Ages 
Like the green pastures of the Cotswold landscape, Burford School has withstood the ravages of time, providing a bedrock academic education and an ever-evolving creative experience. Both day and boarding pupils are kept busy and motivated, at work and play. The paint may have faded a bit over the years, but the standards haven’t.
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 1,439 ·
- Sixth form numbers
- 215 ·
- Offers boarding
- Yes ·
- Fees
- No day fees; Boarding £12,300 pa
- Local authority
- Oxfordshire County Council
- Area guides
Headteacher
Headteacher
Mr Matthew Albrighton
Since 2021, Mr Matthew Albrighton MA (Cantab) PGCE FRSA. No stranger to the region, he was born in Northamptonshire and attended Warwick School before reading geography at Cambridge and training as a teacher. First post was at King Edward VI
Entrance
Non-selective. Oxfordshire County Council entry procedure, taking from nine partnered primary schools, with an effective catchment area beyond of about four miles. Entry for boarding places is wider – applicants with a British passport considered
- Open days
- September
Entry and exit data - year 7 entry (average 2020-2022)
Exit
Between 60-70 per cent leave after GCSEs for local FE colleges – Abingdon and Witney, City of Oxford and Cirencester colleges popular. ‘Academically ambitious – geared for university in the main,’ said a parent of the sixth formers. Good numbers to
% students progressing to higher education or training (2021 leavers)
What is this?
The proportion of 16-18 students that progressed to degrees, higher apprenticeships or other study at level 4 or above for at least 6 consecutive months in the 2 years after taking advanced level qualifications (level 3) at this school or college.
Latest results
In 2024, 22 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 76 per cent 9-4 in both English and maths. At A level, 24 per cent A*/A (53 per cent A*-B).
% of pupils achieving grade 5 or above (A* to C) in English and maths GCSE (2024)
What is this?
This tells you the percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs.
Average points score (2024)
What is this?
These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.
Teaching & learning
Any school that celebrates its 450th birthday can’t be short of savoir-faire, and Burford regularly turns out steady academic results from an interesting and broad curriculum. Year 7s are split into tutor groups to cover a solid range of subjects, as
- Qualifications taken in 2024
- A level
- BTEC
- EPQ
- GCSE
Learning support & SEN
Average numbers of children with learning support in the Learning Zone, with some one-to-one after school or lunchtime and some TAs in class or for exams. One mum felt that SEN support was not full or timely enough for children with milder needs: ‘I
Arts & extracurricular
Timetabled art, photography and ceramics ‘circus’ for years 7 to 9, which develops a strong interest; good uptake in the exam years when art and photography can be studied as independent A levels. Displays in the school hall and in a divinely
Sport
With over 40 acres of land and a long heritage, Burford is a formidable competitor in the local leagues. Cricket on the home square, in front of a picturesque thatched pavilion, is particularly strong, frequently earning the school a place in the
Boarders
As one of only 34 state boarding schools in the country, Burford provides full-time boarding places for 100 UK passport holders at a fraction of the cost of independent boarding schools. Lenthall House, the 450-year-old schoolhouse in the heart of
Ethos & heritage
Founded by local merchant Simon Wysdom in 1571 as a grammar school for the sons of Burford’s tradesmen, the school is still conscious of its rich history and displays a copy of its original charter in the reception hall. Now a co-ed comp and located
Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline
There are tutors for academic support, a school parliament for day-to-day issues and the school has formal arrangements with independent listeners, as well as a counsellor for mental-health support. ‘You’ll always get student anxieties,’ said a
Pupils & parents
Parents, we heard, are ‘all quite different’, including many ‘working parents too busy to go to matches’. Day pupils’ families are drawn from the local Cotswold villages, while boarders’ parents live far and wide. ‘Some are very wealthy but there are
Money matters
LA-funded education, with boarding at £11,250 pa. ‘Very reasonable,’ said parents.
- Fee information
- No day fees; Boarding £12,300 pa
The last word
Like the green pastures of the Cotswold landscape, Burford School has withstood the ravages of time, providing a bedrock academic education and an ever-evolving creative experience. Both day and boarding pupils are kept busy and motivated, at work
Inspection reports
Ofsted reports
Short inspection: Good
You can read full reports on the Ofsted website
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Sixth form provision | Good |
