Getting a Year 7 place in 2026
2.39 miles
Last year, children living within 2.39 miles of Pittville School were offered a Year 7 place on distance.
162places
129families put it first
100%of those got in
Year by year since 2019
It moves a lot from year to year, so don't rely on one year alone.
The 2019 and 2020 tables do not say which rule the last place went on, so a full school is shown by its furthest distance.
More about how places were given
162 Year 7 places for September 2026. 129 families put it first, about 0.8 for each place.
The furthest distance offered a place in 2026 was 2.39 miles.
Looked-after children, EHC plans, siblings, catchment areas and faith can come before distance, and distances change every year. Read the admissions policy before you apply.
Last distance offered, September 2026 Year 7 entry, Gloucestershire County Council. Earlier years: allocation-day tables, Gloucestershire County Council. What this means
Secondary offer day (allocation day): 1 March 2027. Key dates
In short.
Worth knowing
- The distance that got a place has moved between 0.88 and 2.39 miles since 2019.
Average GCSE grade
4.4
About typical (4.5)
English: average grade
4.5
▼ Lower than typical (4.8)
Maths: average grade
4.2
▼ Lower than typical (4.5)
English and maths grade 4+
57%
▼ Lower than typical (65%)
English and maths grade 5+
33%
▼ Lower than typical (42%)
Ofsted
Standards kept
Short check, 2025
Lessons missed
10.5%
▲ Higher than typical (8.4%)
Pupils per teacher
14.7
▼ Lower than typical (16.6)
Typical is the middle school when all 34 Gloucestershire secondaries that are not grammar schools are lined up, half above and half below. Tap a box for the detail. GCSE grades run from 9 (highest) to 1; a 4 is a standard pass, roughly the old C.
How places are given.
This school sets its own admission rules. After children whose EHC plan names the school, if more families apply than there are places, its policy gives places in this order:
- Children in care, or who were in care
- Brothers and sisters of pupils at the school
- Children of staff (usually employed two years or more, or filling a hard-to-fill post)
- Everyone else, nearest first (straight-line distance)
Our short summary of the school's 2027 policy, checked 7 November 2026. The policy has the full definitions, such as who counts as a brother or sister and how distance is measured.
Read the school's admission rules for September 2027 (PDF)
Free school transport. If this is your nearest suitable school and the walking route is more than 2 miles (children under 8) or 3 miles (8 and over), the council usually provides free transport. Families on lower incomes can get help over shorter distances. School transport
GCSE results.
−0.2
grades lower in each subject, on average, than at schools in England with similar pupils. Similar pupils means a similar share from lower-income families (31% here).
Average GCSE grade, each year
Each year is a different group of pupils.
Results subject by subject
Average grade (9 is highest) and how many entries got a standard pass (grade 4+) or a top grade (7+), for subjects with 10 or more entries. "County" is the average for all Gloucestershire non-grammar schools.
| Subject | Entries | Average grade | Grade 4+ | Grade 7+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 168 | 4.2county 4.7 | 64% | 11% |
| Combined Science | 167 | 4.3county 4.4 | 64% | 12% |
| English Language | 167 | 4.3county 4.7 | 62% | 10% |
| English Literature | 165 | 4.2county 4.7 | 65% | 9% |
| Geography | 121 | 4.0county 4.7 | 50% | 17% |
| Business Studies | 78 | 5.1county 4.7 | 69% | 32% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 63 | 3.1county 4.7 | 29% | 3% |
| Art and Design | 56 | 5.0county 5.0 | 75% | 25% |
| History | 52 | 3.7county 4.7 | 42% | 19% |
| Spanish | 34 | 5.9county 5.2 | 88% | 41% |
| Design and Technology | 26 | 4.8county 4.9 | 65% | 19% |
| Film Studies | 25 | 4.2county 4.2 | 56% | 8% |
| Religious Studies | 22 | 4.8county 5.1 | 68% | 23% |
| Dance | 14 | 4.8county 4.5 | 71% | 21% |
| Drama | 12 | 5.2county 5.0 | 67% | 25% |
GCSE results 2025/26 (provisional), subject results. Small subjects can swing a lot from year to year.
Where it ranks in Gloucestershire
Positions are among Gloucestershire secondary schools that are not grammar schools with a published figure. 1st means the highest results. Typical is the school in the middle when they are lined up from highest to lowest. Jargon buster.
