Burford School is one of the oldest schools in the country and has seen many changes since its foundation in 1571. Founded by the townsmen of Burford, with merchant Simon Wysdom at their helm, the school initially offered an education to the sons of the ordinary men of Burford. Originally housed in what is now the Boarding House, the school began taking girls in 1924, thanks to the generosity of Elmslie John Horniman, and has now grown to just over 1500 students aged 11 to 18 years old. The young people of Burford still take up places at the school but today our net is cast much wider, and alongside day students, our community includes 100 boarders from both the surrounding area and abroad. We are fortunate to enjoy 40 acres of Cotswold countryside on site, and we make the most of our idyllic setting on the edge of the bustling historic market town of Burford.

We know our students will need superb academic foundations to flourish in the future, and we support each one to reach for their very best. We consistently achieve outstanding examination results, well above national and Oxfordshire figures. We are proud that a high proportion of students go on to university, including Oxbridge; secure competitive apprenticeships at companies including BMW Group and JP Morgan; and enter dream careers in performing arts to forensic science or physiotherapy. In our Learning Zone, we tailor learning to enable all students to reach their full potential. While outside of the classroom, our renowned Burford Institute of Music and Athletic Foundation support them to excel.

To achieve the most from life, our students will also need character. From sport, music, conversational Chinese, chess, Young Enterprise, drama and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, we offer over 35 activities and clubs, with every student encouraged to participate. Through these experiences and the many trips and enrichment opportunities we provide, our young people develop resilience, commitment, problem-solving and communication skills they can use long after they leave us.

With our history to guide us, we teach our students traditional values and the importance of respect. We prepare them to meet 21st-century challenges and equip them with the tools to build happy and successful lives. Sometimes, we know, young people need extra support. Our large and experienced Pastoral Team works tirelessly to ensure that all students have the foundations to thrive while at Burford School. We invite you to share in our success as a member of our team and to work with us in providing our students with ‘the best of education’.

Our ethos is to provide 'the best of education' to our students, supporting them to achieve excellent academic results, while not compromising on their enrichment and care. 

Our core values are:

Respect

Inclusive, Sustainable and community-led 

We empower our students to respect one another and themselves. 

Participate

Inspiring, Enriching, Diverse  

We encourage our students to participate in a broad range of opportunities, whatever their interests or skills.

Reach

Ambitious, Bespoke, Nurturing 

We support our students to reach to be the best versions of themselves.