The Grange School, Christchurch Review 2026: A smaller secondary with a clear improvement story

The FindMySchool GCSE ranking places the school 2,386th in England and 3rd in Christchurch for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is broadly what many families experience as a “solid, improving” academic profile rather than a highly selective one.

On headline measures provided here, Attainment 8 is 44.8. Progress 8 is +0.27, indicating above-average progress from students’ starting points, which is often a stronger signal than raw attainment alone in a school serving a mixed community intake.

The EBacc indicators included suggest EBacc entry and outcomes remain a development area. The percentage of pupils achieving grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects is recorded as 9.2, and the average EBacc APS is 3.98. For families who prioritise a strongly academic pathway across a wide subject set, it is sensible to ask how the school is developing languages and humanities take-up, and what support sits behind that push.

A practical tip: if you are comparing nearby schools, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool help you view outcomes side by side on the same measures, rather than switching between different presentations of performance data.

Curriculum design is a prominent feature of the school’s improvement narrative. Key Stage 3 is described as broad, with a deliberate attempt to ensure students study a wide range of subjects in Years 7 to 9, rather than narrowing too early. This matters because breadth at Key Stage 3 typically supports stronger option choices later, and reduces the risk that students close doors before they understand what different subjects involve.

Literacy and reading have been positioned as school-wide priorities. Senior leaders placed a high priority on reading, and earlier monitoring notes a targeted programme for students entering with weaker reading skills, with reported improvement in fluency. The same monitoring evidence also points to ongoing weaknesses in basic writing skills for some students, particularly spelling, punctuation and grammar, which is exactly where consistent whole-school routines and frequent practice tend to make the biggest difference over time.

Mathematics appears to be a relative strength, with students learning and remembering well in mathematics, but with a specific improvement point around applying mathematical knowledge across other subjects. Practically, that cross-curricular application is the kind of work that tends to show up in science, geography, and technology problem-solving, so parents may want to ask how departments plan and coordinate numeracy expectations.

There is, however, evidence of an improving careers structure. The school meets the Baker Clause requirements, and students receive careers education, with a specific note that some students still needed clearer understanding of the range of post-16 and post-18 options available. For families, that is an invitation to ask detailed questions: how early guidance begins, how encounters with employers and colleges are structured, and how personal guidance is prioritised for students who are uncertain about next steps.

Post-16 is an important nuance. The 2021 inspection report stated that, at that time, the school did not have post-16 students on roll and did not offer post-16 courses. Current official school records list the school as having a sixth form. If sixth form is a key factor for your family, confirm the current offer directly, including entry requirements, subject range, and how many students the sixth form typically recruits internally versus externally.

Year 7 admissions are co-ordinated by BCP Council. For September 2026 entry, applications opened on 01 September 2025 and the on-time closing date was 31 October 2025. Applicants who miss that deadline fall into late processing, with a published “first late” cut-off of 23 January 2026. National offer day for on-time applicants is 02 March 2026, with later outcomes for late and very late applications.

For the most recent main entry cycle captured there were 159 applications and 75 offers, which is around 2.12 applications per place. That does not mean every year looks identical, but it does suggest families should treat admission as competitive.

If you are weighing up the likelihood of securing a place, use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check your exact home-to-school distance and compare it with other realistic options. Distance patterns can shift year to year, so proximity helps, but it should sit alongside a broader shortlisting strategy.

Support is described as structured rather than ad hoc. Staff training, safeguarding routines, and rapid communication with agencies are all presented as established practice, and there is a clear message around sexual harassment awareness, including a strong anti-normalisation stance in the language shared with students.

SEND identification and support is also referenced positively, with early identification and staff guidance, plus evidence of capacity being expanded for students who were anxious or experiencing social, emotional and mental health pressures. Importantly, this did not appear as a generic statement, but as a practical expansion of an identified support space.

Attendance remains a risk factor for a minority of disadvantaged students, and this is one of the clearest “watch points” for families. In practice, families considering the school should ask how attendance is monitored, what early-intervention looks like, and how the school works with families where non-attendance is rooted in anxiety rather than deliberate truancy.

The latest Ofsted report confirms safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Enrichment has been used deliberately as part of the improvement strategy, with evidence that the range of activities increased significantly over time, including explicit examples rather than a generic “clubs list”. A boxing club was introduced, giving students a chance to try a new sport, and the school also formed a link with a local rugby club to broaden experiences and community connection.

Music appears as an accessible route into performance and belonging. The inspection evidence references the school choir preparing for a Christmas concert, which may sound small, but in a smaller school it often functions as a key community anchor, particularly for students who do not see themselves as “sporty” or highly academic.

Personal development is not treated as a bolt-on. The character curriculum, alongside relationships and sex education being taught by a specialist team (as referenced in monitoring evidence), points to a school that is explicit about teaching the “non-exam” skills that shape behaviour, decision-making, and readiness for next steps.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual secondary costs such as uniform, transport, trips, and optional extras like music tuition where relevant.

Published start and finish times, and any before or after-school provision, are best confirmed directly with the school, as these details are not consistently available in the public sources accessed for this review.

For travel, the school sits within Christchurch’s wider transport network, and many families will assess practicality based on the school-run timing, walking routes, and bus availability from Highcliffe and surrounding areas.

• Middle-of-the-pack England ranking. The FindMySchool GCSE ranking places the school in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). This can be a very good fit for families who value progress and stability, but those seeking a consistently top-decile outcomes profile should compare alternatives carefully.

• EBacc outcomes look like a development area. The figures record 9.2 for grade 5+ in EBacc subjects, alongside an EBacc APS of 3.98. Ask how languages and humanities take-up is being supported, and what intervention looks like for students who need extra help.

• Sixth form clarity matters. Public records list a sixth form, while the 2021 inspection stated there was no post-16 offer at that time. If staying on to Year 12 is central to your plan, confirm the current offer and entry requirements directly.

The Grange School, Christchurch presents as a smaller secondary with a credible improvement story, clear routines, and a growing sense of opportunity beyond lessons. Academic outcomes sit around the England middle band on the FindMySchool ranking, with a positive Progress 8 signal that students generally move forward well from their starting points. Best suited to families who want a state secondary with a settled culture, improving curriculum design, and a community feel, and who are prepared to engage proactively with admissions and, where relevant, post-16 planning.