Matthew Arnold School
Arnolds Way, Oxford, OX2 9JEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Matthew Arnold School is a secondary school in Oxford for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 359 schools in Oxfordshire. It ranks 3rd of 8 secondary schools in Oxford. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 10 June 2025, report published 13 July 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- 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 10 June 2025
Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming school. The school ethos of 'Success for Everyone' is lived out by staff and pupils. Pupils throughout the school benefit from positive relationships with each other and staff. They benefit from high-quality pastoral support. This makes them feel safe. The school's curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. The key knowledge pupils need to know has been identified in all subjects. Pupils learn well across the curriculum, producing work of a high quality. The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour. This means pupils are able to learn in lessons, which are rarely disrupted. Pupils are polite as they move around the school and socialise calmly at break and lunchtimes. Pupils are ready for the next stages in their education. They benefit from a wide range of clubs, such as netball and lacrosse, performing arts and dungeons and dragons. The school has a large number of pupils that participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Pupils recognise how these clubs and opportunities support them and appreciate the time that staff spend running them.
What the school should improve
- In some lessons, the school's pedagogical processes are not embedded consistently well. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that pedagogical approaches support all pupils to achieve well.
- The curriculum for PSHE is not consistently implemented across the school. This means that pupils do not retain what they have been taught and have not secured the understanding intended to help broaden their personal development. The school should ensure that the intended PSHE curriculum is implemented consistently across all year groups.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
207 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
107 students
Average A level grade C+, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,255 pupils on roll, with places for 1,220
Schools near Matthew Arnold School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherwell College Oxford | 2 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Wychwood School | 2 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 46.4 |
| Magdalen College School | 3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 45.0 |
| Dragon School | 3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| St Clare's, Oxford | 3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- ACER TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Anthony Broadley
- Phone
- 01865862232
- Address
- Arnolds Way, Oxford, OX2 9JE
- Local authority
- Oxfordshire
- URN
- 142104
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.