Burford School Review 2026: State Boarding in Historic Cotswolds Setting

Founded by the Burford Corporation as a grammar school in 1571 , Burford School has occupied its current hillside location above the picturesque market town since 1957. Today it stands as one of forty state boarding schools in England, blending 450 years of heritage with a notably modern outlook. The school serves approximately 1,400 students aged 11-18, with day and boarding places available. Led by Matthew Albrighton, a Cambridge graduate and former Deputy Head Academic at St Edward's Oxford, Ofsted inspectors noted in October 2023 that the school continues to thrive under his leadership, with a culture of high expectations and warm, respectful relationships. Burford sits in the national typical band for GCSE and A-level performance (FindMySchool ranking: 1622nd in England for GCSEs), with strengths that lie less in raw league table positioning and more in the breadth and character it cultivates. The original building on Lawrence Lane is now used as a boarding house. A school for families seeking balance between academic rigour and pastoral warmth, with the unusual advantage of affordable state-funded boarding.

Burford's setting shapes its identity. The school sits on a 40‑acre Cotswolds site on the edge of the historic market town of Burford. The main campus sits on Cheltenham Road, elevated above the town; the boarding houses cluster around Lawrence Lane in the centre, creating a bicultural experience where boarders move between school and town throughout their day. The campus is large and well-resourced, spread across that 40‑acre Cotswolds setting. The architecture reflects the school's history: Victorian buildings stand alongside modern extensions and purpose-built facilities.

The school's values run through daily experience. Pupils keenly come to school each day, knowing that staff want the very best for them, and across all year groups, pupils know the high expectations for both their and their friends' conduct. This is not a pressurised atmosphere but a community where high expectations feel supportive rather than threatening. Sixth-form students value the help they receive from their teachers and say that the sixth form allows them to follow their passions and study subjects that they like.

For boarders, the experience is distinct. Children's time at boarding when not at school is filled with fun, laughter and opportunities to enhance their studies, with staff actively seeking children's participation in a range of enjoyable activities and regular routines.

The school accommodates around 96 boarders, including UK and international pupils, in a separate boarding house just a short walk from the main school. The boarders are integrated into school life rather than isolated; many day students have boarder friends, and the enrichment available to boarders extends to the wider community.

GCSE Performance

Academic results sit solidly in the middle 35% of schools in England. The school's Attainment 8 score is 49.3 , marginally above the England average. 16% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above in the English Baccalaureate , slightly below the England average of around 40%. Progress 8 stands at +0.21 , indicating pupils make above-average progress from their starting points. Burford ranks 1622nd in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in line with typical secondary provision nationally and locally 1st in West Oxfordshire district. This is a school where students of mixed ability enter and make solid progress, without the selectivity or intensity of a grammar school setting.

A-Level Performance

The sixth form shows distinct strength. 54% of A-level grades were A*-B , above the England average of 47%. More specifically, 7% achieved A* and 18% achieved A . Burford ranks 942nd in England for A-level performance (FindMySchool ranking), again reflecting solid upper-middle-tier provision. The strength of the sixth form relative to GCSE outcomes suggests strong retention and engagement at post-16, with older students responding well to greater autonomy and subject choice. University destinations illustrate the breadth: Recent leavers include students heading to Oxford University (Biomedical Sciences), Manchester (Computer Science and Mathematics), Birmingham (Medicine), Bath (Economics), and Exeter (English and Communications) , alongside competitive placements at the Oxford School of Drama and apprenticeships with companies such as JP Morgan, BMW Group, JCB and Nielsen. In 2024, one student secured a Cambridge place.

The school offers a well-structured, broad, and inclusive curriculum that evolves as students move through the school. By Key Stage 4, pupils can choose from a blend of traditional GCSEs and vocational qualifications, with a total of four option subjects complementing core studies. All students take GCSEs in English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, and either Combined or Triple Science, as well as at least one subject from a group that includes Geography, History, French, German or Spanish.

Teaching is characterised by clarity and specialist subject expertise.

Class sizes vary considerably, ranging from three or four students in an MFL or Music class to 25 in subjects such as Psychology, Biology, English and Mathematics. Subjects have four hours of taught time per week.

The school is a recognised exam centre for additional university admissions exams, covering potential Oxbridge, Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry assessments. This provision is particularly valuable for the sixth form cohort navigating competitive university entry.

