Dene Magna School Review 2026: A Forest of Dean secondary with strong behaviour and a growing post-16 offer

A house system, a structured school day, and a clear behaviour culture shape the experience at Dene Magna. Students are organised into Foley, Jenner, Dowty and Wilson, which gives the large 11 to 18 intake a more manageable feel and creates a consistent route to pastoral support. Academic outcomes sit broadly in line with the middle of schools in England for both GCSE and A-level results, but locally the school stands out strongly, ranked first in the Forest of Dean in FindMySchool’s outcomes tables. The current headteacher, Declan Mooney, took up post in September 2024, and the external evaluation picture is clear: behaviour and personal development are key strengths, alongside a broad curriculum and a sixth form that is intended to be accessible for committed learners.

Dene Magna presents itself as a school that values routine and clarity. The day begins with tutor time at 8.40am and ends at 3.20pm, which matters in practice because it supports consistent expectations across year groups. The site and daily rhythm are framed around students moving efficiently between lessons, pastoral bases, and shared spaces designed for assemblies and social time, including the school’s “touchdown” area used for gathering at break and lunch.

The house structure is central rather than decorative. Every student is assigned to Foley, Jenner, Dowty or Wilson, with siblings typically placed together. Heads of House are named and visible, which can help parents understand who “owns” day-to-day pastoral follow-up when issues arise. For families, this often translates into clearer communication lines than a single year-team model, especially in a school of this size.

Leadership has a clear point of reference. Declan Mooney is listed as headteacher across the school’s governance and leadership information, with an appointment date of 1 September 2024 in the published governor listing. When a head arrives with a defined start point, parents should expect an evolving tone over the first two years, particularly around behaviour systems, curriculum refinement, and sixth form development.

At GCSE, the school’s outcomes sit in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Ranked 2345th in England and 1st in the Forest of Dean for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), Dene Magna’s local position reflects its role as a key secondary option in a largely rural area, where the comparison set is smaller but still meaningful for parents weighing nearby choices.

On the GCSE measures provided, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 45.3 and Progress 8 is 0.05, indicating slightly above-average progress from students’ starting points. EBacc entry and attainment indicators suggest that the EBacc pathway is not a dominant route for most students here, with 10.1% achieving grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure supplied.

At A-level, outcomes also land in the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Ranked 1569th in England and 1st in the Forest of Dean for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the sixth form’s local standing is strong even as national positioning remains mid-table. The grade profile shows 5.29% at A*, 10.58% at A, and 41.83% at A* to B. (England averages provided for context are 23.6% at A* to A and 47.2% at A* to B.)

For parents comparing schools across Gloucestershire, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can be useful for side-by-side context, particularly when weighing a locally strong school that sits nearer the England middle on headline outcome bands.

Teaching is framed around a broad curriculum with clear sequencing. Subjects identify what students should learn and in what order, and there is explicit attention to representation and diversity within curriculum choices, including in English texts. This matters because it signals deliberate curriculum leadership rather than a narrow exam-only focus.

Subject expertise is another consistent theme. Staff are described as experts who present information clearly, and there is a shared understanding of “vital knowledge” across departments. In practical terms, that usually means students experience fewer gaps between classes within the same subject, which can be especially important in Years 9 to 11 when options and examination content intensify.

Where the model appears less consistent is lesson-by-lesson checking of understanding. The external evaluation notes that understanding is not routinely checked during lessons, which can lead to students moving on too quickly or too slowly in some classes. For families with children who need more in-lesson adjustment, this is a sensible focus area to probe on an open evening: ask how teachers adapt tasks in real time, and how departments identify misconceptions before they harden.

Reading support appears structured and practical. The library is described as well stocked, and early-stage readers are identified quickly and supported through small-group work to build fluency and confidence. The key trade-off flagged is that some students attending reading interventions can experience a narrower curriculum, which is worth understanding if your child is likely to need sustained catch-up support.

For sixth form leavers, published destination data indicates a mixed set of progression routes in the 2023/24 cohort. Among 81 leavers, 44% progressed to university, 6% to apprenticeships, 33% to employment, and 2% to further education. The proportions will not capture every outcome type, but they offer a useful snapshot of a sixth form that supports multiple pathways rather than a single university-only pipeline.

Academic stretch is present at the very top end too, albeit in small numbers. In the measurement period provided, four applications were made to Oxford and Cambridge, with one student accepted to Cambridge. In a comprehensive intake sixth form, even a small Oxbridge number can signal that high-attaining students can access appropriate support when the match is right, without the sixth form becoming an exam pressure environment for everyone.

Enrichment is positioned as part of progression rather than an add-on. The school highlights the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), Cyber Quest, and work experience pathways as part of its broader offer, all of which map naturally onto personal statements, apprenticeship applications, and interviews.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Gloucestershire’s secondary admissions process, with applications opening on 3 September 2025 and closing at midnight on 31 October 2025 for September 2026 entry. Allocation Day is listed as 2 March 2026, with acceptances, declines and waiting list requests due by midnight on 16 March 2026. These dates apply across the county’s coordinated process, so they are the key milestones for Dene Magna families as well.

For oversubscription, the school’s determined admissions policy sets out a published admission number of 175 and confirms that admission is without reference to ability or aptitude. After children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school and children in care, the policy prioritises students living within the defined priority area, then siblings, then a named linked primary route (Drybrook School, within the Forest of Dean Trust), then children of staff meeting specified criteria, and finally proximity measured in a straight line using the local authority’s system. Where distances tie, the policy describes a random allocation process.

