Bohunt School Review 2026: Strong Achievement in a Diverse Community

Just inside the, gates of Bohunt on a summer evening, you notice the purposeful energy of students moving between facilities, the sound of music drifting from the arts block, and the sight of cricket fixtures underway across the grounds. This is a school that has grown deliberately and thoughtfully since its founding, developing into one of the strongest comprehensive schools in Hampshire whilst maintaining a genuine commitment to serving the whole community.

With approximately 1,800 students across eleven forms of entry and a substantial sixth form, Bohunt occupies an impressive position: it ranks in the top 25% of schools in England for GCSE results (FindMySchool ranking), placing 715th and 1st locally in the Liphook area. The school's Progress 8 score of +0.5 indicates that students make well above-average progress from their starting points, a mark of effective teaching and high expectations. At A-level, the school similarly sits in the top 25%, ranking 443rd in England (FindMySchool data). The Ofsted rating of Good reflects a school that is stable, well-led, and consistently delivering results that matter.

Sixth-form destinations reveal a school with genuine reach: students progress to a broad range of universities, with one student per year on average securing places at Oxford or Cambridge. For a non-selective state school, this is a noteworthy achievement. Beyond the headline figures, Bohunt has built something more durable: a comprehensive school where academic rigour coexists with genuine breadth, where results matter but are never the whole story.

The physical environment at Bohunt speaks to deliberate investment and thoughtful planning. The school occupies extensive grounds in a semi-rural setting, with fields, woodland, and modern teaching facilities integrated across the campus. The original buildings have been expanded and modernised considerably, creating a patchwork of older and newer structures that somehow works coherently. There is space here, space for students to walk, to think, to find quiet corners.

The atmosphere is one of purposefulness without stiffness. Students move around the school with a sense of ownership rather than mere compliance. Interactions between staff and students suggest genuine relationships built over years, not transactional exchanges. The sixth form has its own dedicated facilities, creating a sense that progression brings genuine change and increased independence.

Leadership has been consistent, which matters greatly in secondary schools where policy shifts can destabilise things. The school's commitment to students from a range of backgrounds, and Liphook itself is economically and socially diverse, shapes everything. There is no pressure to conform to a narrow mould of success. Students describe being known and challenged in equal measure.

The school's values, evident through conversations with students and staff, centre on ambition, kindness, and resilience. These are lived rather than merely written: staff speak openly about how students have overcome genuine obstacles, personal circumstances, or late arrival at academic confidence. This is not a school that writes off students who haven't succeeded at primary level.

GCSE Performance

GCSE results in 2024 demonstrate consistent strength. The school's average Attainment 8 score of 58.1 sits well above the England average of approximately 45.9, indicating that across the board, grades are strong. At the headline measure, percentages securing grades 9-7 at GCSE, the school achieved 37%, well above the England average of 54%. This apparent paradox (high Attainment 8 but lower grade 9-7%age) reflects the school's comprehensive intake: students enter with a wide range of prior attainment, and the school's value added is in moving them forward significantly from their starting points, not in pushing them all to the top grades.

The Progress 8 measure of +0.5 is particularly telling. This indicates that compared to students with similar prior attainment in England, pupils here make half a GCSE grade more progress per subject than the average. That is a meaningful, measurable advantage. It reflects effective teaching, good behaviour, and consistent learning experiences.

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) take-up shows 38% of pupils achieving grades 5 or above across this broad measure, reading, mathematics, science, humanities, and a language. This is slightly below the England average of 41%, reflecting the comprehensive nature of the intake and the range of choices students make. However, for those who pursue this route, the average EBacc APS score is 5.37, above the England average of 4.08, suggesting that students selecting this pathway perform particularly well.

A-Level Performance

The sixth form results continue this trajectory. In 2024, 68% of A-level grades achieved A*-B, well above the England average of 47%. The breakdown shows 13% achieving A*, 23% achieving A, and 32% at B grade. These figures place the school solidly in the top 25% of schools, ranking 443rd in England (FindMySchool data). For a non-selective state school sixth form, these results are genuinely strong.

Subject breadth is notable: the school offers 28 A-level subjects, allowing students to pursue combinations that suit their interests and university plans. This breadth matters: students are not squeezed into narrow patterns of study.

Teaching at Bohunt is characterised by clarity and structure. Classrooms are purposeful spaces where learning objectives are explicit, progress is tracked carefully, and students understand what they are working towards. The emphasis is on building understanding rather than merely delivering content.

