Burford School was founded by Charter in 1571 and has been maintained continually since then. The school was developed as a county school from 1929 when the foundation admitted girls. In 1957, the school moved up the hill to its present 36-acre site.

The boarding house and surrounding staff accommodation occupy the historic site of the original grammar school in the town.

The attractive, listed buildings provide varied facilities within a safe environment. This history has given Burford a unique flavour, but it is a school of the 21st century, as is reflected in its specialist science and technology status.

Academic expectations and standards are high.

The students consistently achieve outstanding examination results, both at GCSE and A-Level, which are well above national and Oxfordshire figures. The sixth form, which is based in purposebuilt accommodation next to the library, provides 26 A and AS-Level courses.

The students are ambitious, many aspiring to and gaining places to the top universities, including Oxbridge. The curriculum is organised through a departmental structure, with a mix of single subjects and broad based faculties such as technology.

Pupils are initially taught in mixed ability groups with increased setting as students move through the school. The school site is Wi-Fi enabled and there are four well-equipped computer rooms, in addition to the departmentally-based computers. All teaching rooms have data projectors and interactive whiteboards to support learning.

The pastoral care in the school is co-ordinated by the heads of year and a member of the senior leadership team. Tutor groups meet at the start of each day for assemblies and tutorials. The relationships between staff and students are seen as ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED.

The house system enhances a wide range of extra-curricular activities offered throughout the school. There are many opportunities for residential experience, including a thriving Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, regular exchange visits organised by the modern foreign languages department, sailing and skiing trips, cultural visits to Russia, and music residential.

The school has a well-deserved reputation for sporting excellence, winning many national and local competitions for all major sports.

This summer, the senior teams completed a three-week sports tour of Australia. The music department offers opportunities for students to join the main orchestra, the training orchestra, the school jazz band, rock school and choir.

As an international school, we have many links with schools around the world. The exchange programme to Uganda, now in its 14th year, is a unique opportunity for senior students to work with pupils from a very different background.

Though traditional in its atmosphere, uniform and annual cycle of events, including Charter Day, Burford School is thoroughly contemporary in its outlook. There is a collective feeling of pride in the school. We are, quite simply, a happy and successful school.

Kathy Haig, head teacher