The priority area detail is unusually specific for a mainstream secondary and is worth reading carefully if you are on the boundary. The policy describes the priority area as comprising the parishes of Blaisdon, Drybrook, Longhope (south-west of Yartleton Lane and Sterrys Lane), Mitcheldean, Ruardean and Westbury-on-Severn, while also explicitly encouraging families from outside the priority area to apply due to annual population variation.

In-year admissions sit outside the normal Year 7 cycle. The school asks families seeking in-year places to complete its in-year admissions form, with placements then decided in line with the published admissions policy and waiting list arrangements.

For sixth form entry (Year 12), Dene Magna states a capacity of 125 places in Year 12, with 40 places identified as the admission number for eligible external applicants, depending on how many internal Year 11 students transfer. Minimum entry requirements are explicit: a grade 5 in English (Language or Literature) and Mathematics, plus at least two grade 6s and three grade 5s across full GCSE courses, with some subjects having additional criteria set out in the sixth form prospectus. The policy describes open evenings typically held in November and January, application deadlines typically in January, and offers made by the end of March, followed by confirmation using GCSE results day evidence.

When families are weighing proximity and priority area issues, FindMySchool’s Map Search is a practical way to sense-check your likely position relative to school gates and the wider local pattern. Even where a priority area exists, fine margins often decide outcomes in oversubscribed years.

Behaviour culture is an area of clear strength. The latest Ofsted inspection, dated 8 October 2024, graded Behaviour and attitudes as Outstanding and Personal development as Outstanding, alongside Good judgements for Quality of education, Leadership and management, and Sixth form provision.

Beyond the headline grades, the detail points to a calm, orderly learning environment. Lessons are described as free from disruption, and students value a behaviour policy they see as fair. Pastoral support is highlighted as a strength, with leaders using information about wellbeing, behaviour and attendance to target actions and intervene early where barriers emerge. For parents, the implication is a school that does not leave wellbeing to chance, and that treats attendance support as part of its core work rather than an administrative exercise.

Leadership opportunities also feature as a cultural marker, with students valuing the range of chances to develop leadership skills and raise aspirations. In schools where this is more than a slogan, it usually shows up in how tutor time is used, how houses are structured, and how enrichment is tied to responsibility rather than simply participation.

Dene Magna’s enrichment offer has two useful qualities for parents. First, there is a clear “for everyone” layer, built around sport and physical activity. Netball, football, rugby, badminton, table tennis and softball are listed as part of the programme, alongside a Fitness Suite for students who prefer gym-based activity.

Second, there is evidence of structured enrichment that links to progression. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, EPQ, Cyber Quest, and the Gold CREST Award provide recognisable pathways for students who want portfolio evidence for sixth form, university or apprenticeship applications. Japanese language and culture also appears as a distinctive offer in the enrichment listing, which is unusual in a mainstream rural comprehensive context and may appeal to students who enjoy languages beyond the standard GCSE set.

A third strand is the “student-shaped” layer, where clubs are encouraged to emerge from interest. In published enrichment material, examples include Astronomy Club, Debating Society, Film Society, Chess Club, Art Club and Robotics. For students who are not motivated primarily by sport, this kind of menu can be the difference between simply attending school and actually belonging to it.

Off-site options strengthen the offer further. Dry slope skiing, climbing, kayaking and mountain biking are named, which fits well with the Forest of Dean setting and gives students access to activities that are harder to run purely on a school site.

The school day runs from 8.40am to 3.20pm.

For study facilities, the school references a library plus dedicated study and silent study areas, which is relevant for GCSE and sixth form students who benefit from a quieter workspace than home can always offer.

Transport arrangements can be an important practical factor in a rural area. The admissions policy notes that transport may be available and that some services are arranged for students outside catchment or within the three-mile distance, with details subject to change. Parents should verify eligibility and current routes early, especially if travel time will shape your child’s after-school participation.

• Lesson pacing can be uneven in some subjects. Formal evaluation highlights that checking understanding during lessons is not always consistent, which can lead to students moving on too quickly or too slowly. Children who need regular in-lesson adjustment may require closer monitoring at key transition points, particularly Year 9 options and the start of Year 10.

• Outcomes are not equally strong for every group. Disadvantaged pupils are identified as an area where achievement could be higher. For families who know this may apply, it is worth asking what targeted academic support looks like in practice, and how impact is tracked across subjects.

• Some interventions can narrow the timetable. Reading catch-up is described as effective, but it can reduce curriculum breadth for some pupils attending interventions. Parents of students who are behind in literacy should ask how the school balances catch-up with access to the wider curriculum.

• Admissions include a defined priority area and a tie-break by random allocation. For oversubscribed years, small differences in distance and priority area status can matter. Where distances tie, the published approach is a random allocation process, which can feel uncertain for families close to the boundary.

Dene Magna suits families looking for a mainstream 11 to 18 school with a calm learning environment, strong behaviour culture, and an enrichment offer that includes both practical pathways and interest-led clubs. Academic performance sits broadly in line with the England middle across GCSE and A-level measures, but the school is a clear local leader within the Forest of Dean. Best suited to students who respond well to structure and routine, and who will take advantage of enrichment routes such as EPQ, Duke of Edinburgh, and subject clubs alongside their core programme.