Garth Hill College

Garth Hill College continues to maintain the standards set in its previous inspection, showing effective action towards improvement. The school is characterized by a strong sense of inclusivity and well-being, supported by a highly effective pastoral system. Pupils enjoy learning in a calm atmosphere and feel safe and cared for, with opportunities for personal development visible through extracurricular activities. However, there remains a concern regarding the academic performance of disadvantaged students, which the school is actively addressing.

Strengths

• Strong relationships between pupils and staff foster a friendly environment.
• Effective pastoral system prioritizes pupils' well-being and mental health.
• Improvements in curriculum have led to better learning and retention among pupils.
• Wide range of educational experiences enhance personal development.
• Strong subject knowledge of teachers, particularly in the sixth form, promotes high-quality learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not consistently check pupil understanding, leading to misconceptions.
• Disadvantaged pupils do not always achieve as well as their peers.

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 Garth Hill College attended 90.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 25.7% 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, 7.1% of pupils at Garth Hill College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Garth Hill College had 15.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.4% 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, 9.4% of pupils at Garth Hill College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 7.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has a SEN unit with 52 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 Garth Hill College received £10,113 and spent £9,943 for each of its 1,452 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £454,000 (£313 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 Bracknell · Bracknell Forest local authority: places and applications

What is Garth Hill College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Garth Hill College is Good, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was Garth Hill College last inspected by Ofsted?

Garth Hill College was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does Garth Hill College have?

Garth Hill College has 1,452 pupils on roll.

What age range does Garth Hill College cover?

Garth Hill College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Garth Hill College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 42.2, and 34% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Garth Hill College?

Garth Hill College is at Bull Lane, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG42 2AD.