Across the lower school, the curriculum follows the national framework with deliberate additions. A key strength is the breadth of language provision: French begins in Year 7, and students can add Spanish or German at GCSE. This reflects a view that language learning should be broad and not confined to the academically select. Science is taught as three separate subjects from Year 9 onwards, allowing students to specialise and deepen understanding.

The sixth form curriculum benefits from scale. The 300+ sixth formers across Year 12 and 13 allow the school to offer specialist A-level teaching. Subject teachers deliver their subjects with genuine subject expertise, and there is time for the depth of study that A-level requires. Small class sizes in less popular subjects (further mathematics, classical civilisation, art history) ensure that students are taught with rigour and attention even when cohorts are small.

One notable feature is the school's approach to literacy and numeracy throughout the sixth form. Rather than assuming that students arriving at 16 have secure foundations, the school continues to monitor and support these core skills, recognising that many students benefit from deliberate practice and feedback even at this level.

Destination data reveals a school sending students to a genuine range of institutions. In the 2023-24 cohort, 60% of leavers progressed to university, with 3% entering further education, 3% starting apprenticeships, and 24% entering employment directly. The remaining percentages represent other destinations.

The university progression data is strongest among the sixth form cohort, where aspirations are higher. One student per year, on average, secures a place at Oxbridge (Cambridge in recent years), which for a non-selective state school with a comprehensive intake is a genuine achievement. Beyond Oxbridge, students progress to a broad range of universities including Russell Group institutions, specialist colleges (music conservatoires, art schools), and strong regional universities.

The apprenticeship pathway, whilst small in percentage terms, reflects a deliberate commitment to vocational routes. The school partners with employers and training providers to create real progression routes for students who have identified technical or practical directions.

Bohunt's extracurricular provision is extensive and genuinely shapes the school experience for many students. The range and quality of opportunities available suggests serious investment of staff time and resources.

Music: A Defining Strength

Music is perhaps the school's most visible strength. The school maintains several performance ensembles of genuinely high standard. The Chamber Orchestra, drawn from students across the school, rehearses weekly and performs at major school events and in the local community. This is not a casual hobby group; it is a properly directed ensemble with rigorous standards. The Concert Choir similarly maintains high standards and has performed in prestigious venues including local festival halls.

Jazz appears to be a particular focus, with both a Jazz Band and a Jazz Improvisation Society for students interested in contemporary music. These ensembles attract students who might not connect with classical music, broadening engagement. The school also maintains a concert series throughout the year, hosting visiting performers and providing platforms for student musicians. Approximately one in three students learns an instrument, either through the school's peripatetic teaching programme or externally, suggesting a culture where music-making is normalised and valued.

Drama and Performance

The drama programme is equally ambitious. The school produces full-scale productions annually, typically a major Shakespeare production and a contemporary musical. Recent years have seen productions involving 80+ students (both performers and technical crew), supported by live orchestral accompaniment. The scale of these productions rivals independent schools and demonstrates exceptional commitment from the drama department and student participants. There are also smaller-scale drama offerings including play readings, improvisation workshops, and GCSE/A-level drama performances.

A dedicated drama studio and well-equipped theatre provide the physical infrastructure to support this ambitious programme.

STEM: Science, Mathematics, and Technology

STEM provision reflects the school's academic strength. The science block includes modern laboratories where separate sciences (biology, chemistry, physics) are taught with dedicated facilities. A number of students pursue the Further Mathematics A-level, and the school supports students interested in STEM careers through dedicated extension activities.

The STEM Society organises guest speakers from STEM professions and university researchers. Recent guest speakers have included engineers, software developers, and environmental scientists. This connection to real-world applications matters: students can see how their science and mathematics studies connect to careers and research.

Robotics and coding clubs operate during lunch and after school, attracting students interested in computational thinking. The robotics club has competed in local and regional competitions, bringing the competitive edge that motivates many students.

Sports and Physical Education

Sport at Bohunt is both broad and deep. All students participate in PE as part of the core curriculum, and a substantial number pursue sports to competitive level. The school fields teams across the traditional sports (rugby, cricket, netball, hockey, athletics) and several less common offerings.

The cricket programme is particularly strong, with both boys' and girls' teams competing at a high level. The school maintains excellent cricket pitches and grounds. Rugby similarly has a significant following, with a thriving boys' rugby programme and growing girls' rugby participation. The all-weather hockey pitch hosts regular fixtures and trains students to a good technical standard.

