Faringdon Community College Review 2026: Rural comprehensive with a large sixth form and strong enrichment

At GCSE level, performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Ranked 2,141st in England and 1st in Faringdon for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school is the strongest option in its immediate area, while remaining broadly in line with England’s typical range overall.

The underlying measures paint a similar picture. Attainment 8 is 46 and Progress 8 is +0.03, which indicates outcomes close to national expectations, with a slight positive tilt in progress from starting points. The English Baccalaureate profile is more mixed. The average EBacc points score is 3.92 against an England average of 4.08, and 13% achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure. For parents, this does not mean students cannot take academic pathways, but it does suggest that the EBacc route may not be the dominant track for a large share of the cohort, and that choice and suitability are likely driving subject combinations.

At A-level, the picture is more challenging. Ranked 2,156th in England and 1st in Faringdon for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results sit below England average overall. 29.7% of entries achieved A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2%. A* to A is 11.4% combined (0.99% A* plus 10.4% A), compared with an England average of 23.6%. This does not automatically make the sixth form the wrong choice, but it is a strong prompt to look closely at subject level strengths, support structures, and entry requirements for particular courses, especially for highly competitive university routes.

Parents comparing options locally should use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view GCSE and A-level outcomes side-by-side using the Comparison Tool, then look for alignment with the student’s strengths and intended pathway.

The curriculum intent is ambitious and broad, with pupils studying a wide range of subjects and having choice at GCSE and A-level. In most subjects, strong subject expertise underpins teaching, with staff checking learning as they go. Where the school has been challenged is precision and sequencing in a minority of subjects, where the order of knowledge is not always clear enough to support consistent checking of understanding and, therefore, the best possible achievement.

Reading is treated as a school-wide priority rather than a bolt-on intervention. The practice of quiet reading at the start of lessons is a practical example of how the school is trying to build consistent habits that work at scale. For students who arrive at secondary with uneven literacy, routines like this can be valuable because they reduce friction in lessons and help students access more demanding texts across the curriculum.

In sixth form, teaching is described as discussion-led and tailored, with very positive relationships between staff and students supporting deeper learning. The key implication is that the experience post-16 may feel more collegiate and self-directed than Key Stage 3 and 4, which is typical of a sixth form attached to a large secondary, but it is also reinforced here as a strength.

The school’s published pathways narrative is broad, covering university, apprenticeships and employment, which aligns with its strong emphasis on careers education and personal development days. In the 2023/24 leaver cohort 41% progressed to university. A further 7% started apprenticeships, 26% entered employment, and 1% went to further education. These figures indicate a mixed set of outcomes that includes higher education but does not rely on it as the sole destination.

There is also a small Oxbridge pipeline. Across the measurement period, eight students applied to Oxford or Cambridge and one secured a place, with the successful outcome coming via Cambridge. This is not a mass route, but it does show that the most academically ambitious students can be supported to attempt the highest tariff applications.

For families, the practical question is how well the school aligns provision with the student’s intended route. Students aiming for high-tariff universities should ask about subject level performance, enrichment for super-curricular development, and support for admissions tests and interviews. Students seeking apprenticeships or technical routes should ask how the school uses provider access legislation and employer engagement, because this is an explicit element of the school’s inspected approach.

Year 7 entry is coordinated by Oxfordshire County Council rather than directly by the school. For September 2026 entry, the key dates published by the school included applications opening on 12 September 2025, a closing date of 31 October 2025, and National Offer Day on 2 March 2026. The school also publishes transition days in early July, which signals a structured induction offer once places are confirmed.

For families considering a move into the area, the most important work is understanding oversubscription criteria and how they apply to your address. Parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise distance against any locally published allocation information, then treat that as indicative rather than guaranteed because patterns can shift as housing and application volumes change. Where the local authority publishes allocation distances for previous years, it is sensible to compare those with your own address, but decisions should still be anchored to the current year’s admissions policy.

