Amersham School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,050 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.7
Academy converter
The Highcrest Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 1,045of 1,069 places
- Free school meals
- 36.8%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 176
- Ofsted
- Some aspects not as strong, 11 December 2024Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Highcrest Community School (URN 133514, until 1 July 2011).
What the data says
Of the 175 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Highcrest Academy in 2023, 50% stayed on in The Highcrest Academy’s own sixth form (Buckinghamshire average 61%), 23% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 80 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 58% went to university (Buckinghamshire 52%, England 37%), and 11% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 38.5 against 46.1 across England and 53.4 in Buckinghamshire, with 28% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Business Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 44% of the year group took it, against 18% of pupils across England.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Buckinghamshire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Highcrest Academy | Buckinghamshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 175 | 6,459 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 89% | 95% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 82% | 91% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 50% | 61% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 9% | 5% | 13% |
| — further education college | 23% | 22% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 6% | 3% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 5% | 2% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The Highcrest Academy | Buckinghamshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 80 | 5,316 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 84% | 85% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 58% | 52% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 11% | 38% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 2% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 5% | 7% |
| Employment | 23% | 25% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 9% | 10% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Highcrest Academy | Buckinghamshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 38.5 | 53.4 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 28% | 59% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 53% | 74% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 25% | 43% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.32 | 4.79 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 37% | 16% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 31.4 | 34.5 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 42.6 | 56.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 31% | 19% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Literature | 171 | 97% | 86% | 7% | 21% | 58% |
| English Language | 171 | 97% | 89% | 8% | 20% | 60% |
| Mathematics | 171 | 97% | 88% | 10% | 22% | 63% |
| Combined Science | 124 | 70% | 65% | 0% | 9% | 34% |
| History | 89 | 51% | 41% | 11% | 26% | 39% |
| Geography | 82 | 47% | 41% | 10% | 25% | 41% |
| Business Studies | 77 | 44% | 18% | 5% | 20% | 47% |
| Biology | 47 | 27% | 23% | 23% | 45% | 96% |
| Physics | 46 | 26% | 23% | 26% | 46% | 96% |
| Chemistry | 46 | 26% | 23% | 26% | 47% | 91% |
| Computer Science | 39 | 22% | 13% | 8% | 30% | 38% |
| Spanish | 33 | 19% | 19% | 21% | 27% | 79% |
| Art and Design | 33 | 19% | 7% | 30% | 24% | 45% |
| Psychology | 32 | 18% | 3% | 6% | 22% | 53% |
| Drama | 27 | 15% | 7% | 7% | 27% | 70% |
| Design and Technology | 26 | 15% | 11% | 0% | 23% | 35% |
| Physical Education | 24 | 14% | 11% | 8% | 24% | 58% |
| Sociology | 18 | 10% | 4% | 0% | 21% | 17% |
| Music | 12 | 7% | 5% | 17% | 33% | 58% |
| French | 11 | 6% | 18% | 27% | 29% | 82% |
| Religious Studies | 9 | 5% | 31% | 33% | 32% | 67% |
| Polish | 5 | 3% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Portuguese | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
| Italian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| German | 1 | 1% | 5% | — | 33% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Studies | 37 | 66% | — |
| Beauty Care / Services | 24 | 43% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 19 | 34% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 16 | 29% | — |
| Sports Studies | 15 | 27% | — |
| Building / Construction Operations (General / Combined) | 7 | 13% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Highcrest Academy | Buckinghamshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 172 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 56 | 3,838 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C- | B | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 27.71 | 40.37 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C- | B | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 13% | 33% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 19 | 34% | 23% |
| Mathematics | 16 | 29% | 31% |
| Sociology | 15 | 27% | 13% |
| Law | 8 | 14% | 4% |
| Geography | 8 | 14% | 10% |
| Chemistry | 6 | 11% | 17% |
| Physics | 6 | 11% | 12% |
| Accounting/Finance | — | — | 1% |
| Art and Design | — | — | 1% |
| Textiles | — | — | 1% |
| Biology | — | — | 20% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Politics | — | — | 6% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Media Studies | — | — | 4% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 22 | 39% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 19 | 34% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 17 | 30% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 15 | 27% | — |
| Sociology | GCE AS level (All) | 15 | 27% | — |
| Geography | GCE AS level (All) | 8 | 14% | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| History | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
| Speech and Drama | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Politics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| History | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Buckinghamshire
Aylesbury Grammar School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,346 pupils
99% stayed in education · Attainment 8 74.5
Aylesbury High School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,368 pupils
98% stayed in education · Attainment 8 74.3
Aylesbury UTC
University technical college · sixth form · 128 pupils
68% stayed in education · Attainment 8 23.8
Beaconsfield High School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,283 pupils
99% stayed in education · Attainment 8 75.9
Buckingham School
Community school · sixth form · 1,110 pupils
80% stayed in education · Attainment 8 38.6
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.