Getting a Year 7 place in 2026
9.24 miles
Last year, children living within 9.24 miles of Winchcombe School were offered a Year 7 place on distance.
111places
88families put it first
99%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
111 Year 7 places for September 2026. 88 families put it first, about 0.8 for each place.
The furthest distance offered a place in 2026 was 9.24 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 4.35 and 9.25 miles since 2019.
Average GCSE grade
4.4
About typical (4.5)
English: average grade
4.2
▼ Lower than typical (4.8)
Maths: average grade
4.8
▲ Higher than typical (4.5)
English and maths grade 4+
60%
▼ Lower than typical (65%)
English and maths grade 5+
39%
About typical (42%)
Ofsted
Expected standard
Report card, 2026
Lessons missed
8.7%
About typical (8.4%)
Pupils per teacher
15.7
▼ 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.
−0.3
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 (26% 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+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 96 | 4.2county 4.7 | 67% | 3% |
| Mathematics | 96 | 4.9county 4.7 | 76% | 25% |
| English Literature | 95 | 3.9county 4.7 | 65% | 2% |
| Combined Science | 94 | 4.6county 4.4 | 65% | 17% |
| Geography | 52 | 4.9county 4.7 | 62% | 29% |
| Design and Technology | 44 | 4.8county 4.9 | 75% | 21% |
| Media / Film / TV Studies | 42 | 4.4county 4.7 | 71% | 5% |
| History | 40 | 3.9county 4.7 | 45% | 13% |
| Business Studies | 35 | 4.0county 4.7 | 54% | 9% |
| Physical Education | 24 | 4.9county 5.0 | 63% | 29% |
| Spanish | 21 | 5.0county 5.2 | 71% | 29% |
| Art and Design | 13 | 4.8county 5.0 | 85% | 15% |
| Computer Science | 13 | 6.0county 4.3 | 100% | 31% |
| Drama | 13 | 4.2county 5.0 | 62% | 8% |
| Music | 12 | 4.4county 5.1 | 58% | 8% |
| Religious Studies | 10 | 4.8county 5.1 | 80% | 10% |
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
90%
Glos 92% · England 91%
Went to a school sixth form
35%
here or at another school
Went to a college
45%
sixth form or further education college
Started an apprenticeship
6%
See three years and more detail
| Leaving year | 2021/2294 pupils | 2022/2397 pupils | 2023/2497 pupils | Glos 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, training or work | 96% | 95% | 90% | 92% |
| School sixth form | 46% | 38% | 35% | 46% |
| Sixth form college | 10% | 8% | 11% | 10% |
| Further education college | 26% | 38% | 34% | 29% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 6% | 6% | 4% |
| Work | 7% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| Did not stay in any of these | 3% | 2% | 6% | 5% |
| Not known | 1% | 3% | 4% | 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
Expected standard
Report card, 2026
Report card (16 June 2026), each area rated on a five-step scale.
Inspection history (5 reports)
- 16 June 2026School inspection: report card (see above) · report
- 29 March 2022School inspection: Good · report
- 04 December 2018Short inspection · report
- 14 May 2015Full inspection · report
- 16 May 2013Full inspection · 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.
Share of parents who agreed, from 96 parents who filled in Ofsted's Parent View survey between November 2025 and September 2026. Parents choose whether to take part, so this may not reflect every family.
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 Winchcombe School?
Last year, children living within 9.24 miles of Winchcombe School were offered a Year 7 place on distance. Year by year since 2019: 2019: 4.35 miles; 2020: 6.67 miles; 2021: 8.77 miles; 2022: not full: everyone who applied got in; 2023: not full: everyone who applied got in; 2024: 8.30 miles; 2025: 8.08 miles; 2026: 9.25 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 Winchcombe School?
For September 2026 Year 7 entry, 88 families put Winchcombe School as their first choice, and 111 places were offered. (Department for Education, secondary applications and offers 2026)
What are Winchcombe School's GCSE results?
In 2026, pupils at Winchcombe School got an average Attainment 8 score of 44.0, and 60% got grade 4 or above in both English and maths. (Department for Education, provisional GCSE results 2025/26)
What did Ofsted say about Winchcombe School?
Inspected under Ofsted's new report cards (16 June 2026): 0 of 7 areas strong or better, none needing attention.
How do I apply for a place at Winchcombe 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.
Greet Road, Winchcombe, Cheltenham, GL54 5LB
Headteacher: Mr Parin Gohil
Run by an academy trust: The Balcarras Trust
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