School profile

The Cooper School

Secondary · Academy converter · Bicester, OX26 4RS

Requires improvement

Map showing The Cooper School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,014 of 3,312

Worse than 60% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,694 of 2,536

Worse than 66% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Cooper School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 25 Feb 2025

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,118
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Charlotte Broom
TrustACER TRUST
Local authorityOxfordshire
Opened01 Jul 2014
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 141069.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolOxfordshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.43.9, worse than England, worse than Oxfordshire46.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.59.9%, worse than England, worse than Oxfordshire65.1%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.38.6%, worse than England, worse than Oxfordshire47.1%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.8.4%, worse than England, worse than Oxfordshire15.2%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths55.4%, worse than England, worse than Oxfordshire61.3%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4202--

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 schoolOxfordshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.30.95, worse than England, worse than Oxfordshire33.4635
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels31.53, worse than England, worse than Oxfordshire3435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC--
AAB or better2.3%, worse than England, worse than Oxfordshire15.6%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.08, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study114--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit+--

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 pupils1,118
Girls529
Boys589
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.12.2%
First language not English15.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,333
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.16.1%
Sixth form places2024/25233
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.224
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.39
Average class size24.2

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
70.7%
Other White
11.2%
Other mixed
3%
Chinese
2.8%
African
2.4%
White and Black Caribbean
1.5%
Other Asian
1.5%
White and Asian
1.3%
Indian
1.3%
White and Black African
1.1%

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.12.1
Teachers (FTE)70.4
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.25
Support staff (FTE)40.55
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2573.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2556.5
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/2511.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255

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.184
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.271
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.120
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.120
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

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 schoolOxfordshireEngland
Overall absence8.5%, worse than England, similar to Oxfordshire9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.24.3%, worse than England, similar to Oxfordshire22.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.6%, similar to England, better than Oxfordshire4.6%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 rate15.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5.5%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

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.91.5%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.80.8%
Further education41.5%
School sixth form38%
Employment9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4.7%
Apprenticeship1.7%
Sixth form college0.4%

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.85.5%
Higher education50%
Employment29.1%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.12.7%
Apprenticeship3.6%
Further education1.8%

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 The Cooper School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryGlory Farm Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miPrimarySouthwold Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miPrimaryLongfields Primary and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Requires improvement
0.5 miPrimaryBure Park Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryBrookside Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimarySt Mary's Catholic Primary School, BicesterAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miSecondaryThe Bicester SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.1 miPrimaryGagle Brook Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.1 miPrimaryKing's Meadow Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.2 miPrimaryLaunton Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about The Cooper School

What is The Cooper School's Ofsted rating?

The Cooper School is rated Requires improvement, last inspected on 25 Feb 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Cooper School rank in England?

The Cooper School ranks 2,014 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 60% of schools) and 1,694 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 66% of schools).

What are The Cooper School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 38.6% of pupils at The Cooper School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.9 (England 46.2).

What are The Cooper School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Cooper School was C, and 2.3% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The Cooper School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Cooper School made 184 offers from 271 applications (1.5 per offer), and 120 of 120 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Cooper School?

The Cooper School has 1,118 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Cooper School?

The Cooper School had 1,333 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Cooper School have a sixth form?

Yes, The Cooper School has a sixth form with 233 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Cooper School?

At The Cooper School, the average class had 24.2 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.9 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Cooper School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Cooper School missed 8.5% of sessions (England 8%), and 24.3% 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.