Schools by area › Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole › Highcliffe School
Highcliffe School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–19 · Academy
Parkside, Highcliffe, Christchurch BH23 4QD · highcliffe.school · 01425 273381
On the mapSearch near BH23 4QD
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Jun 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 47
- average Attainment 8 score. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 50.5, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,519
- 58 over 1,461 places · 104%
- Local authority
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 15.8%
- First language not English
- 4.3%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 256 families put the school first and 256 places were offered; 97% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 256 | 256 | 1 | 97% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 252 | 249 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 289 | 259 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 258 | 299 | 1.2▲ | 84% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 270 | 301 | 1.1▲ | 87% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 47, and 45.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole it was 50.5, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (34.6 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●47 | 46 | ||
| ●45.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲75.2% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲45.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.26 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 52.3 | +3.5 |
| Sixth form college | 0.9 | −1.9 |
| Further education | 31.9 | +4 |
| Other education | 1.7 | −0.2 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.8 | −1.3 |
| Employment | 4.7 | −2.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 3.8 | −0.9 |
| Activity not captured | 0.9 | −0.5 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 107 students | C+ (34.6) | Average -0.04 | |
| 107 students | C+ (34.5) | Average -0.04 | |
| 25 students | Dist (35.2) | Above average +0.40 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 108 | C+ (34.9) | +0.09 |
| 2022/23 | 118 | C+ (31.9) | — |
| 2021/22 | 152 | B- (36.2) | — |
| 2018/19 | 147 | C (30.9) | -0.05 |
| 2017/18 | 100 | C (30.3) | +0.06 |
| 2016/17 | 158 | C (29.7) | -0.13 |
| 2015/16 | 163 | C+ (32.3) | +0.12 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 39.3 | −4.6 |
| Further and other education | 12 | +3.7 |
| Further education | 11.1 | +4.1 |
| Other education | 0.9 | −0.4 |
| Apprenticeship | 6 | +2.8 |
| Employment | 30.8 | −2.3 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 9.4 | +2.4 |
| Activity not captured | 2.6 | −1.9 |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 28 June 2023, Ofsted’s outcome for Highcliffe School was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 27 Jun 2023
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Nov 2017
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Nov 2017Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Mar 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
72% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (290 replies, to 1 April 2024).
- Recommend
- 72%
- Replies
- 290
- 19% · 1 Apr 2024
based on the 80% who raised concerns
based on the 41% who had a child bullied
based on 49 parents (17%) with SEND