What did Ofsted judge Highcliffe School's overall effectiveness to be?

Ofsted judged Highcliffe School's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in October 2017 (last graded inspection), and an ungraded inspection in June 2023 confirmed it, on Ofsted's own scale.

How many pupils attend Highcliffe School?

Highcliffe School has 1,519 pupils on roll.

What ages does Highcliffe School take?

Highcliffe School admits pupils aged 11 to 19.

Where is Highcliffe School located?

Highcliffe School is located in Christchurch, BH23 4QD, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

How do I apply to Highcliffe School?

Highcliffe School is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.

How far from Highcliffe School were places offered?

The furthest place offered at Highcliffe School for 2024-25 (Year 7) was 0.837 miles from the school. The council's figures don't show whether anyone was refused, so it may not have been a cut-off.

How are Year 7 places decided at Highcliffe School?

When Highcliffe School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after children/previously looked after — Children who are in the care of a local authority, or a child who was previously in the care of a local authority, but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order; 2. Catchment + sibling — Children who live within the school's defined catchment area and have a sibling actually on roll of the school at the time of admission; 3. Children of staff — Children of members of staff, who have worked at Highcliffe School for a minimum of two years or have been recruited/retained to fulfil a skill shortage, and 4 further criteria. The school offers 264 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Where too few places are available to satisfy preferences, or within any of the priority order categories listed, places will be allocated on the basis of the child's closeness to the preferred school (defined by straight line measurement using a Geographical Information based system...). In the event that the Academy Trust is unable to distinguish between applications, despite applying the priority categories above, lots will be drawn by an independent person to determine the final place(s).

What is the largest ethnic background at Highcliffe School?

According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 88.7% of pupils at Highcliffe School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

Highcliffe School: Ofsted, Results & Catchment 2026

School AtlasBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

School AtlasBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

How far did offers reach?

0.837miles

was the furthest place offered for 2024-25 (Year 7). The council's figures don't show whether anyone was refused, so it may not have been a cut-off.

Last distance offered at Highcliffe School, year by year →

How places are decided at Highcliffe School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1Looked after children/previously looked after — Children who are in the care of a local authority, or a child who was previously in the care of a local authority, but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order.
2Catchment + sibling — Children who live within the school's defined catchment area and have a sibling actually on roll of the school at the time of admission.
3Children of staff — Children of members of staff, who have worked at Highcliffe School for a minimum of two years or have been recruited/retained to fulfil a skill shortage.
4Catchment area — Children who live within the school's defined catchment area.
5Sibling outside catchment — Children who have a sibling actually on roll of the school at the time of admission but who live outside the school's defined catchment area.
6Named feeder schools outside catchment — Children who attend one of the following schools: Bransgore Primary School; Brockenhurst Primary School; Highcliffe St Mark Primary School; Hordle Primary School; Mudeford Junior School; Sway St Luke's Primary School; Tiptoe Primary School, who live outside the school's defined catchment area.
7All other children

If two applications tie: Where too few places are available to satisfy preferences, or within any of the priority order categories listed, places will be allocated on the basis of the child's closeness to the preferred school (defined by straight line measurement using a Geographical Information based system...). In the event that the Academy Trust is unable to distinguish between applications, despite applying the priority categories above, lots will be drawn by an independent person to determine the final place(s).

School is an 11-18 mixed comprehensive; document covers Year 7 normal entry admissions only (sixth form admissions handled separately via school's sixth form website, not detailed with criteria here).

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.

