Foundation school · Southampton

Cantell School

11–16Ages
1,313Pupils
SecondaryPhase
116469URN

Violet Road, Bassett, Southampton, SO16 3GJ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.9per place

0.8 above Southampton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Southampton

682 applications for 239 places · 3rd of 13 in Southampton

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

43.1of 90

Southampton 40.6 England 46.0

4th of 11 in Southampton

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 26 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding

Inspection history

26 March 2024
Graded inspection: Outstanding
3 February 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.9applications per place, Year 7

0.8 above Southampton median (2.0) 0.6 above England median (2.2)

682 applications · 239 places offered · 318 named it first

2026 2.9; Southampton median median 2.0
2025 2.8; Southampton median median 1.9
2024 2.3; Southampton median median 2.0
2023 2.3; Southampton median median 2.0
2022 2.3; Southampton median median 1.5
2021 2.4; Southampton median median 2.0
2020 2.2; Southampton median median 2.0
2019 1.8; Southampton median median 1.8
2018 1.4; Southampton median median 2.2
2017 1.6; Southampton median median 2.0
2016 1.5; Southampton median median 1.8
2015 1.7; Southampton median median 2.0
2014 1.7; Southampton median median 2.0

This school
Southampton median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	239	682	2.9	318	1.33
Sep 2025	241	682	2.8	325	1.35
Sep 2024	245	574	2.3	284	1.16
Sep 2023	246	567	2.3	258	1.05
Sep 2022	243	552	2.3	256	1.05
Sep 2021	241	570	2.4	238	0.99
Sep 2020	244	536	2.2	256	1.05
Sep 2019	238	421	1.8	204	0.86
Sep 2018	225	323	1.4	144	0.64
Sep 2017	194	313	1.6	135	0.70
Sep 2016	224	333	1.5	156	0.70
Sep 2015	174	288	1.7	106	0.61
Sep 2014	172	283	1.7	108	0.63

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

254 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)43.14th of 11 in Southampton

Southampton 40.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths38%4th of 11 in Southampton

Southampton 34% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths58%

Southampton 55% England 66%

This school
Southampton median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.21

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	254	43.1	38%	58%	–
2024/25	248	46.9	49%	65%	–
2023/24	240	45.6	46%	66%	+0.21
2022/23	229	45.1	41%	64%	+0.09

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Cantell SchoolThis school
This school

Outstanding2024

2.9applications per place 43.1Attainment 8
Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton
1.3 km · Southampton

Outstanding2023

3.2applications per place 57.8Attainment 8
Upper Shirley High School
2.2 km · Southampton

Standards maintained2025

2.6applications per place 47.6Attainment 8
Bitterne Park School
2.5 km · Southampton

Good2024

2.1applications per place 40.6Attainment 8
St Anne's Catholic School
3.0 km · Southampton

Remains Outstanding2022

1.7applications per place 54.4Attainment 8
St Mark's Church of England School
3.3 km · Southampton

Good2022

4.2applications per place
Regents Park Community College
3.7 km · Southampton

Remains Good2024

2.4applications per place
Oasis Academy Lord's Hill
3.9 km · Southampton

Serious weaknesses Inadequate2024

0.5applications per place 38.7Attainment 8
The Toynbee School
4.5 km · Hampshire

Standards maintained2024

2.5applications per place 49.2Attainment 8

School details

Type: Foundation school
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 116469 · 852/4311
Trust: Aspire Community Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,250 pupils · 1,313 on roll
Free school meals: 44.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Address: Violet Road, Bassett, Southampton, SO16 3GJ
Local authority: Southampton

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources