Denefield School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,171 pupils
87% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.0
Community school
The Willink School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,205of 995 places
- Free school meals
- 12.1%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 203
- Ofsted
- Report card, 6 May 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Expected standardAchievement Expected standardAttendance and behaviour Expected standardPersonal development and wellbeing Expected standardInclusion Expected standardLeadership and governance Expected standardPost-16 provision Expected standardSafeguarding Met
What the data says
Of the 201 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Willink School in 2023, 56% stayed on in The Willink School’s own sixth form (West Berkshire average 54%), 22% went to a further education college and 1% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 105 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 45% went to university (West Berkshire 42%, England 37%), and 34% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Religious Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 95% of the year group took it, against 31% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 51.9 against 46.1 across England and 48.0 in West Berkshire, with 57% 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 | The Willink School | West Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 201 | 1,976 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 95% | 95% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 56% | 54% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 12% | 6% | 13% |
| — further education college | 22% | 25% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 4% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 4% | 3% |
| Employment | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 3% | 3% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 1% | 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 Willink School | West Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 105 | 1,453 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 85% | 87% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 45% | 42% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 34% | 21% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 3% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 7% | 7% |
| Employment | 35% | 34% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 10% | 10% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Willink School | West Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 51.9 | 48.0 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 57% | 48% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 73% | 69% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 92% | 43% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 5.02 | 4.29 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 18% | 17% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 31.9 | 29.3 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 56.2 | 51.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 4% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 199 | 98% | 89% | 25% | 20% | 82% |
| Mathematics | 199 | 98% | 88% | 27% | 22% | 79% |
| English Literature | 199 | 98% | 86% | 25% | 21% | 78% |
| Religious Studies | 193 | 95% | 31% | 13% | 32% | 62% |
| Combined Science | 179 | 88% | 65% | 28% | 9% | 78% |
| History | 142 | 70% | 41% | 19% | 26% | 68% |
| Spanish | 101 | 50% | 19% | 14% | 27% | 50% |
| Geography | 83 | 41% | 41% | 43% | 25% | 72% |
| Physical Education | 59 | 29% | 11% | 19% | 24% | 71% |
| French | 57 | 28% | 18% | 14% | 29% | 63% |
| Business Studies | 57 | 28% | 18% | 23% | 20% | 56% |
| Art and Design | 36 | 18% | 7% | 17% | 24% | 94% |
| Design and Technology | 29 | 14% | 11% | 34% | 23% | 86% |
| Drama | 25 | 12% | 7% | 40% | 27% | 84% |
| German | 24 | 12% | 5% | 17% | 33% | 67% |
| Media Studies | 22 | 11% | 4% | 23% | 20% | 59% |
| Physics | 19 | 9% | 23% | 68% | 46% | 89% |
| Chemistry | 19 | 9% | 23% | 63% | 47% | 89% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 19 | 9% | 8% | 5% | 21% | 47% |
| Biology | 19 | 9% | 23% | 63% | 45% | 89% |
| Chinese | 17 | 8% | 1% | 41% | 75% | 82% |
| Computer Science | 17 | 8% | 13% | 29% | 30% | 47% |
| Music | 16 | 8% | 5% | 31% | 33% | 94% |
| Textiles | 14 | 7% | 2% | 0% | 27% | 79% |
| Italian | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| Polish | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 27 | 25% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Willink School | West Berkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 209 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 110 | 1,071 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | B- | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 35.28 | 34.96 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 20% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 41 | 37% | 31% |
| Psychology | 24 | 22% | 23% |
| Business Studies | 21 | 19% | 13% |
| Biology | 19 | 17% | 20% |
| Economics | 19 | 17% | 13% |
| Physics | 17 | 15% | 12% |
| History | 16 | 15% | 13% |
| Sociology | 15 | 14% | 13% |
| English Literature | 12 | 11% | 11% |
| Chemistry | 11 | 10% | 17% |
| Geography | 10 | 9% | 10% |
| Art and Design | 10 | 9% | 1% |
| Media Studies | 10 | 9% | 4% |
| Physical Education | 9 | 8% | 3% |
| Film Studies | 9 | 8% | 2% |
| Further Mathematics | 8 | 7% | 5% |
| Politics | 8 | 7% | 6% |
| English Language | 7 | 6% | 4% |
| Computer Science | 7 | 6% | 5% |
| Product Design | 7 | 6% | 2% |
| Spanish | 7 | 6% | 2% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Music | — | — | 0% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 24 | 22% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 15 | 14% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 5% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Computer Science | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Sociology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Spanish | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Computer Science | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Sociology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Spanish | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Multimedia | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in West Berkshire
John O'Gaunt School
Academy sponsor led · 439 pupils
74% stayed in education · Attainment 8 32.0
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
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.