Highcliffe School: key facts

What did Ofsted judge Highcliffe School's overall effectiveness to be?: Ofsted judged Highcliffe School's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in October 2017 (last graded inspection), and an ungraded inspection in June 2023 confirmed it, on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend Highcliffe School?: Highcliffe School has 1,519 pupils on roll.
What ages does Highcliffe School take?: Highcliffe School admits pupils aged 11 to 19.
Where is Highcliffe School located?: Highcliffe School is located in Christchurch, BH23 4QD, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
How do I apply to Highcliffe School?: Highcliffe School is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.
How far from Highcliffe School were places offered?: The furthest place offered at Highcliffe School for 2024-25 (Year 7) was 0.837 miles from the school. The council's figures don't show whether anyone was refused, so it may not have been a cut-off.
How are Year 7 places decided at Highcliffe School?: When Highcliffe School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after children/previously looked after — Children who are in the care of a local authority, or a child who was previously in the care of a local authority, but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order; 2. Catchment + sibling — Children who live within the school's defined catchment area and have a sibling actually on roll of the school at the time of admission; 3. Children of staff — Children of members of staff, who have worked at Highcliffe School for a minimum of two years or have been recruited/retained to fulfil a skill shortage, and 4 further criteria. The school offers 264 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Where too few places are available to satisfy preferences, or within any of the priority order categories listed, places will be allocated on the basis of the child's closeness to the preferred school (defined by straight line measurement using a Geographical Information based system...). In the event that the Academy Trust is unable to distinguish between applications, despite applying the priority categories above, lots will be drawn by an independent person to determine the final place(s).
What is the largest ethnic background at Highcliffe School?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 88.7% of pupils at Highcliffe School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

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How far did offers reach?

0.837miles

was the furthest place offered for 2024-25 (Year 7). The council's figures don't show whether anyone was refused, so it may not have been a cut-off.

Last distance offered at Highcliffe School, year by year →

How places are decided at Highcliffe School

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1Looked after children/previously looked after — Children who are in the care of a local authority, or a child who was previously in the care of a local authority, but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order.
2Catchment + sibling — Children who live within the school's defined catchment area and have a sibling actually on roll of the school at the time of admission.
3Children of staff — Children of members of staff, who have worked at Highcliffe School for a minimum of two years or have been recruited/retained to fulfil a skill shortage.
4Catchment area — Children who live within the school's defined catchment area.
5Sibling outside catchment — Children who have a sibling actually on roll of the school at the time of admission but who live outside the school's defined catchment area.
6Named feeder schools outside catchment — Children who attend one of the following schools: Bransgore Primary School; Brockenhurst Primary School; Highcliffe St Mark Primary School; Hordle Primary School; Mudeford Junior School; Sway St Luke's Primary School; Tiptoe Primary School, who live outside the school's defined catchment area.
7All other children

Highcliffe School: key facts

What did Ofsted judge Highcliffe School's overall effectiveness to be?: Ofsted judged Highcliffe School's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in October 2017 (last graded inspection), and an ungraded inspection in June 2023 confirmed it, on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend Highcliffe School?: Highcliffe School has 1,519 pupils on roll.
What ages does Highcliffe School take?: Highcliffe School admits pupils aged 11 to 19.
Where is Highcliffe School located?: Highcliffe School is located in Christchurch, BH23 4QD, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
How do I apply to Highcliffe School?: Highcliffe School is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.
How far from Highcliffe School were places offered?: The furthest place offered at Highcliffe School for 2024-25 (Year 7) was 0.837 miles from the school. The council's figures don't show whether anyone was refused, so it may not have been a cut-off.
How are Year 7 places decided at Highcliffe School?: When Highcliffe School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after children/previously looked after — Children who are in the care of a local authority, or a child who was previously in the care of a local authority, but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order; 2. Catchment + sibling — Children who live within the school's defined catchment area and have a sibling actually on roll of the school at the time of admission; 3. Children of staff — Children of members of staff, who have worked at Highcliffe School for a minimum of two years or have been recruited/retained to fulfil a skill shortage, and 4 further criteria. The school offers 264 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Where too few places are available to satisfy preferences, or within any of the priority order categories listed, places will be allocated on the basis of the child's closeness to the preferred school (defined by straight line measurement using a Geographical Information based system...). In the event that the Academy Trust is unable to distinguish between applications, despite applying the priority categories above, lots will be drawn by an independent person to determine the final place(s).
What is the largest ethnic background at Highcliffe School?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 88.7% of pupils at Highcliffe School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

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Highcliffe School

How far did offers reach?

How places are decided at Highcliffe School

Highcliffe School: key facts

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Highcliffe School

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Highcliffe School: key facts

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