Whitmore High School

Whitmore High School is performing at an exceptionally high level. Inspectors found no area of weakness across the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, or sixth-form provision, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Pupils achieve very well, including pupils with SEND, because they follow an ambitious and inclusive curriculum that is implemented consistently by knowledgeable staff. The school provides strong pastoral care, high attendance, mature behaviour and a wide enrichment and careers programme that prepares pupils well for the next stage of education, employment or training. The school benefits from clear and consistent leadership, rigorous governance and staff who feel valued. Its inclusive ethos is a notable strength, including a specially resourced provision for pupils with autism and physical disabilities, and sixth-form students act as excellent role models. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has a new headteacher since the previous inspection. The report identifies no specific areas for improvement.

Strengths

• Excellent outcomes over time, including for pupils with SEND
• Ambitious and inclusive curriculum implemented consistently across the school
• Staff have very strong subject knowledge and benefit from high-quality professional development
• Teachers check understanding systematically and address misconceptions swiftly
• Pupils with SEND access the curriculum alongside their peers and are well supported
• Strong culture of reading with effective support for pupils in the earlier stages of reading
• Pupils behave with maturity and empathy in a calm, safe and productive environment
• High-quality pastoral support and exemplary work with external agencies
• High attendance and swift, effective action on attendance concerns
• Thoughtfully planned personal development and careers programme prepares pupils thoroughly for the future
• Inclusive enrichment programme gives disadvantaged pupils priority access to opportunities
• Clear leadership vision, rigorous governance and consideration for staff workload and well-being
• Sixth-form students are excellent role models and achieve high standards

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Whitmore High School attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 12.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 2.0% of pupils at Whitmore High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Whitmore High School had 14.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 4.1% of pupils at Whitmore High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 14 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Whitmore High School received £8,796 and spent £8,917 for each of its 1,763 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,870,000 (£1,061 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Harrow · Harrow local authority: places and applications

What is Whitmore High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Whitmore High School is Outstanding, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Whitmore High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Whitmore High School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Whitmore High School have?

Whitmore High School has 1,724 pupils on roll.

What age range does Whitmore High School cover?

Whitmore High School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Whitmore High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 56.4, and 58% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Whitmore High School?

Whitmore High School is at Porlock Avenue, Harrow, HA2 0AD.