Lord Williams's School
Oxford Road, Thame, OX9 2AQOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Lord Williams's School is a secondary school in Thame for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 359 schools in Oxfordshire. It ranks 21st of 41 secondary schools in Oxfordshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in May 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 17 May 2022, report published 7 July 2022
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 17 May 2022
Pupils are proud to attend this school. Staff have high expectations for pupils. Pupils get off to a flying start at the lower school. Lessons build on prior knowledge learned in primary schools. In the popular sixth-form, students study a wide range of academic and vocational courses. Older pupils take on positions of responsibility, for example, on the student leader programme. There are many opportunities to complete voluntary work. The Duke of Edinburgh award scheme is highly successful, with over 200 pupils taking part each year. This enables pupils to develop talents and interests as well as building positive character traits. Pupils feel safe at school and they know they have someone to talk to if they have worries. Pupils say that bullying is not tolerated here. They told inspectors, 'It is ok to be yourself here as we celebrate differences'. Some parents and pupils told inspectors that they feel that staff do not deal with bullying effectively. The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils engage well in lessons. Sixth-form students are mature in their approach to independent study.
What the school should improve
- Curriculum thinking in some subjects, for example, in physical education, is not as well developed as in others. The carefully constructed sequence of learning, that enables pupils to know more and remember more, is not as finessed as leaders want it to be. This means pupils do not always learn how to do more or remember more as a result of the teaching they experience. Subject leaders should continue to refine their curriculum thinking in these subjects so that pupils are able to remember key knowledge and learn new skills more effectively.
- Leaders understand that although they have policies and procedures in place to address bullying, some parents and pupils do not understand fully how bullying is addressed by the school. As a result, not all pupils and parents are as clear as they need to be of the school's processes. Leaders and staff need to take further steps to ensure that all pupils and parents have a stronger understanding of the school's response to bullying.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
345 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
249 students
Average A level grade C+, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
2,259 pupils on roll, with places for 2,290
Schools near Lord Williams's School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheatley Park School | 6 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 51.5 |
| Icknield Community College | 7 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 51.2 |
| Princes Risborough School | 7 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 40.3 |
| Waddesdon Church of England School | 7 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 51.0 |
| The Mandeville School | 8 miles | Ofsted judgements: Inadequate to good | Attainment 8: 38.9 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THAME PARTNERSHIP ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Neil Dimbleby
- Phone
- 01844210510
- Address
- Oxford Road, Thame, OX9 2AQ
- Local authority
- Oxfordshire
- URN
- 138667
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.