Amersham School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,050 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.7
Other independent school · independent
Thornton College
- Pupils on roll
- 315of 580 places
- Free school meals
- —
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 46
- Ofsted
- Not covered by Ofsted school inspections
What the data says
The Department for Education has not published where Thornton College’s Year 11 leavers went next (destination measures are not published for independent schools), so this page relies on the school’s results and subjects.
Religious Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 93% of the year group took it, against 31% of pupils across England.
A level grades average B, above the England average of B-; 31% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%).
63% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE in 2025 (England 45%). Attainment 8 is not comparable for independent schools, which often enter pupils for IGCSEs that the Department for Education does not count.
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.
The Department for Education has not published destination figures for this school (new school, small cohort or not a state-funded school).
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
No published destinations for sixth-form leavers yet.
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Thornton College | Buckinghamshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 62.2 | 53.4 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 63% | 59% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 87% | 74% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 35% | 43% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 5.40 | 4.79 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | — | 16% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | — | 34.5 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | — | 56.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | — | 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 Language | 44 | 96% | 89% | 45% | 20% | 93% |
| English Literature | 44 | 96% | 86% | 57% | 21% | 100% |
| Mathematics | 44 | 96% | 88% | 34% | 22% | 91% |
| Religious Studies | 43 | 93% | 31% | 63% | 32% | 95% |
| Geography | 27 | 59% | 41% | 59% | 25% | 93% |
| Combined Science | 23 | 50% | 65% | 26% | 9% | 83% |
| Physics | 21 | 46% | 23% | 43% | 46% | 86% |
| Chemistry | 21 | 46% | 23% | 52% | 47% | 90% |
| Biology | 21 | 46% | 23% | 52% | 45% | 95% |
| History | 16 | 35% | 41% | 50% | 26% | 94% |
| Business Studies | 13 | 28% | 18% | 38% | 20% | 77% |
| Photography | 12 | 26% | 6% | 17% | 19% | 100% |
| Spanish | 11 | 24% | 19% | 91% | 27% | 100% |
| Psychology | 11 | 24% | 3% | 64% | 22% | 100% |
| Music | 9 | 20% | 5% | 78% | 33% | 100% |
| Drama | 8 | 17% | 7% | 63% | 27% | 100% |
| Art and Design | 7 | 15% | 7% | 14% | 24% | 100% |
| Computer Science | 7 | 15% | 13% | 14% | 30% | 57% |
| French | 6 | 13% | 18% | 100% | 29% | 100% |
| Design and Technology | 3 | 7% | 11% | — | 23% | — |
| Chinese | 3 | 7% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
| Physical Education | 2 | 4% | 11% | — | 24% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Thornton College | Buckinghamshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 53 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 27 | 3,838 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | B | B | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 39.75 | 40.37 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B+ | B | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 31% | 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 | 10 | 37% | 23% |
| Economics | 6 | 22% | 13% |
| Art and Design | — | — | 1% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Biology | — | — | 20% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
| Politics | — | — | 6% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Mathematics | — | — | 31% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
| Religious Studies | — | — | 4% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | 9 | 33% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 9 | 33% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Biology | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
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.