Cranbourne

  • Secondary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 11 to 16
Report card: Needs attention to strong standard

Wessex Close, Basingstoke, RG21 3NPOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Cranbourne is a secondary school in Basingstoke for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 600 schools in Hampshire. It ranks 4th of 7 secondary schools in Basingstoke. Its latest Ofsted outcome is a report card, from an inspection in January 2026.

Ofsted report card

Inspected 6 January 2026, report published 15 May 2026

Each area is graded from urgent improvement to exceptional, and safeguarding is either met or not met.

Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 January 2026

Pupils feel happy and safe at Cranbourne school. Where pupils need support they know where to go to get it. They typically receive the right support that they need. The opportunities pupils receive, both academically and beyond the subject curriculum, prepare them well for their next steps in employment, education or training. Pupils engage with businesses, colleges and universities through a range of events that take place during the school year. This includes the popular careers fair. The curriculum is ambitious. Pupils learn a wide range of subjects that are taught by subject specialists. They enjoy learning and want to do their best. The 'Cranbourne way' provides a structure to lessons that teachers use across the school. Pupils achieve well. For example, their outcomes in national examinations are close to national averages. Staff use appropriate adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to support them to learn well. Pupils in the specially resourced provision benefit from the effective extra support and guidance that they receive, for example in relation to their specific needs. Pupils behave well in school. They are polite to staff, visitors and each other. Bullying is rare. If it does happen the school deals with it appropriately. Pupils receive a high-quality personal development curriculum. The school offers a wide range of opportunities for pupils to take part in trips, such as to local places of interest, the theatre and abroad for activities such as skiing. The wide range of clubs on offer fully encourages pupils to develop their talents and interests. This include sports, the performing arts, computer gaming and gardening. The school supports all pupils to participate in these clubs. Pupils are not attending school as often as they should. The school has put in place appropriate strategies to improve attendance but these have not currently had the desired impact.

What the school should improve

  • Leaders should implement their attendance strategy fully, so that it results in pupils' high attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
  • Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment consistently well across the school, particularly to check on pupils' understanding of what they are taught and inform the next steps for pupils' learning.

Exam results

GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25

117 pupils in the year group

Attainment 8 score42.7

42.7, 3.4 below the England average of 46.1.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths41.9%

41.9%, 3.5 percentage points below the England average of 45.4%.

Grade 4 or above in English and maths59%

59%, 5.8 percentage points below the England average of 64.8%.

Pupils entering the EBacc19.7%

19.7%, 20.8 percentage points below the England average of 40.5%.

EBacc average point score3.74

3.74, 0.35 below the England average of 4.09.

Pupil numbers and mix

1,088 pupils on roll, with places for 1,200

Eligible for free school meals27.4%

27.4%, 0.9 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language18.2%

18.2%, 3.4 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support15.1%

15.1%, 0.3 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan7.4%

7.4%, 1.4 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near Cranbourne

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Queen Mary's College0.5 milesNo Ofsted inspectionNot published
The Blue Coat School Basingstoke0.7 milesOfsted: Requires improvementAttainment 8: 33.1
Brighton Hill Community School0.8 milesReport card: Expected standard to strong standardAttainment 8: 44.5
Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School1 mileOfsted: GoodAttainment 8: 59.3
The Costello School1 mileReport card: Expected standardAttainment 8: 47.3

School details

School type
Community school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
11 to 16
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
No
Headteacher
Miss Sarah Conlon
Address
Wessex Close, Basingstoke, RG21 3NP
Local authority
Hampshire
URN
116432

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.