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The Cooper School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Churchill Road, Bicester OX26 4RS · thecooperschool.co.uk · 01869 242121

On the mapSearch near OX26 4RS

Overview

Ofsted
No overall grade
2019 framework · inspected Feb 2025
GCSEs, 2024/25
41.7
average Attainment 8 score. Oxfordshire 46.4, England 46
Demand for places
0.7
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,118
84% of 1,333 places
Local authority
Oxfordshire
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
13.4%
First language not English
15.7%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Acer Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 120 families put the school first and 184 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 183 (Places 209)183September 2023: 164 (Places 185)164September 2024: 171 (Places 186)171September 2025: 173 (Places 178)173September 2026: 120 (Places 184)120Places 184
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20261841200.7100%
September 2025Sept 20251781731100%
September 2024Sept 20241861710.9100%
September 2023Sept 20231851640.9100%
September 2022Sept 20222091830.9100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 41.7, and 39.5% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Oxfordshire it was 46.4, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (31 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 49.6 (England 46.3)49.62017/18: 48.1 (England 46.5)48.12018/19: 48.1 (England 46.7)48.12021/22: 48.1 (England 48.8)48.12022/23: 43.9 (England 46.3)43.92023/24: 44.6 (England 45.9)44.62024/25: 41.7 (England 46.0)41.7England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼41.746.0
▼39.5%45.4%
▼60.0%64.8%
▼18.6%40.5%
▼3.594.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form38−10.8
Sixth form college0.4—
Further education41.5+6.5
Other education0.90
Apprenticeship1.7−1.5
Employment9+2.5
Not in a lasting destination4.7+1
Activity not captured3.8+2

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 27.8 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 31.0 (England 31.1)C2017/18: 26.9 (England 32.1)C-2018/19: 33.4 (England 32.9)C+2021/22: 38.2 (England 37.9)B-2022/23: 33.1 (England 34.2)C+2023/24: 31.4 (England 34.4)C2024/25: 31.0 (England 35.0)CEngland 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
108 studentsC (31)Average +0.08
108 studentsC (31)Average +0.07
21 studentsMerit+ (28.9)Average +0.29
2.3%AAB or better
96.2%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/24102C (31.4)+0.11
2022/23100C+ (33.1)—
2021/2292B- (38.2)—
2018/19110C+ (33.4)+0.11
2017/18103C- (26.9)-0.20
2016/17117C (31)+0.08
2015/16120C- (27.8)-0.32

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University50−11.7
Further and other education2.7−3.7
Further education1.8−3.5
Other education0.9−0.2
Apprenticeship3.6+1.5
Employment29.1+6.8
Not in a lasting destination12.7+6.3
Activity not captured1.8+0.7

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected The Cooper School on 25 February 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.

Overall
No overall grade
Inspected
25 Feb 2025
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementRequires improvement
Sixth formGood

Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Nov 2022

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Nov 2022Requires improvement
    Quality of educationRequires improvement
    Behaviour and attitudesGood
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • May 2013Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
  • May 2011Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementOutstanding

What parents said

75% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (210 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
75%
Replies
210
17% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school▼81% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe●88% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼66% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼77% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼82% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼63% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing●83% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▼86% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▼70% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▼66% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼72% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 81% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly●49% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 41% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼61% agreeEngland 67%

based on 50 parents (24%) with SEND

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