Highcliffe SchoolThe Grange School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Christchurch.
Summary of the comparison
Highcliffe School and The Grange School are secondary schools in Christchurch.
Highcliffe School scores 60 out of 100 (grade C, average) and The Grange School scores 53 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Highcliffe School is ahead on our composite score.
Highcliffe School was judged Good and The Grange School was judged the expected standard.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 48.1 for Highcliffe School and 39.8 for The Grange School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at Highcliffe School (51.0 in 2021-22, 48.1 in 2025-26) and has held broadly level at The Grange School (38.0 in 2021-22, 39.8 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | ChristchurchHighcliffe School | ChristchurchThe Grange School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C60/100Stronger figure | D53/100 | |
| Local ranking | 11th of 24 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Stronger figure | 18th of 24 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Expected | |
| School type | Academy converter | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-19 | 11-19 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,519 | 429 | |
| Capacity | 1,461 | 769 | |
| Location | Christchurch, BH23 4QD | Christchurch, BH23 3AU | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 48.1 Stronger figure | 39.8 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 50.0% Stronger figure | 33.3% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 73.4% Stronger figure | 60.0% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 244 | 75 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 107 | Not reported | |
| A-level average points | 34.6 | Not reported | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C+ | Not reported | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 36.5 | Not reported | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 12.2% | Not reported | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,565 | 470 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 14.9% | 43.9% | |
| English as an additional language | 3.1% | 12.3% | |
| SEN support | 9.7% | 23.4% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 3.1% | 7.9% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 7.0% Stronger figure | 15.7% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 18.2% Stronger figure | 40.5% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Highcliffe School
The Grange School
Full profiles: Highcliffe School · The Grange School