Heyford Park School

Heyford Park School has demonstrated good overall effectiveness during its first inspection since becoming a sponsored academy in 2020. The school has constructed a broad and ambitious curriculum, with a clear focus on high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The atmosphere at the school is positive and supportive, with pupils engaging enthusiastically in their learning and exhibiting respectful behavior toward each other. The leadership team has effectively fostered an environment in which staff are committed to the holistic development of pupils, promoting both academic success and personal growth.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit respectful and friendly behavior.
• Staff nurture pupils' curiosity and creativity from the early years.
• The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• The curriculum is ambitious and broad, ensuring knowledge builds progressively.
• Effective teaching of early reading with a consistent phonics approach.
• Strong pastoral support provided by staff.
• A well-planned personal, social and health education curriculum.
• Opportunities for pupils to participate in a range of clubs and trips.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not effectively check pupils' understanding before introducing new concepts.

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 Heyford Park School attended 92.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.9% 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, 11.8% of pupils at Heyford Park School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No 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 Heyford Park School had 21.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.3% 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, 17.1% of pupils at Heyford Park School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.3% 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 Heyford Park School received £6,996 and spent £7,237 for each of its 655 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £385,000 (-£587 per pupil).

Across all 11 schools of Epa Trust, income was £6,488 and spending £6,675 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 Bicester · Oxfordshire local authority: places and applications

Heyford Park School is part of Epa Trust, which runs 11 schools. The nearest others:

• Fritwell Church of England Primary School Bicester
• Hanborough Manor CofE School Witney
• St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Cassington Witney
• Freeland Church of England Primary School Witney
• Eynsham Community Primary School Witney
• Bartholomew School Witney
• Cropredy Church of England Primary School Banbury
• Stanton Harcourt CofE Primary School Witney
• West Witney Primary School & Nursery Witney
• Standlake Church of England Primary School Standlake

What is Heyford Park School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Heyford Park School is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Heyford Park School last inspected by Ofsted?

Heyford Park School was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Heyford Park School have?

Heyford Park School has 700 pupils on roll.

What age range does Heyford Park School cover?

Heyford Park School for pupils aged 3 to 19.

What are Heyford Park School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 39.7, and 33% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Heyford Park School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Heyford Park School?

Heyford Park School is at 74 Camp Road, Heyford Park, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX25 5HD.