School profile

Birchwood High School

Secondary · Academy converter · Bishop's Stortford, CM23 5BD

Good

Map showing Birchwood High School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,739 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,518 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Birchwood High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 21 Jan 2025

Area360 rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,417
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Sam Griffin
TrustBIRCHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Local authorityHertfordshire
Opened01 Nov 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137637.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.45.5, similar to England, worse than Hertfordshire50.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.65.3%, similar to England, worse than Hertfordshire71.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.44.2%, similar to England, worse than Hertfordshire53.6%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.9.4%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire18.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths59.6%, similar to England, worse than Hertfordshire67.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4265--

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

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolHertfordshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.32.07, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire36.8235
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels35.5, similar to England, similar to Hertfordshire37.435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better10%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire19%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.12, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study115--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist---

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,417
Girls647
Boys770
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.15.8%
First language not English13.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,450
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.2.3%
Sixth form places2024/25300
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.169
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.55
Average class size21

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
74.5%
Other White
10.2%
White and Black Caribbean
2.3%
Other mixed
1.8%
White and Asian
1.6%
African
1.6%
Chinese
1.4%
Indian
1.3%
White and Black African
1.2%
Other Asian
0.9%

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 teacher15.4
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.9
Teachers (FTE)92.08
Teaching assistants (FTE)15.01
Support staff (FTE)59.01
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2586.8
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2573.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/257.4
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/256.2

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.174
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.606
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.96
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.96
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)314

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 schoolHertfordshireEngland
Overall absence10%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire7.4%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.25.4%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire18.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.4%, worse than England, worse than Hertfordshire2.9%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 rate31.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions10%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions2

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.94.4%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.91.3%
School sixth form50.2%
Further education39.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.9%
Apprenticeship1.7%
Employment1.3%
Sixth form college0%

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

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.92.4%
Higher education44.5%
Employment35.3%
Apprenticeship10.1%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.4%
Further education0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 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 Birchwood High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimarySummercroft Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.3 miPrimaryAll Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery, Bishop's StortfordVoluntary aided school
Good
0.5 miSecondaryHockerill Anglo-European CollegeAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miSecondaryThe Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science CollegeAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.8 miPrimaryThorn Grove Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryBirchanger Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.2 miPrimaryWindhill21Academy converter
Outstanding
1.2 miPrimarySt Michael's Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.3 miSecondarySt Mary's Catholic SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miPrimaryAvanti Meadows Primary SchoolFree schools
Good

Frequently asked questions about Birchwood High School

What is Birchwood High School's Ofsted rating?

Birchwood High School is rated Good, last inspected on 21 Jan 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Birchwood High School rank in England?

Birchwood High School ranks 1,739 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 1,518 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are Birchwood High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 44.2% of pupils at Birchwood High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 45.5 (England 46.2).

What are Birchwood High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Birchwood High School was C+, and 10% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Birchwood High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Birchwood High School made 174 offers from 606 applications (3.5 per offer), and 96 of 96 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Birchwood High School?

Birchwood High School has 1,417 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Birchwood High School?

Birchwood High School had 1,450 school places in 2024/25.

Does Birchwood High School have a sixth form?

Yes, Birchwood High School has a sixth form with 300 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Birchwood High School?

At Birchwood High School, the average class had 21 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.4 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Birchwood High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Birchwood High School missed 10% of sessions (England 8%), and 25.4% 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.