Free schools · Slough

Grove Academy

4–19Ages
990Pupils
All-throughPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
149897URN

Ladbrooke Road, Slough, SL1 2SR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

1.2 below Slough median (2.7)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in SloughSelective

93 applications for 60 places · 15th of 15 in Slough

Every year since 2018

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

34.9of 90

Slough 52.2 England 46.0

14th of 15 in Slough

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Serious weaknesses

Report card · inspected 14 April 2026Published 7 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Needs attention
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour			Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years		Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

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

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

14 April 2026
Report card · 4 Expected standard, 3 Needs attention
16 February 2022
Graded inspection: Inadequate · as Grove Academy, URN 144748

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

1.6applications per place, Year 7

1.2 below Slough median (2.7) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

93 applications · 60 places offered · 17 named it first

2026 1.6; Slough median median 2.7
2025 2.0; Slough median median 3.0
2024 1.6; Slough median median 2.9
2023 0.8; Slough median median 3.4; as the previous school
2022 1.3; Slough median median 3.3; as the previous school
2021 1.4; Slough median median 3.2; as the previous school
2020 1.6; Slough median median 3.3; as the previous school
2019 2.0; Slough median median 3.4; as the previous school
2018 1.7; Slough median median 3.4; as the previous school

This school
Slough median

Dashed bars: as Grove Academy (URN 144748), the previous school.

Reception entry, September 2026: 1.6 per place (63 applications for 40 places).

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

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, 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	60	93	1.6	17	0.28
Sep 2025	63	124	2.0	38	0.60
Sep 2024	60	95	1.6	22	0.37
Sep 2023 *	118	98	0.8	15	0.13
Sep 2022 *	134	179	1.3	45	0.34
Sep 2021 *	162	232	1.4	36	0.22
Sep 2020 *	150	238	1.6	38	0.25
Sep 2019 *	116	232	2.0	20	0.17
Sep 2018 *	88	152	1.7	23	0.26

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

121 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)34.914th of 15 in Slough

Slough 52.2 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths24%14th of 15 in Slough

Slough 56% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths51%

Slough 76% England 66%

This school
Slough median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.06

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	121	34.9	24%	51%	–
2024/25	99	41.1	36%	52%	–
2023/24	77	40.4	42%	56%	−0.06
2022/23					–

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

Grove AcademyThis school
This school

Serious weaknesses 2026

1.6applications per place 34.9Attainment 8
Slough and Eton Church of England Business and Enterprise College
0.5 km · Slough

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.7applications per place 46.1Attainment 8
Eden Girls' School, Slough
1.0 km · Slough

Remains Outstanding2024

3.3applications per place 62.2Attainment 8
Herschel Grammar School
1.5 km · Slough

Outstanding2024

7.2applications per place 76.3Attainment 8 Selective
The Westgate School
1.5 km · Slough

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.2applications per place 42.5Attainment 8
Baylis Court School
2.1 km · Slough

2026

1.9applications per place 52.2Attainment 8
St Joseph's Catholic High School
2.2 km · Slough

2026

2.7applications per place 54.0Attainment 8
Upton Court Grammar School
2.2 km · Slough

Outstanding2022

7.7applications per place 77.3Attainment 8 Selective
Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy
2.2 km · Slough

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.0applications per place 41.2Attainment 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: Free schools
Phase: All-through
URN · DfE number: 149897 · 871/4008
Trust: The Slough and East Berkshire C of E Multi Academy Trust
Capacity: 1,940 pupils · 990 on roll
Free school meals: 34.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2023
Replaced: Grove Academy (URN 144748)
Address: Ladbrooke Road, Slough, SL1 2SR
Local authority: Slough

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