Academy sponsor led · Oxfordshire

The Bicester School

11–18Ages
1,176Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
142024URN

Queen's Avenue, Bicester, OX26 2NS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.7per place

0.6 below Oxfordshire median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Oxfordshire

385 applications for 233 places · 31st of 38 in Oxfordshire

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

47.3of 90

Oxfordshire 46.2 England 46.0

17th of 41 in Oxfordshire

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 12 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Sixth form provision		Good

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

1.7applications per place, Year 7

0.6 below Oxfordshire median (2.3) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

385 applications · 233 places offered · 184 named it first

2026 1.7; Oxfordshire median median 2.3
2025 2.0; Oxfordshire median median 2.2
2024 2.1; Oxfordshire median median 2.3
2023 1.8; Oxfordshire median median 2.3
2022 1.5; Oxfordshire median median 1.9
2021 1.7; Oxfordshire median median 1.9
2020 1.6; Oxfordshire median median 1.9
2019 1.3; Oxfordshire median median 1.8
2018 1.4; Oxfordshire median median 1.8
2017 1.4; Oxfordshire median median 1.8
2016 1.6; Oxfordshire median median 1.7
2015 1.5; Oxfordshire median median 1.7; as the previous school
2014 1.4; Oxfordshire median median 1.6; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Oxfordshire median in 0 of 11 years.

This school
Oxfordshire median

Dashed bars: as Bicester Community College (URN 123233), the previous school.

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	233	385	1.7	184	0.79
Sep 2025	176	357	2.0	168	0.95
Sep 2024	174	357	2.1	141	0.81
Sep 2023	209	381	1.8	165	0.79
Sep 2022	203	309	1.5	151	0.74
Sep 2021	196	331	1.7	173	0.88
Sep 2020	240	374	1.6	234	0.98
Sep 2019	269	346	1.3	238	0.88
Sep 2018	238	322	1.4	193	0.81
Sep 2017	216	300	1.4	153	0.71
Sep 2016	190	296	1.6	145	0.76
Sep 2015 *	136	200	1.5	118	0.87
Sep 2014 *	118	165	1.4	90	0.76

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

181 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)47.317th of 41 in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire 46.2 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths46%23rd of 41 in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire 46% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths62%

Oxfordshire 65% England 66%

This school
Oxfordshire median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.16

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	181	47.3	46%	62%	–
2024/25	204	47.9	49%	65%	–
2023/24	264	45.4	41%	66%	−0.16
2022/23	254	41.2	34%	52%	−0.51

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

The Bicester SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

1.7applications per place 47.3Attainment 8
The Cooper School
1.4 km · Oxfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 43.9Attainment 8
Whitelands Academy
1.4 km · Oxfordshire

Good2023

3.0applications per place 45.5Attainment 8
Heyford Park School
7.0 km · Oxfordshire

Good2023

4.6applications per place 39.7Attainment 8
Gosford Hill School
12.4 km · Oxfordshire

2026

1.8applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
The Marlborough Church of England School
13.7 km · Oxfordshire

Remains Good · improving2023

2.1applications per place 52.5Attainment 8
Magdalen College School
14.4 km · West Northamptonshire

Special measures Graded · no overall grade2025

1.2applications per place 44.2Attainment 8
The Swan School
15.4 km · Oxfordshire

Good2023

4.4applications per place 60.1Attainment 8
The Cherwell School
15.4 km · Oxfordshire

Outstanding2022

4.0applications per place 58.9Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 142024 · 931/4011
Trust: Activate Learning Education Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,430 pupils · 1,176 on roll
Free school meals: 17.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 August 2015
Replaced: Bicester Community College (URN 123233)
Address: Queen's Avenue, Bicester, OX26 2NS
Local authority: Oxfordshire · Cherwell

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