For students requiring additional support, Learning support is described as a major strength, with well-qualified, committed staff, and the most recent Ofsted report judged it outstanding.

GCSE Leavers

About half leave after GCSEs for apprenticeships or vocational college courses (for example City of Oxford, Cirencester, and Abingdon & Witney). The sixth form draws additional pupils from outside the school, reflecting its reputation as a strong local post-16 choice.

Sixth Form & University Destinations

Each year, sixth form students progress to diverse institutions. Each year, a large proportion of students achieve places at leading universities, including Oxbridge and the Russell Group. The school regularly places students at Bath, Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Warwick, Edinburgh, and Cambridge. Students go on to university, including Oxbridge; secure competitive apprenticeships at companies including BMW Group and JP Morgan; and enter dream careers in performing arts to forensic science or physiotherapy. In 2024, leavers progressed to medical schools, engineering programmes, and specialist institutions such as the Royal College of Art and the Oxford School of Drama, reflecting the diversity of student ambition.

Boarding Leaver Destinations

For the cohort of 127 leavers in 2024, 51% progressed to university , 31% entered employment , and 7% started apprenticeships. This distribution reflects both the mixed-ability intake and the genuine alternative pathways the school supports: not all students are university-bound, and the school actively develops work-based options for those who prefer them.

Extracurricular life at Burford is genuinely substantial and varied, driven by the school's belief that character formation matters as much as academic achievement.

Music: The Institute of Music

The Institute of Music at Burford School provides superb music education and exceptional opportunities for students beyond the curriculum. The school has been awarded Music Mark School member status by Oxfordshire County Music Service, in recognition of its commitment to providing high-quality music education to students. Burford School has also been awarded an Artsmark Gold Award by the Arts Council, gaining valuable access to professional support, advice and resources.

Performance ensembles are central. Popular ensembles include the Sound Collective, Rock School, Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Double Reed Ensemble, Training Orchestra, and Movement Scholars.

The school offers numerous performance opportunities, including lunchtime concert series and annual music events such as Star for a Night, an inter-house singing competition where students perform alongside a live band. The Christmas Miscellany features the Training and Symphony Orchestras in festive pieces. The Burford School Choral Society, consisting of students, parents, carers, Old Burfordians and members of the wider community, also performs major choral works.

Rock School bands perform covers and original material both in school and at local venues. All That Jazz, the school's jazz function band, performs pieces from its repertoire. The Summer Gala is the end-of-year music extravaganza, featuring performances by orchestras and bands.

The Endangered Instruments Programme provides a year's free instrumental tuition and hire of an instrument to students, focusing on oboe, bassoon and orchestral percussion instruments to ensure instrumental ensembles remain musically balanced.

Drama: Highly Professional and Accessible

Every year Burford puts on either a musical extravaganza or enthralling theatre production. Every other year the Drama Department showcases a Lower School play for Years 7-9.

Recent Lower School plays include Monster Under the Stairs and Arabian Nights. Recent musical productions include Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, and Kinky Boots. Recent Upper School plays include The 39 Steps, Play On, and Dracula.

Students from all years transform into actors, dancers and musicians in casts of 70+ students.

Students undertake lessons in dedicated drama rooms, which include a black box space.

Key Stage Five students attend not only a number of live theatre performances but also a West End workshop.

Sports: Rowing and Beyond

Sport plays a central role in life at Burford School, with a strong emphasis on participation, enjoyment and performance. The school believes all students should experience a wide range of sports while providing pathways for high-performing athletes to develop through an Athletic Foundation programme and access to specialist coaching. Girls' rugby and football and boys' hockey are offered alongside more typical choices, giving students a gender-inclusive, well-rounded sporting education.

Popular sports include Football, Rugby, Netball, Cricket, Hockey, Badminton, Table Tennis, Rock Climbing, Strength & Conditioning, and High-Performance Sport Training.

Clubs & Societies

Over 35 activities and clubs are offered, including sport, music, conversational Chinese, chess, Young Enterprise, drama and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, with every student encouraged to participate.

Adventure & Leadership opportunities include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award (Bronze, Silver, Gold), Equestrian, and various outdoor pursuits.

