Guildford County School

Guildford County School continues to be an outstanding institution as it showcases a highly effective and ambitious learning environment for its pupils. Students are motivated and achieve excellent outcomes, encouraged by staff who maintain the highest expectations and foster a supportive community. Parents express significant appreciation for the school's efforts in nurturing their children and balancing rigorous academic standards with holistic development, all within a safe environment. Importantly, this inspection marked the school's first routine check since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the school has effectively adapted during this time.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve exceptionally well and are ambitious learners.
• The school promotes a creative and purposeful environment.
• Staff possess excellent subject knowledge and collaborate effectively.
• Teachers provide clear explanations and link topics well together.
• The school prioritizes pupils' wider development with meaningful leadership opportunities.
• There is a strong focus on developing reading skills across all year groups.
• Positive relationships are fostered throughout the school community.

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 Guildford County School attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 16.9% 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 Guildford County School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 4 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 Guildford County School had 16.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.7% 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, 11.1% of pupils at Guildford County School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 2024–25 Guildford County School received £8,047 and spent £8,090 for each of its 1,194 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £547,000 (£458 per pupil).

Across all 17 schools of Learning Partners Academy Trust, income was £7,680 and spending £7,620 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Guildford · Surrey local authority: places and applications

Guildford County School is part of Learning Partners Academy Trust, which runs 17 schools. The nearest others:

• Surrey Maths School Guildford
• Sandfield Primary School Guildford
• Kings College Guildford Guildford
• Guildford Grove Primary School Guildford
• Stoughton Infant School Guildford
• Shalford Infant School Guildford
• Northmead Junior School Guildford
• Boxgrove Primary School Guildford
• George Abbot School Guildford
• Loseley Fields Primary School Godalming

What is Guildford County School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Guildford County School is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2023.

When was Guildford County School last inspected by Ofsted?

Guildford County School was last inspected in April 2023.

How many pupils does Guildford County School have?

Guildford County School has 1,170 pupils on roll.

What age range does Guildford County School cover?

Guildford County School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Guildford County School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 59.2, and 72% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Guildford County School?

Guildford County School is at Farnham Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 4LU.