, with key knowledge identified in all subjects and teachers using expert knowledge to collaboratively design learning.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well, with staff ensuring they ‘receive the support they need to learn alongside their peers’.
- Attendance is ‘improving’ due to prioritised monitoring and pastoral work with families to overcome individual barriers.
- Sixth-form students provide ‘high-quality student leadership’, running charity events and acting as peer mentors to younger pupils.
- Most pupils become ‘confident and fluent readers’ thanks to effective early checks and targeted support for those struggling.
Areas to improve
- Pedagogical processes are ‘not embedded consistently well’ in some lessons, meaning some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.
- The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is ‘not consistently implemented across the school’, preventing pupils from deepening their understanding of taught concepts.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 50.1 |
| 2024/25 | 56.5 |
| 2025/26 | 48.6 |
| 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
Saved schools live on this device only — no account, no tracking. Visit the school's website
Loading full school details…
Similar schools nearby
Same area, prioritising the same phase — useful for shortlisting alternatives.
Every school within 2.5 miles of OX2 9JE, with results, demand and deadlines — area report →
Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?
Ask SchoolsGPT