Creative and Academic Enrichment includes Art, Clay, Creative Writing, Chess & Board Games, Big Questions (philosophy), Technology Ambassadors, and Tenner Challenge (entrepreneurship).

Pupils describe extra activities as one of their favourite parts of the school day and look forward to their clubs with anticipation.

How to Apply

As a state school, Burford School does not charge tuition fees for day students and follows Oxfordshire County Council's admissions policy for local applicants. Entry at Year 7 is non-selective, managed through the standard LA coordination process. The school is typically oversubscribed, with 2.22 applications per place in recent admissions cycles. The school's primary admission block serves local families within the catchment, though boarding places are available to families further afield and internationally.

Sixth Form Entry

Sixth form entry is more flexible. External candidates can apply, and the school reports strong interest from both within the school and from outside. Typical entry requirements are solid GCSEs in A-level subjects, though specific grades vary by subject.

Boarding

The most recent Ofsted boarding inspection (February 2023) rated the boarding provision as Good across all categories.

Inspectors praised the supportive boarding staff, strong student voice, and the positive, respectful relationship between boarders and the wider local community.

Boarding fees are currently around £12,300 per year, which covers accommodation, pastoral care, meals, and enrichment activities. This represents substantial value compared to independent boarding at £40,000+. The school accepts students from across the United Kingdom and abroad into its boarding community.

The school's large and experienced Pastoral Team works tirelessly to ensure that all students have the foundations to thrive while at Burford School. Year teams provide day-to-day oversight; the house system (Falkland, Heylin, Warwick, Wysdom) creates additional belonging and competition in healthy measure. The learning support department was judged as outstanding in the last Ofsted report , indicating robust structures for identifying and supporting students facing academic or emotional difficulty.

Sixth form students enjoy greater autonomy. Sixth Form students have their own distinct Sixth Form Centre, featuring a comfortable Common Room for lunch and relaxation, as well as spaces designed for collaborative work. Senior members are not required to wear a uniform.

All sixth form students are expected to commit one hour a week to assisting and supporting Key Stage Three lessons or activities, which helps them feel part of the wider school community while developing key skills such as interpersonal communication, time management and problem-solving.

School day runs from 8:50am to 3:20pm for day students. Boarding operates on a weekly cycle with exeats typically every three weeks; weekend school is standard. The school is situated on Cheltenham Road, approximately 2 miles north of the town centre. Public transport connects to nearby towns; parking is available for parents dropping off and collecting. The school's idyllic setting on the edge of the bustling historic market town of Burford means access to town facilities, though the site itself feels rural and separated from bustle.

Selective catchment for day places. With 2.22 applications per place, day admission is competitive. Families outside the formal catchment area should verify distance eligibility with Oxfordshire County Council before relying on a place. The school moved to its current premises on Cheltenham Road in 1957 , and proximity to the site is a primary admissions criterion.

Boarding commitment. State boarding at Burford is remarkable value, but families considering it should recognise that boarding is a genuine lifestyle choice affecting holidays, weekends, and family rhythm. Boarders are away for weeks at a time; exeats are the primary opportunity to return home. Families uncomfortable with this separation should prioritise day places or seek alternatives.

Mixed-ability intake means variable peer group. Burford does not select at 11 and draws a genuine cross-section of local ability. This is philosophically sound and creates community breadth; however, families seeking an intensely academic peer group or selective environment may find the mix less challenging than they expect.

Academy status and rural location. The school operates as a single-academy trust, meaning independent governance but within the state system. Rural location, while picturesque, may mean longer transport times for day students from outlying areas.

Burford School stands as a statement about what comprehensive education can offer: sustained academic progress, exceptional pastoral breadth, and genuine character formation built through 450 years of community presence. It is neither highly selective nor academically elite by ranking; it is instead a school where mixed-ability students are treated with dignity, challenged appropriately, and encouraged to discover their passions. The addition of state boarding creates a rare model: accessible, affordable, and integrated into a thriving day school community rather than segregated.

The school suits families seeking strong all-round education with genuine pastoral oversight, an emphasis on enrichment and creativity alongside academics, and readiness to travel or board to access a school beyond their immediate locality. It particularly appeals to those valuing tradition, community, and the Cotswolds setting. Best suited to students who thrive with structure and community support, where character and academic progress are pursued together rather than in competition.