Best secondary schools in Oxford and Oxfordshire

Oxford has many selling points when it comes to education but its state secondaries are not among them. Those who can scrape together the fees or apply for means-tested bursaries go private. The Cherwell School is ‘state school of choice to the great and good of Oxford’s academic and medical set’, according to our reviewer, though even living in catchment does not guarantee a place. Pressure should be eased by the arrival of The Swan School, part of the same trust, but it's still a relative newcomer, so this requires a small leap of faith. Headington families look at Cheney School; if you’re right on the edge of town you could consider Wheatley Park School. In the Botley area, Matthew Arnold School is well thought of, and you may be able to pick up Bartholomew School, too (see west Oxfordshire below).

Didcot Girls’ School (Oxfordshire’s only comprehensive all-girls’ school) shares a co-ed sixth form with St Birinus School. We hear wonderful things about inspiring teaching for all abilities; school offers everything from Dungeons and Dragons to ukulele ensemble. There’s a chance of picking up The Downs, in Compton, though usually you’ll need to be in catchment, over the border. Europa School offers bilingual teaching, with French, Spanish and German streams throughout the school. Joining late is not for the faint-hearted (or the resolutely monolingual). Everybody takes the IB, rather than A levels, the only state school in Oxfordshire to offer it. 

The Warriner School is considered a decent option and is one of few in the country to have a working farm. However, many pupils in its catchment are now choosing to travel to Chipping Norton School in West Oxfordshire which is now considered the state school of choice in the locality.

There are no grammar schools in Oxfordshire itself but north and west of Banbury you’re in the ‘southern priority circle’ for Warwickshire grammars, which require high scores in the 11+ test before a council application. Boys at King Edward VI School (KES) are ‘busy, purposeful, happy’, exhibiting ‘kindness and exemplary manners’, says our review; Stratford Girls Grammar School shows girls that ‘the world is their oyster’. We wonder if KES alumnus William Shakespeare ever went to the joint school discos?

We wonder if KES alumnus William Shakespeare ever went to the joint school discos?

Those Buckinghamshire-way could look at Royal Latin School, requiring high scores in their Secondary Transfer Test before applying through the council. If you’re serious about pursuing grammars you may be better off towards Thame, or, even better, in Buckinghamshire itself.

Siting in 33 acres on the edge of Henley, Gillotts School is well thought of – with 200 pupils in a year group, you should get in from within a couple of miles even if you’re not in catchment. Langtree School, in the delightful village of Woodcote, only takes 120 pupils a year, so you’ll need to be either in catchment or a sibling. Both get amongst the best Progress 8 scores in the county and feed to Henley College for sixth form. Wallingford School is bigger, with its own sixth form and super expressive arts.

Actually in Thame, our reviewer found ‘strong academics’, a thriving performing arts scene and super pastoral care at Lord Williams’s School. Huge majority attend a feeder primary or live in the school’s designated area.

Bear in mind that moving over the border would take you into Buckinghamshire grammar catchments; our guide to Buckinghamshire will tell you more about how it works. Aylesbury High School (girls) and Aylesbury Grammar School (boys) are neighbours; at AGS, our reviewer found ‘a grammar school in its purest form: purposeful, determined and socially diverse’.

Chipping Norton School has steadily been building a glowing reputation. Rising results with excellent value-added scores and the increasing allure of a fantastic sixth from which attracts top pupils from neighbouring schools, both state and independent. Priority is given to applicants from designated primary schools and live in the catchment area but recent years have seen admissions from further and wider. It's worth living in catchment for Bartholomew School, in Eynsham, which is well thought of, had successive glowing Ofsted inspections and more villagey than nearby Witney schools. Burford School is described by our reviewer as an ‘innovative school which balances academic rigour, personal development, and a caring community,’ (and boarding – see Oxfordshire boarding schools). The Cotswold School is also worth a shot. Admission distances vary each year but children do hop on school buses from Chipping Norton, Charlbury, Hook Norton, though you won’t actually fall within the priority catchment unless you live in Gloucestershire.

Most children with special needs in Oxfordshire attend a mainstream primary, secondary or academy school. Some mainstream schools have specialist resource bases for particular areas of need. For example, children of secondary age with an EHCP and a diagnosis of communication and interaction needs are supported at Lord Williams's School, Thame, and Fitzharry’s School, Abingdon.

Others offering integrated classes for children with specific needs include The Cherwell School (autism resource provision and hearing impairment resource base) and The Marlborough School, Woodstock, which supports students with physical needs and autism in the purpose-built Ormerod hub, with regular physio, OT and speech and language input. The Warriner School, Bloxham, has its own hub for students (11-16) with communication and interaction difficulties in a therapeutic environment. Bloxham Grove Academy opened in January 2024. It shares a site with Warriner School and is for children between the ages of 7-18 with excepetional learning experience. Currently as 84 students but rolling out to 120.

Special schools throughout the county tend to be through-schools to the age of 18, eg Mabel Prichard School (Blackbird Leys) and The Iffley Academy (Oxford). John Watson School (Wheatley) and Frank Wise School (Banbury) support severe, complex or profound learning difficulties. Kingfisher School in Abingdon and Fitzwaryn School in Wantage are both special schools for children from nursery to 19 who have a range of complex learning needs, including autism.

Mainstream or special school, find out about your education options from Oxfordshire County Council’s SEND local offer.