John O'Gaunt School
Academy sponsor led · 439 pupils
74% stayed in education · Attainment 8 32.0
Academy converter
Denefield School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,171of 1,137 places
- Free school meals
- 18.7%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 183
- Ofsted
- Good, 1 November 2023Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Denefield School (URN 110100, until 1 January 2012).
What the data says
Of the 180 pupils who finished Year 11 at Denefield School in 2023, 44% stayed on in Denefield School’s own sixth form (West Berkshire average 54%), 32% went to a further education college and 4% started an apprenticeship.
Sociology is unusually popular at GCSE: 36% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.
Among the 67 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 37% went to university (West Berkshire 42%, England 37%), and 10% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally; 12% started an apprenticeship, well above the 7% England average.
GCSE results in 2025 were in line with the national picture: Attainment 8 of 47.0 against 46.1 across England and 48.0 in West Berkshire, with 50% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
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 West Berkshire and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Denefield School | West Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 180 | 1,976 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 95% | 95% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 87% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 44% | 54% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 10% | 6% | 13% |
| — further education college | 32% | 25% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 4% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 4% | 3% |
| Employment | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 3% | 3% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 2% | 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 | Denefield School | West Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 67 | 1,453 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 94% | 87% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 37% | 42% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 10% | 21% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 3% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 12% | 7% | 7% |
| Employment | 43% | 34% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 3% | 10% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Denefield School | West Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 47.0 | 48.0 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 50% | 48% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 70% | 69% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 38% | 43% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.14 | 4.29 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 13% | 17% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 27.2 | 29.3 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 50.0 | 51.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 5% | 9% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 181 | 99% | 88% | 17% | 22% | 73% |
| English Language | 181 | 99% | 89% | 21% | 20% | 73% |
| English Literature | 174 | 95% | 86% | 24% | 21% | 81% |
| Combined Science | 151 | 83% | 65% | 7% | 9% | 62% |
| Business Studies | 86 | 47% | 18% | 20% | 20% | 63% |
| History | 82 | 45% | 41% | 32% | 26% | 77% |
| Geography | 82 | 45% | 41% | 22% | 25% | 55% |
| Sociology | 65 | 36% | 4% | 18% | 21% | 68% |
| Spanish | 51 | 28% | 19% | 27% | 27% | 76% |
| Fine Art | 46 | 25% | 9% | 33% | 28% | 96% |
| Physics | 26 | 14% | 23% | 73% | 46% | 96% |
| Chemistry | 26 | 14% | 23% | 58% | 47% | 96% |
| Biology | 26 | 14% | 23% | 54% | 45% | 96% |
| Physical Education | 23 | 13% | 11% | 13% | 24% | 83% |
| Film Studies | 21 | 11% | 1% | 24% | 20% | 90% |
| Computer Science | 19 | 10% | 13% | 21% | 30% | 84% |
| Design and Technology | 18 | 10% | 11% | 6% | 23% | 72% |
| German | 16 | 9% | 5% | 44% | 33% | 75% |
| Religious Studies | 14 | 8% | 31% | 71% | 32% | 100% |
| Drama | 11 | 6% | 7% | 27% | 27% | 100% |
| French | 11 | 6% | 18% | 55% | 29% | 82% |
| Music | 7 | 4% | 5% | 0% | 33% | 71% |
| Russian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
| Polish | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 28 | 47% | — |
| Health Studies | 24 | 40% | — |
| Small Business Management | 23 | 38% | — |
| Sports Studies | 14 | 23% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 12 | 20% | — |
| Tourism | 10 | 17% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Denefield School | West Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 178 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 60 | 1,071 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | B- | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 35.96 | 34.96 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 12% | 17% | 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 | 32% | 23% |
| Mathematics | 14 | 23% | 31% |
| Photography | 13 | 22% | 3% |
| English Literature | 12 | 20% | 11% |
| Biology | 12 | 20% | 20% |
| Business Studies | 12 | 20% | 13% |
| History | 12 | 20% | 13% |
| Fine Art | 10 | 17% | 3% |
| Chemistry | 9 | 15% | 17% |
| Physics | 7 | 12% | 12% |
| Sociology | 7 | 12% | 13% |
| Geography | 6 | 10% | 10% |
| Film Studies | — | — | 2% |
| Product Design | — | — | 2% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Physical Education | — | — | 3% |
| Textiles | — | — | 1% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 15 | 25% | — |
| Tourism | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 12 | 20% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 10 | 17% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 9 | 15% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 7 | 12% | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in West Berkshire
Kennet School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,824 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.5
Little Heath School
Voluntary aided school · sixth form · 1,682 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.2
Park House School
Academy converter · sixth form · 981 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 55.9
St Bartholomew's School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,905 pupils
95% stayed in education · Attainment 8 56.2
Theale Green School
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 803 pupils
76% stayed in education · Attainment 8 38.5
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.