Maidenhill School Review 2026: A Stonehouse 11 to 16 secondary with a strong community spine

At 8.30am the gates open on Kings Road and students go straight to their tutor bases, a small operational detail that tells you a lot about the tempo here. School life is organised around four Learning Communities (Doverow, Frocester, Haresfield and Rodborough), which give students a team to belong to beyond their year group.

Maidenhill School is a state secondary school for boys and girls aged 11 to 16 in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. With a published capacity of 785, it sits in the mid-sized bracket: big enough for breadth, not so large that students disappear. The most recent Ofsted inspection rated Maidenhill School Good.

The community structure is not just a badge. Doverow, Frocester, Haresfield and Rodborough are used to bring students together across ages for school life, from charity activity to sporting competition and peer support. It is a useful model for children who like to feel part of something clear and named, especially in the first term of Year 7 when everything is new.

Leadership messaging is direct and values-led. The school’s mantra, Be Kind, Aspire, Persevere, Achieve, is positioned as the headline standard, and it suits an 11 to 16 setting where routines and expectations need to be easy to understand. There is also a deliberate emphasis on student voice and responsibility: School Council sits alongside student leadership roles, and the structure encourages older students to take visible positions within the school.

There is also a sense of Maidenhill as a school that has had to renew itself rather than rely on reputation. The school opened in 1957, with later investment including a modern sports hall completed in 2011 and a £3.8 million refurbishment completed in 2014. For families, that matters because it points to a site that has been adapted and improved over time, rather than one frozen in an older model.

GCSE results

Maidenhill’s GCSE outcomes sit below England average on the FindMySchool model. Ranked 2,860th in England and 2nd in Stonehouse for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it is performing in the lower 40% of schools in England overall, while still landing relatively strongly in its immediate local context.

The headline measures add detail to that picture. The Attainment 8 score is 42.6. Progress 8 is -0.12, which indicates that students, on average, make slightly less progress than pupils with similar starting points nationally. EBacc outcomes are a particular watchpoint: the EBacc average points score is 3.64 versus an England average of 4.08, and 4.5% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc suite. Parents comparing options across Gloucestershire often find it helpful to use FindMySchool’s comparison tools so these measures sit alongside nearby schools in one view, rather than being read in isolation.

Teaching here is framed around structure, feedback and steady habits. Homework is set via ClassCharts, which is practical for families because it makes routines visible and reduces the “what was set?” fog that can otherwise creep into Years 7 and 8. Revision and assessment guidance is also positioned as a normal part of school life, rather than something that arrives suddenly at the end of Year 10.

Key Stage 4 choices are handled as a staged process rather than a single decision. In Year 9, students are introduced to options through a choices evening and a two-week timetable of GCSE taster lessons before preferences are collected. The intent is clear: build option blocks around the cohort so as many first choices as possible can be accommodated, and make the decision feel informed rather than rushed.

Music is a good example of how the school mixes practical skill with curriculum intent. In Key Stage 3, students study music for one hour per week (two hours per fortnight) and learn instruments such as ukulele progressing to guitar, alongside keyboard, drumming and music technology. Technology is not an add-on: work includes software such as Logic Pro and Ableton for composition and production, and students who take Music at Key Stage 4 can follow Eduqas GCSE Music.

Because Maidenhill is 11 to 16, the “next step” conversation starts earlier than it does in schools with a sixth form. Careers and post-16 guidance therefore carries extra weight: students are choosing between school sixth forms, further education colleges and apprenticeship routes, and the best preparation is a mix of information, personal guidance and confidence in the basics.

The school builds practical experiences into that pathway. Year 10 work experience is part of the picture, with placements arranged with employers and a formal process for checking arrangements. For many students, that week functions as an early reality check: what a working day feels like, what “professional” actually means, and which environments suit them.

Routes and criteria

Maidenhill is a non-selective school and Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Gloucestershire’s process, rather than being handled independently by the school. Demand is significant: 313 applications for 144 offers works out at about 2.17 applications per place. The implication is straightforward. Families should assume competition, list realistic preferences, and be organised about deadlines and evidence requirements in case oversubscription criteria come into play.

The intake is also notably broad. The school describes students arriving from more than 30 primary schools, and it explicitly recognises that some children will be the only student joining from their primary. That is a common anxiety point for families, and Maidenhill’s response is specific: it runs a summer-term “singles” day so those students can meet other new starters before September.

