Stroud is known for its strong community spirit and the independent, bustling town centre but for residents and their families, Stroud is also home to a selection of highly sought-after academies, independent and comprehensive schools.
Here is a list of the secondary schools and further education options in the area, and where they are located, which could be useful for those looking to move to Stroud.
Our Home Buyers Guide To Secondary School Education In Stroud
Archway School
Paganhill, Stroud, GL5 4AX
Archway School is a co-educational comprehensive school in Paganhill, Stroud, for pupils aged 11 to 18.
It was built on land that was once part of the Farmhill Park Estate, which was the home of Magistrate Henry Wyatt in the 1830s. Wyatt built the gate archway (which gives the school its name) as a commemoration of the abolition of slavery.
The school has many facilities, including playing fields, a 20-metre heated indoor swimming pool, a sports centre, and a dance room. The sports centre includes the "Jack Russell Lounge," named after the former student and England wicketkeeper Robert "Jack" Russell.
According to the most recent inspection, there is a growing sense of ambition among pupils and staff at Archway School. There are established routines in place that help pupils to know what to expect and how to behave. As a result, the atmosphere in the school is increasingly calm in recent years.
Leaders at Archway School prioritise pupils' personal development. For example, they consider it essential that all pupils leave school able to swim. They provide extra classes in the on-site swimming pool for pupils who need more help to develop their confidence in the water.
Pupils are also encouraged to make their aspirations a reality. Leaders invite professionals from different industries into the school to share insights with pupils. Students who attend the sixth form are taking up places at universities in increasing numbers and Archway School also has a good track record of supporting the route into apprenticeships.
Marling School
Cainscross Road, Stroud, GL5 4HE
Marling School is a grammar school with academy status for boys, with a co-educational Sixth Form. It was founded in 1887 by Sir Samuel Marling, a local cloth manufacturer and former Liberal Member of Parliament. The school is situated on Cainscross Road, the main route out of Stroud towards the M5, and is located next to the girls' grammar school, Stroud High School.
The school has a number of buildings, including the East Block, which houses the History Department, and the Science Department, which is situated in three buildings, one of which is shared with Stroud High School. The school also has a separate Sports Hall, which is used for PE and sports-related clubs.
The school's facilities include a large indoor hall, for basketball, volleyball, and other indoor games and grass pitches where games such as football and rugby are played.
The latest inspection stated that Marling School is outstanding in all areas, with students making excellent progress and achieving well above average. The school uses assessment information very well to ensure that all students are fully challenged, and achievement for all groups of students is outstanding, including the most able and those who receive additional government funding.
Teaching is outstanding, with students empowered to learn by the many opportunities they have to work independently and in groups. Lessons are usually well-paced and challenging, and they maintain a strong focus on learning.
Behaviour is mature and considerate, with students' highly positive approach to their studies ensuring that classrooms are excellent places to learn. Behaviour outside of lessons is also outstanding, and bullying is virtually nonexistent.
The sixth form is outstanding, with students achieving excellent results due to the high standards of teaching and care they receive. They are very well prepared for the future, and almost all of them go on to university.
Stroud High School
Beards Lane, Cainscross Road, Stroud, GL5 4HF
Stroud High School (SHS) is a grammar school with academy status for girls aged 11 to 18.
It was founded in 1904 by a group of local citizens who believed that girls in Stroud and the surrounding area deserved a secondary school to match Marling School for boys that had been founded some years earlier.
SHS has a long history of academic excellence and has consistently achieved a GCSE Level 2 threshold of 100%. In 2010, the school was graded as 'Outstanding' by Ofsted.
In 2011, SHS became an Academy, which gave the school more freedom to shape its own curriculum and teaching methods. The school's Sixth Form is co-educational and was operated jointly with Marling School until 2019.
Today, SHS is a thriving school with a strong reputation for academic excellence. The school offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities and is committed to providing all students with the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The latest inspection stated that Stroud High School students are confident, articulate, and well-behaved. They are hardworking in lessons and make the most of the extra-curricular activities that the school offers. They get on well with each other and have excellent relationships with their teachers. The school provides a safe, supportive, and valued environment for all students.
Students excel at Stroud High School because of the excellent curriculum, good teaching, and exceptional care, guidance, and support. The school has been very successful in ensuring that all students, including those who find lessons more challenging, fulfil their potential.
Maidenhill School
Kings Road, Stonehouse, GL10 2HA
Maidenhill School is a coeducational foundation secondary school located in Stonehouse, a small town just over four miles from Stroud town centre.
The school has a rural catchment area, and students come from Eastington, Frocester, Leonard Stanley, Standish, Stonehouse, Cainscross, King's Stanley, Hardwicke, and Randwick. As a foundation school, Maidenhill is administered by Gloucestershire County Council.
The most recent inspection in 2022 stated that pupils are happy and enjoy their learning at Maidenhill School. They feel safe and confident to speak to an adult if they have any concerns.
The school provides a range of support for pupils, including help with their mental health. Pupils recognise that the school challenges them to achieve well and enjoy the ambitious curriculum. They understand and respond positively to the behaviour and rewards policies.
Pupils feel part of a family at Maidenhill School. They are kind and considerate to each other. Bullying is rare, but if it does occur, staff quickly help to resolve it. Designated staff are liked and trusted by pupils.
Pupils mix well to make friends from all year groups and learn from and with each other. They enjoy the wide range of trips, activities, and clubs that the school offers, including academic, sporting, musical, and recreational activities. Many pupils take part in these activities.
Wycliffe College
Bath Road, Stonehouse, GL10 2JQ
Wycliffe College is a co-educational, private, boarding and day school in Stonehouse. It was founded in 1882 by G. W. Sibly and is set on 60 acres of land.
The college attracts students from many areas of the world and comprises a Nursery School for ages 2–4, a Preparatory School for ages 4–13, and a Senior School for ages 13–18.
The Senior School is a short walk away from the Preparatory School. It is the largest campus of the three, with over 400 students. Students are separated into eight different houses, seven of which are single-gender boarding houses. The exceptions are Collingwood House, a mixed house for day pupils, and Loosley, a mixed sixth-form boarding house.
One of the school's boarding houses, Haywardsend, is one of the town's oldest buildings. It is an old Tudor farmhouse that was built in the 16th century.
The academic structure targets exams of both the standard English curriculum GCSE and the International GCSE, and A Level subjects at the standard English curriculum. Other activities include a Combined Cadet Force and a Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme horse riding club, fencing club, cryptology club, science club, beekeeping, shooting, and Model United Nations among many others.
The house system is an important part of life at Wycliffe College. Students live, eat, and learn in their houses, and they compete against each other in sports, academic competitions, and other activities. The house system helps to foster a sense of community and belonging among students. It also provides students with opportunities to develop leadership skills and to work as part of a team.
Wycliffe College is a major squash-playing school, with a long history of success in the sport. The school currently holds many national squash titles, and it is also the first school to hold both the U15 and U19 National titles at the same time.
Old Wycliffians have also gone on to represent their home nations in international events such as the Commonwealth Games. The school's squash program is world-class, and pupils have access to top-quality coaching and facilities. Squash can be chosen as either a game option or an extra-curricular activity.
In addition to its squash program, Wycliffe College also has a strong boat club. With its own boathouse located at Saul Junction on the Gloucester-Sharpness Canal, the club members have access to around 30 km of still training water, which is ideal for rowing.
Thomas Keble School
Eastcombe, Stroud, GL6 7DY
Thomas Keble School is a mixed secondary school in Eastcombe, a village located just under five miles from the centre of Stroud.
It is named after Thomas Keble, a Church of England clergyman who contributed four of the Tracts for the Times. The school was founded in 1990 as Manor School and became Thomas Keble School in 1991.
The school is a specialist Technology College and a high-performing specialist school with a second specialism in sports. It was converted to academy status in 2011 but continues to coordinate with Gloucestershire County Council for admissions.
The most recent inspection at Thomas Keble stated that staff know pupils well and provide them with support that is appropriate to their individual learning and emotional needs. Relationships between teachers and pupils are characterised by trust and respect, which results in good behaviour. Pupils are engaged in lessons and their conduct around the site at break and lunchtimes is orderly and amenable.
Pupils appreciate the opportunities the school offers them to take on leadership roles. They enjoy many cultural and sporting extra-curricular activities, which help to build their confidence. Pupils' progress across a range of subjects is in line with national averages, and a higher proportion of pupils than seen nationally attain a grade 5 or above in both GCSE English and mathematics. Pupils are therefore well placed to make a success of the next stage of their education.
Rednock School
Kingshill Road, Dursley, GL11 4BY
Rednock School is a comprehensive school in Dursley, a market town in the Stroud District, located almost equidistant between Bristol and Gloucester.
Rednock is a specialist Science College and also contains a sixth form. The school opened in 1971 as a comprehensive school, having formerly served as the grammar school in the town.
In 2009, the school underwent a complete rebuild. The new school was built with a £38 million investment and was designed to be eco-friendly. It has a sedum roof and solar panels and was shortlisted for the South West Built Environment Awards.
Although located some 10 miles from the centre of Stroud, the priority catchment for Rednock School covers a large geographical area to the south-west of the district including the parishes of Dursley, Cam, Coaley, Uley, Stinchcombe, Owlpen, Nympsfield, Slimbridge, Alkington, Ham & Stone, Berkeley, Sharpness, North Nibley and Hinton & Hamfallow.
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Stratford Rd, Stroud GL5 4AH
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (known as SGS) is a college of further education and higher education. It was established in February 2012 following the merger of Filton College and Stroud College. The college has six campuses located in and around Bristol, North Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Stroud.
The college offers a wide range of courses, including GCSEs, A-levels, vocational courses, and apprenticeships. In 2021, the college launched a University Centre at its WISE campus after being awarded university centre status by the Department for Education. This means that SGS College can now offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
The Stroud campus is located on Stratford Road adjacent to Stratford Park around a mile from the town centre. It features a learning resource centre, construction workshops, an IT centre, the Envy hair and beauty salon, a refectory and conference rooms as well as sports and leisure facilities.
Also located in the Stroud District is SGS Berkeley Green, a 50-acre technology park, centred on the former Berkeley Nuclear Laboratories just south of the Berkeley Nuclear Power Station.
The Berkeley Green campus is also home to the Berkeley Green UTC which specialises in engineering, cybersecurity and digital technologies. The UTC's sponsors include the University of Gloucestershire, Microsoft, Cisco, CGI and GCHQ.
