Sir Thomas Fremantle School Review 2026: Values-led, oversubscribed secondary in Winslow

Measured by FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking, Sir Thomas Fremantle is ranked 2,186th in England and 2nd in Buckingham. This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). (FindMySchool ranking based on official data.)

The underlying indicators support that steady profile. An Attainment 8 score of 44.3 suggests broadly typical overall attainment across the full set of GCSE subjects for the average student. Progress 8 of 0.03 indicates students, on average, make progress that is broadly in line with pupils nationally with similar starting points, edging slightly positive.

At EBacc level, the school’s average EBacc APS is 4.14. That sits close to England norms and signals that students who follow EBacc pathways are generally achieving outcomes consistent with expectations for their cohort. The proportion achieving strong passes within the EBacc basket is a more selective measure, and on that metric the published figure is 12.9%.

For parents comparing options locally, the most useful step is to put these outcomes alongside nearby non-selective alternatives using the FindMySchool local comparison tools, then look beyond the headline to the questions that matter for your child: subject access, behaviour consistency, and teaching quality across Key Stage 3.

Curriculum design is a clear strength in many areas. Sequencing is described as thoughtful, with knowledge and skills intended to build over time, and most teachers explain new content clearly and select activities that help students remember and apply learning. This matters most in Key Stage 3, where families want reassurance that Year 7 and Year 8 are not simply a holding pattern before GCSE options begin.

Literacy is treated as a whole-school responsibility rather than confined to English lessons. Students are exposed to ambitious and diverse texts in tutor time and across subjects, and reading support is described as targeted when gaps are identified. In practical terms, this approach tends to benefit students who arrive below their reading age, and it can also raise the ceiling for higher attainers because vocabulary and comprehension become less of a barrier in humanities and science.

At Key Stage 4, the curriculum offer has broadened. Alongside English Baccalaureate subjects, students can access creative and vocational courses, which is often a strong fit for an all-ability intake because it keeps pathways open without forcing every child into the same academic mould. The main area for continued development is consistency of delivery and expectation, particularly around the quality of written work in Key Stage 3. Parents of children who need a firm push to produce their best work should probe this during visits, asking how expectations are monitored across classes and year groups.

With an upper age of 16, the school’s work is about readiness for post-16 rather than sixth form life. The personal development and careers programme is described as thorough, supported by partnerships that connect students with the world of work, education, and training. That kind of external partnership can make a meaningful difference for students who learn best when they can see the point of what they are studying.

A practical implication for families is that Year 10 and Year 11 decision-making arrives quickly. The school’s Key Stage 4 work experience and careers provision, alongside structured guidance, should help students choose between sixth form, college, apprenticeships, and other training routes with clearer information than many schools can provide. For parents, it is worth mapping likely post-16 destinations early, then checking entry requirements and travel time while your child is still in Key Stage 3, so there is no last-minute scramble in Year 11.

Year 7 admission is coordinated through Buckinghamshire’s admissions process, with a published intake of 150 students each September, organised into six classes of 25. The school describes itself as oversubscribed, and its admissions arrangements set out standard priorities that will be familiar to Buckinghamshire families: children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, looked-after children, siblings, children of staff, then distance from home to school using straight-line measurement.

For September 2026 Year 7 entry, the school publishes a full set of dates on its admissions page. The key deadlines most families care about are the application window opening in September 2025, the national deadline of 31 October 2025, and National Offer Day on 02 March 2026. The school’s Open Evening for that cycle took place on 02 October 2025, and transition days are scheduled for 07 and 08 July 2026.

Pastoral support is described as multi-layered, spanning form tutors, year leadership, support staff and senior leaders, and it explicitly includes peer mentoring systems as part of how students are supported day to day. That layered approach tends to suit a mixed intake because it provides multiple routes for a child to ask for help, not just through a single tutor relationship.

Safeguarding leadership is clearly signposted. The school states it has a team of Designated Safeguarding Leads overseen by Maria Elmes, which is helpful for families who want clarity about escalation routes and who is responsible for decisions. Ofsted’s May 2024 report states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

On inclusion, the inspection evidence highlights targeted work for students who struggle with attendance or behaviour, including provision intended to help individuals manage emotions and improve self-regulation. The balanced view is that most behaviour is positive, but staff consistency is still being tightened for a small number of students whose conduct can disrupt learning. Families with a child who is easily distracted should ask how behaviour routines are applied in practice, and what support exists before issues escalate.

The extracurricular offer has some distinctive pillars that go well beyond generic after-school clubs. The Combined Cadet Force meets weekly and is structured around teamwork and leadership, with activities including fieldcraft, first aid, camping, and flying experiences through light aircraft and gliders as part of cadet opportunities. This suits students who like practical challenge and clear hierarchy, and it can be an effective route for confidence-building for those who respond well to structured responsibility.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a second clear strand, offered at Bronze in Year 9 and Silver in Year 10, with the usual mix of volunteering, physical activity, skills development, and expedition. For parents, the implication is workload and organisation, DofE typically works best for students who can plan ahead and sustain weekly commitment, rather than those who leave everything to the last minute.

Trips and enrichment appear regularly in the school calendar. Recent examples include a Year 7 residential to Hill End Outdoor Education Centre, language residentials for Year 11, and theatre and drama opportunities that include a GCSE drama workshop linked to Mischief Theatre. Facilities support this breadth, with the school advertising lettings that include an Astro Pitch, Sports Hall, Performance Hall, and Aerobics and Dance Studio, which gives a useful snapshot of what is available on site for sport and performance.

The day is structured around tutor time and five 60-minute lessons. Students are expected in tutor groups by 08:30, the last lesson ends at 15:10, and the site closes at 16:30. Breakfast is available from 08:00. After-school activity runs to the end of the site day for students who stay for clubs.

Travel planning matters in this part of Buckinghamshire. The school notes that many students walk or cycle, while others travel from surrounding villages, Buckingham and Aylesbury by bus, with council-managed school transport and very limited on-site parking for car drop-off.

• Competition for places. Year 7 intake is 150 and the school describes itself as oversubscribed. Families considering a move should treat proximity as important, then test assumptions against the relevant year’s criteria and local patterns.

• No sixth form. Students leave after Year 11, so post-16 planning is not optional. Families should start exploring sixth form, college, and apprenticeship routes early, especially where travel time will shape daily routine.

• Consistency for a small minority. Most behaviour is positive, but the school is still embedding consistent routines so that the conduct of a small number of students does not pull learning off course.

• Writing expectations in Key Stage 3. The school’s curriculum intent is strong in many areas, but some students could achieve more where expectations for written work are not applied consistently. If your child needs firm academic push early on, ask how quality is monitored across classes.

Sir Thomas Fremantle offers a credible, values-driven secondary experience for Buckinghamshire families seeking a non-selective school with clear routines, growing extracurricular depth, and broadly steady academic outcomes. It is best suited to students who respond well to structure, want leadership and enrichment opportunities such as CCF or DofE, and whose families are comfortable planning post-16 routes early because there is no sixth form. The main barrier is admission, not day-to-day quality once a place is secured.