Sixth form admissions are more school-led and calendar-driven. The school publishes a clear timeline for September 2026 entry, including a Sixth Form Open Evening on 6 November 2025, a taster day and applications opening on 19 January 2026, and an application deadline of 30 January 2026. Entry requirements are framed around predicted grades: typically grade 5 in English and maths, and usually grade 6 or higher in the subjects a student plans to take at A-level, with some flexibility where work ethic and Key Stage 4 effort indicate readiness.

Pastoral is structured and comparatively well-resourced for a mainstream secondary. The combination of form tutor, Heads of Year, a Head of Sixth Form, and full-time Pastoral Support Assistants creates multiple access points for students, which can matter for early intervention.

The school also makes visible its health and safeguarding infrastructure. An NHS School Health Nurse is linked to the school, offering drop-ins and confidential support within clear safeguarding boundaries. The safeguarding approach is presented as whole-school responsibility, with a defined Designated Safeguarding Lead and named safeguarding team roles. The latest inspection confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Behaviour and attendance are the two areas families should explore with care. The most recent official assessment described high expectations and generally positive behaviour, while noting that a small minority of pupils can disrupt learning and that consistency in behaviour systems has been a development focus. Attendance for some pupils was also identified as too low, with new systems introduced to address it. The practical implication is that families should ask how behaviour routines are implemented across departments and what support exists for students who struggle with self-regulation or attendance.

Enrichment is a real feature, with both local and international angles. Students take up leadership and volunteering roles, including serving as environmental protection officers and acting as buddies or sports leaders with links to local primary events. This is the kind of school-specific detail that signals a broader definition of success than exam grades alone.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a clear pillar. The school runs Bronze and Silver, and it has published substantial community volunteering by participants over a recent 12 month period, with volunteering positioned as a normal part of the award rather than an optional extra.

Performing arts are also prominent. The school highlights whole school productions and an annual Dance Showcase, alongside KS3 drama and dance clubs and opportunities to perform in concerts and local festivals. In music, the department references ensembles and trips to professional orchestras, suggesting a programme that expects participation rather than passive appreciation.

Academic support is built into extracurricular time too. The library is open before and after school, it includes a network of 30 computers, and it hosts a Homework Club after school Monday to Thursday. For many families, this kind of practical provision is as important as any headline club list because it directly supports study habits and access to resources at scale.

The school day runs from 8.40am to 3.10pm, with five one hour lessons and a stated total of 32.5 compulsory hours per week.

Transport is framed around county eligibility and bus passes. For the academic year to July 2026, the school funded late buses on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday leaving at 4.30pm, intended to support clubs, study, revision sessions and rehearsals, with published routes serving a wide set of surrounding villages.

Wraparound care in the primary sense is not applicable for a secondary school, but families should note the library opening hours and homework club provision as the closest equivalent of supervised after-school study on site.

• Sixth form outcomes. A-level results sit below England average overall. Students targeting highly competitive university routes should look closely at subject-level strengths, study support, and entry requirements before committing.

• Behaviour consistency. Systems have been strengthened, but some inconsistency was still a development focus in the most recent official assessment. Families should ask how routines are applied across subjects, especially for students who need clear boundaries.

• Attendance focus. Attendance for some pupils was flagged as too low, and new systems were introduced. This can be a positive sign of active management, but it also suggests families should understand expectations and support for persistent absence.

• Scale. With a large roll and rapid growth, students who thrive on choice and social breadth often do well here. Students who prefer a smaller setting may need more support to feel known quickly.

This is a large, expanding comprehensive that offers breadth, structure, and a clear enrichment story, from Duke of Edinburgh to performing arts and student leadership. Academic outcomes at GCSE are broadly typical for England, with the school ranking first locally in Faringdon, while A-level outcomes are an area to interrogate carefully for high-tariff ambitions. Best suited to families who want a broad secondary experience with a strong pastoral structure and practical routes into sixth form, apprenticeships, or university, and who value opportunities beyond the classroom alongside steady academic expectations.