Athletics is pursued both through curriculum PE and through an Active Schools Athletics Club that trains during lunchtime and after school. Regular inter-house competitions maintain broad participation.

Sixth-form students have access to a dedicated gym and fitness facilities, reflecting the school's support for students maintaining fitness and health as they undertake intensive academic study.

Other Societies and Clubs

The school supports a broader range of societies reflecting student interests. The Debating Society develops communication skills and critical thinking. The Entrepreneurship Club engages students interested in business and innovation. Subject-specific societies exist for History, Geography, and Modern Foreign Languages, allowing deeper exploration beyond the curriculum.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme operates at Bronze and Silver levels, with a handful of students pursuing Gold. This provides structured personal development and outdoor experience for interested students.

A student newspaper, The Bohunt Voice, is published termly and provides students with journalism experience and a genuine platform for student voice.

The school also maintains strong pastoral systems which, whilst not strictly "extracurricular," shape the experience. Vertical form groups (mixing years) create mentoring relationships, and a structured pastoral programme supports student wellbeing alongside academic development.

Bohunt is a comprehensive school serving the Liphook area and wider Hampshire. It is significantly oversubscribed at Year 7 entry, with 1.71 applications per place (based on the most recent admissions data), indicating strong local demand. Admission to Year 7 is coordinated through Hampshire Local Authority's standard admissions process, with places allocated primarily on the basis of distance from home to school and sibling connections.

The sixth form has its own separate admissions process. Entry requires GCSE attainment of grades 5 or above (strong pass) in five subjects, with more stringent requirements for some A-level subjects (grade 7+ for mathematics A-level, for instance). The school welcomes applications from students from other schools, bringing new perspectives and widening the sixth-form cohort. This year-on-year mixing of continuing students and newcomers creates a dynamic sixth-form environment.

For families in the catchment area, the school remains the default secondary choice and is served by several local primary schools. The school's strong results and reputation mean that many families actively choose Bohunt rather than being assigned to it by the admissions system.

The school takes student wellbeing seriously and has invested in supporting infrastructure. Every student is part of a form group led by a form tutor who meets them daily, knows them personally, and monitors their progress. Form tutors coordinate with subject teachers to flag any student struggling with learning or presenting concerning behaviour early.

A dedicated pastoral team including a school counsellor and mental health first-aiders provides additional layers of support. The school has also trained peer mentors (older students) who support younger students, particularly those navigating the transition to secondary. This creates a culture where seeking support is normalised.

The school's behaviour policy emphasises restorative approaches alongside clear consequences for poor behaviour. Students describe a culture where most peers treat learning seriously and where disruptive behaviour is rare. Bullying is taken seriously, with clear reporting mechanisms and investigation protocols.

School day runs from 8:45am to 3:15pm. The school does not operate breakfast club or formal wraparound care, though a number of students remain on campus for clubs and activities after school. Students are responsible for organising their own travel; the school is accessible by bus from several directions, and parking is available for sixth-form students.

Uniform is required up to Year 11, with sixth-form students allowed to wear business dress or full uniform. The uniform represents reasonable value compared to independent school equivalents.

Oversubscription and distance: The school is consistently oversubscribed, with entry dependent primarily on proximity to the school. Families should not assume a place unless they are very close to the building or have siblings already attending. Distance from Liphook town centre matters greatly.

Mixed-attainment intake: This is a comprehensive school serving the full ability range. Those seeking an academically selective environment (grammar school or independent school) will want to consider alternatives. The school's value-added scores suggest very effective teaching across ability levels.

Rural location: Whilst the semi-rural setting provides space and pleasant grounds, it can limit accessibility. Students without independent transport rely on buses, which have limited frequency outside peak times.

Bohunt School represents what a well-led comprehensive school can achieve: strong academic results without sacrificing breadth, genuine community feel without being complacent, ambition paired with kindness. The school ranks solidly in the top 25% of schools in England (FindMySchool data) for both GCSE and A-level results, and its Progress 8 scores indicate that students make genuinely excellent progress from their starting points.

The school is particularly well-suited to families seeking strong academic outcomes within a genuinely comprehensive environment, a place where a wide range of students, from those with SEND support needs to those targeting Oxford, find themselves challenged and supported. The consistent leadership, strong pastoral systems, and breadth of extracurricular opportunities mean that students develop as rounded people, not merely examination candidates.

The principal constraint is admissions: entry is competitive and distance-dependent. For families within the catchment area, this is a strong choice. For those outside, alternatives may be necessary.