Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #31 in Oxfordshire public Top 33% UK

The Cooper School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personDr Robert Whannel

corporate_fareACER TRUST

location_onBicester, OX26 4RS

language Visit Website phone 1869242121

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

1,296

trending_up

Attainment 8

41.7

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GCSE Rank

#31 in Oxfordshire

#2,294 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

The Cooper School is a Academy converter secondary school in Bicester, serving ages 11-18. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

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School Summary

The Cooper School is an academy converter in Bicester, Oxfordshire, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of ACER TRUST. The school has approximately 1,228 pupils on roll, of whom 14% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 41.7, placing the school #31 in Oxfordshire and #2,294 of 3,216 nationally. 39.50% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 13.2% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 22 A-level subjects. 41.9% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 10.1% at A*–A. A-level value added: 0.08 — sixth-form progress was broadly average.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 16.1:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there was 1 permanent exclusion. The average suspension rate was 5.8 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

41.7

Grade 5+ E&M

39.50%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)13.2%

Entering EBacc18.60%

EBacc APS3.59

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.21

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

44.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc41.40%

EBacc APS4.04

2023

Progress 8 Score

-0.20

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

43.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc43%

EBacc APS3.87

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.26

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc47%

EBacc APS4.61

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc51%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

0.07

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc29%

EBacc APS4.17

2018

Progress 8 Score

-0.02

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

48.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc29%

EBacc APS4.09

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

90%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)79%

Apprenticeships8%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)10%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)85%

Apprenticeships3%

Employment7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)85%

Apprenticeships5%

Employment6%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

98%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment5%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)1%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)84%

Apprenticeships7%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

+0.08

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make broadly expected progress at A-level.

Students

106

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*1.7%

Achieving A*–A10.1%

Achieving A*–B41.9%

VA Banding Average

Retention rate96.2%

A-level subjects offered22

2024

A-Level Value Added

+0.11

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

Students

Retention rate92.00%

2023

Avg Grade

C+

Students

Retention rate98.90%

2022

Avg Grade

B-

Students

Retention rate100.0%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

25 February 2025

Inspection Report

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29 November 2022

Inspection Report

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06 June 2017

Inspection Report

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01 July 2014

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

5 Evaluations

2025-02-25

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2022-11-29

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2017-06-06

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2013-05-01

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2011-05-19

None EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

6.4%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

3.6%(44 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

1pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,228 pupils. During this period, there were 78 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 6.4%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,228	78	6.4%	7.3%	1
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,221	64	5.2%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,265	45	3.6%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,272	24	1.9%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,263	38	3.0%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,286	49	3.8%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,296	77	5.9%	6.4%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,289	68	5.3%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,277	56	4.4%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,282	53	4.1%	4.9%	1
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,275	108	8.5%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,295	84	6.5%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,299	6	0.5%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,291	51	4.0%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,291	1	0.1%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,291	71	5.5%	3.2%	1
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,294	100	7.7%	4.2%	3
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,284	36	2.8%	3.1%	1
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,293	14	1.1%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,292	36	2.8%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,282	24	1.9%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,285	16	1.2%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,284	27	2.1%	3.7%	1
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,292	20	1.5%	3.0%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,291	15	1.2%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,294	20	1.5%	3.1%	1

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 71 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 48 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 40 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 34 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 29 pupils

Physical Disability 12 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 7 pupils

Hearing Impairment 6 pupils

Visual Impairment 4 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

74.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

79.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

20.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree13%

agree50%

disagree22%

strongly disagree6%

don't know8%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree20%

agree41%

disagree25%

strongly disagree10%

don't know4%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree26%

agree30%

disagree14%

strongly disagree12%

don't know3%

not applicable14%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes26%

no74%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree25%

agree25%

disagree22%

strongly disagree25%

dont know3%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree30%

agree43%

disagree18%

strongly disagree2%

don't know7%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree32%

agree43%

disagree17%

strongly disagree6%

don't know2%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree25%

agree50%

disagree21%

strongly disagree4%

don't know1%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree34%

agree56%

disagree4%

strongly disagree2%

don't know3%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree22%

agree61%

disagree8%

strongly disagree5%

don't know4%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree17%

agree51%

disagree14%

strongly disagree8%

don't know10%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes71%

no29%

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Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Outstanding

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Outstanding

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Outstanding

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Good

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Secondary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Secondary Schools in Oxfordshire

Gillotts School

Didcot Girls' School

The Cherwell School

Langtree School

Matthew Arnold School

The Swan School