Timeline and practicalities

Open events for prospective families are typically aimed at Years 5 and 6, and the format is designed to be efficient: a presentation followed by a guided tour, with two session options on the evening. If you are trying to triangulate a shortlist rather than commit immediately, this is where FindMySchool tools can quietly help, especially for checking practical travel patterns and keeping a clear record of what you learned at each visit.

Pastoral systems are described in a way that suggests clarity rather than complexity. Students sit in horizontal year-group tutor groups, with daily tutor sessions designed around the needs of that year group. Alongside that sits visible student leadership: older students take on roles as student leaders and sports leaders, and School Council is part of the formal structure.

The Learning Communities add a second layer of support and belonging. They provide a framework for mentoring and community activity that is not purely academic, which can matter for children who need school to feel relational as well as organised. It is also a useful platform for celebration and participation, from fundraising to quiz days, without making everything feel like another assessment.

Time is a wellbeing lever too. Students are invited to remain on site until 4.00pm for extra-curricular activity or structured study through Study Zone and Study Support, which can be a practical help for working families and a protective factor for students who benefit from a calm place to work before heading home.

Music & performance

Music is one of Maidenhill’s more clearly articulated enrichment strands. Beyond lessons, students can join vocal groups (including a Year 7 group and a whole-school group), a samba band, and student-led pop and rock bands, with access to music technology as part of the offer. Instrumental and vocal tuition is also available in a wide range, from guitars and drum kit to woodwind, strings and voice, with students able to take graded exams through providers including ABRSM, Rock School and Trinity.

Performance opportunities are deliberately built in. The school holds two Performing Arts showcases each year alongside a school production or play, and it also runs a wider calendar that includes a summer concert. For a child who learns best when there is something public to work towards, those recurring events can be a powerful motivator.

Clubs & enrichment

Enrichment is not treated as an optional extra for a small subset. Study Zone is presented as a structured after-school option for independent study, and the school’s calendar points to regular educational visits, both local and further afield. There are also specific named activities that give flavour: Debate Club appears in the annual rhythm, alongside a 24 Hour Sportathon, geography field visits and visiting author events.

Activities Week is another distinctive feature. Scheduled for July, it is framed as a full week of experiences, with choices made in advance so students can opt into activities that match their interests. That kind of programme can be a highlight for students who are more motivated by variety and real-world experiences than by routine alone.

The practical rhythms are explicit. Gates open at 8.30am and students go directly to tutor bases; movement between lessons is managed with a four-minute warning. Students can stay on site until 4.00pm for extra-curricular activities or for Study Zone and Study Support.

Transport is an area where the school is unusually direct. School transport is provided by Ebley Coaches, and the school publishes timetables for its services, with stops that include local villages such as Eastington, Frocester, Kings Stanley, Leonard Stanley and Whitminster. For families driving, Kings Road is the key reference point, and it is worth thinking through drop-off and pick-up early if you are balancing siblings, clubs or after-school study.

Competition for places: With 313 applications for 144 offers (about 2.17 applications per place), admission is the limiting factor for many families. This is not a school you assume will have space. Treat the process as time-sensitive and plan preferences realistically.

EBacc pathway: EBacc outcomes are low on the published measures, with 4.5% achieving grades 5+ across the EBacc suite and an EBacc APS of 3.64 against an England average of 4.08. For students aiming for a strongly academic EBacc-heavy profile, it is worth asking how the school supports that route and who it tends to suit.

No sixth form: The 11 to 16 model can be a good fit for students who want a clean reset at 16, but it also means you should be thinking ahead to post-16 options earlier. The best time to start those conversations is Year 9, not Year 11.

Daily logistics: School buses and local services are a plus, but travel time can shape the day, especially if your child wants to stay until 4.00pm for Study Zone, music groups or clubs. A realistic route plan makes the difference between a sustainable routine and a tiring one.

Maidenhill is a grounded, values-forward 11 to 16 school with a clear internal structure: four Learning Communities, visible student leadership, and a strong emphasis on routines and belonging. Outcomes sit below England average on the FindMySchool data, with a particularly sharp question mark around EBacc measures, so it is most persuasive for families who want an organised, community-minded local school and who value enrichment such as music, structured study after school and practical experiences like work experience. Best suited to students who respond well to clear expectations and a team-based school culture. The challenge lies in securing admission rather than settling in once a place is offered.