Birchwood High School, based in Bishop's Stortford, provides secondary education, serving pupils aged 11 to 18. The school is a academy converter and operates as a mixed school. It follows a non-selective admissions policy. It has a none religious character. The school also offers a sixth form, allowing students to continue into post-16 education on site.
Birchwood High School currently has around 1454 pupils on roll, which is about 97% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 54.3% boys and 45.7% girls. Around 16.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. Pupil backgrounds are varied across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 9.3%. Persistent absence is recorded at 30.7%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (75.3%). other white pupils make up about 10.4%
Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
Around 98% of pupils move on to sustained destinations after Year 11. Most continue into education (89%) , including 54% who stay in school sixth forms and 32% progressing to further education , while 6% enter apprenticeships .
| Address: | Parsonage Lane, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 5BD |
| Website: | http://www.birchwoodonline.co.uk/ |
| Telephone: | 01279655936 |
| School Type: | Academy converter |
| Education phase: | Secondary |
| Local authority: | Hertfordshire |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mr Sam Griffin |
| Religious character: | None |
| Admissions policy: | Non-selective |
| Unique reference: | 137637 |
Ofsted inspection date: 21/01/2025
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 11 - 18 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 1500 |
| Number of Pupils: | 1454 |
| Number of Boys: | 789 |
| Number of Girls: | 665 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 9.3% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 30.7% | 8.2% |
| White British | 75.30% | 1095 |
| Other White | 10.40% | 151 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 2.00% | 29 |
| African | 1.90% | 27 |
| Other Mixed | 1.60% | 23 |
| White and Asian | 1.50% | 22 |
| Chinese | 1.40% | 21 |
| Indian | 1.40% | 20 |
| White and Black African | 1.10% | 16 |
| Other Asian | 0.90% | 13 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.80% | 12 |
| Unclassified | 0.60% | 9 |
| Irish | 0.40% | 6 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.30% | 5 |
| Other Black | 0.10% | 2 |
| Pakistani | 0.10% | 1 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.10% | 1 |
| Caribbean | 0.10% | 1 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summercroft Primary School Plaw Hatch Close , CM23 5BJ | 3out of 4 | 194 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Summercroft Junior School Parsonage Lane , CM23 5BJ | - not rated | 194 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Summercroft Infant and Nursery School Plaw Hatch Close , CM23 5BJ | - not rated | 194 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Summercroft Primary School Parsonage Lane , CM23 5BJ | - not rated | 194 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| All Saints Church of England Primary School and Nursery, Bishop's Stortford Parsonage Lane , CM23 5BE | 3out of 4 | 494 yd | Voluntary aided school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birchwood High School Parsonage Lane , CM23 5BD | - not rated | 0 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Birchwood High School Parsonage Lane , CM23 5BD | - not rated | 0 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Hockerill Anglo-European College Dunmow Road , CM23 5HX | - not rated | 920 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Hockerill Anglo-European College Dunmow Road , CM23 5HX | 3out of 4 | 920 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College Warwick Road , CM23 5NJ | - not rated | 1,157 yd | Foundation school | No | Girls | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Trees Independent School 13a London Road , Bishops Stortford CM23 5NA | - not rated | 1,987 yd | Other independent special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Bishop's Stortford College School House , Maze Green Road CM23 2PQ | - not rated | 2,653 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.