GCSE results 2025/26 (provisional).
Sixth form and next steps.
After Year 11
Where pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24 went.
Stayed in education, training or work
86%
Glos 92% · England 91%
Went to a school sixth form
39%
here or at another school
Went to a college
39%
sixth form or further education college
Started an apprenticeship
5%
See three years and more detail
| Leaving year | 2021/22159 pupils | 2022/23169 pupils | 2023/24189 pupils | Glos 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, training or work | 89% | 86% | 86% | 92% |
| School sixth form | 28% | 30% | 39% | 46% |
| Sixth form college | 13% | 7% | 8% | 10% |
| Further education college | 39% | 36% | 30% | 29% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 7% | 5% | 4% |
| Work | 5% | 6% | 4% | 3% |
| Did not stay in any of these | 7% | 6% | 8% | 5% |
| Not known | 4% | 8% | 6% | 3% |
Percentages of pupils who left that year. “Glos” is all Gloucestershire state schools and colleges. Rows can add up to more or less than 100% because of rounding and pupils doing more than one thing.
Ofsted.
Ofsted
Standards kept
Short check, 2025
A short Ofsted check (26 February 2025) found it is keeping up its standards.
“The school has high expectations of pupils. It is aspirational for what all pupils have the potential to achieve. Pupils meet these expectations. They demonstrate the values of the school, which include respect and kindness. Pupils are happy and feel safe in school. They behave well in lessons and around the school site. […]”
Read the full report (PDF) · Ofsted, Open Government Licence.
Inspection history (12 reports)
- 25 February 2025School inspection · report
- 11 June 2019Full inspection: Good · report
- 25 November 2015Full inspection: Good · report
- 24 February 2015Monitoring visit · report
- 10 January 2014Monitoring visit · report
- 24 September 2013Full inspection: Requires Improvement · report
- 07 December 2011Full inspection: Satisfactory · report
- 08 March 2011Curriculum and development visit · report
- 14 January 2009Full inspection: Good · report
- 14 May 2008Curriculum and development visit · report
Grades from different years were given under different rules, so they are not directly comparable. Reports from before a school became an academy are listed under its old school on the Ofsted website.
What parents told Ofsted.
Not enough parents filled in Ofsted's Parent View survey for this school to publish results. Ofsted only publishes a school's results once 10 or more parents have answered (November 2025 to September 2026).
See this school on Ofsted Parent View, or add your own views if your child goes there.
Day to day.
Pupils
Attendance and behaviour
Teachers and money
Behaviour policies differ between schools, so compare suspensions with care. Pupils and staff: school census and workforce census, Department for Education.
Questions parents ask.
How close do you need to live to get a place at Pittville School?
Last year, children living within 2.39 miles of Pittville School were offered a Year 7 place on distance. Year by year since 2019: 2019: 1.04 miles; 2021: 0.88 miles; 2022: 1.47 miles; 2023: 1.16 miles; 2024: 1.29 miles; 2025: 1.13 miles; 2026: 2.39 miles. It moves a lot from year to year, so don't rely on one year alone. Distances change every year, and children in priority groups (such as looked-after children, children with an EHC plan naming the school and brothers or sisters of current pupils) can get places before distance is used.
How many families applied to Pittville School?
For September 2026 Year 7 entry, 129 families put Pittville School as their first choice, and 162 places were offered. (Department for Education, secondary applications and offers 2026)
What are Pittville School's GCSE results?
In 2026, pupils at Pittville School got an average Attainment 8 score of 44.2, and 57% got grade 4 or above in both English and maths. (Department for Education, provisional GCSE results 2025/26)
What did Ofsted say about Pittville School?
A short Ofsted check (26 February 2025) found it is keeping up its standards.
How do I apply for a place at Pittville School?
You apply to your home council, not to the school. If you live in Gloucestershire, that is Gloucestershire County Council. For September 2027 entry, on-time applications closed at midnight, 31 October 2026, and offers are sent on 1 March 2027. Late applications are dealt with after on-time ones.
Contact and nearby.
Albert Road, Cheltenham, GL52 3JD
Headteacher: Mr Paul Dipple
Nearby secondary schools
Spotted something wrong on this page? Tell us
This is a guide, not an admissions decision. Figures come from the Department for Education, Ofsted and Gloucestershire County Council and were last updated 7 November 2026. Always check the school's admissions policy and the council's admissions pages before applying. How admissions work