School profile

The Wavell School

Secondary · Community school · Farnborough, GU14 6BH

Good

Map showing The Wavell School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,702 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

The Wavell School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 27 Jan 2026

Area360 rating
Good
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeCommunity school
Ages11 to 16
Pupils1,042
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Emma Wright
Local authorityHampshire
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 116448.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolHampshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.45.7, similar to England, similar to Hampshire45.846.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.65.2%, similar to England, similar to Hampshire65%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.39.7%, worse than England, worse than Hampshire44.8%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.9.3%, worse than England, worse than Hampshire12%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths61.3%, similar to England, similar to Hampshire60.4%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4204--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,042
Girls515
Boys527
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.16.4%
First language not English29.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,000
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.146
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.64
Average class size24.1

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
67%
Other Asian
8.8%
Other White
5.6%
Indian
3.7%
African
2.6%
White and Black Caribbean
1.6%
Pakistani
1.5%
White and Black African
1.4%
White and Asian
1.4%
Other mixed
1.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.9
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.8
Teachers (FTE)65.62
Teaching assistants (FTE)13.95
Support staff (FTE)43.32
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2566.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2559.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/255
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.204
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.525
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.242
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.188
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)66

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolHampshireEngland
Overall absence6.5%, better than England, better than Hampshire8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.16.3%, better than England, better than Hampshire20.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.3%, better than England, better than Hampshire4%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate16.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7.3%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.92.6%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.91.1%
Sixth form college50.2%
Further education38.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5.4%
School sixth form2%
Apprenticeship1%
Employment0.5%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Wavell School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryMarlborough Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt Mark's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimarySouth Farnborough Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miNot applicableSalesian CollegeOther independent school
Unrated
1.0 miPrimaryThe Cambridge Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.0 miPrimarySouth Farnborough Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimaryStanhope Primary SchoolFree schools
Unrated
1.3 miPrimaryTower Hill Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.3 miPrimaryHolly Lodge Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.4 miPrimarySt Patrick's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Wavell School

What is The Wavell School's Ofsted rating?

The Wavell School is rated Good, last inspected on 27 Jan 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Wavell School rank in England?

The Wavell School ranks 1,702 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools).

What are The Wavell School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 39.7% of pupils at The Wavell School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 45.7 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Wavell School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Wavell School made 204 offers from 525 applications (2.6 per offer), and 188 of 242 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Wavell School?

The Wavell School has 1,042 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Wavell School?

The Wavell School had 1,000 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Wavell School have a sixth form?

No, The Wavell School teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at The Wavell School?

At The Wavell School, the average class had 24.1 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.9 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Wavell School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Wavell School missed 6.5% of sessions (England 8%), and 16.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.