Schools by area › Swindon › Great Western Academy
Great Western Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Free school
William Morris Way, Tadpole Garden Village, Swindon SN25 2PP · gwacademy.co.uk · 01793 209700
On the mapSearch near SN25 2PP
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jan 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 45.5
- average Attainment 8 score. Swindon 44, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 1.78 mi
- 2.87 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · Furthest distance offered · Swindon Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,039
- 86% of 1,210 places
- Local authority
- Swindon
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 17%
- First language not English
- 11.9%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, the last place offered under “Furthest distance offered” went to a home 1.78 mi (2.87 km) from the school. Source: Swindon Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 162 families put the school first and 180 places were offered; 96% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 180 | 162 | 0.9 | 96% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 162 | 184 | 1.1▲ | 83% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 180 | 190 | 1.1▲ | 90% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 170 | 207 | 1.2▲ | 81% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 151 | 254 | 1.7▲ | 59% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 – Furthest distance offered | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 1.78 mi2.87 km | |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 45.5, and 41.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Swindon it was 44, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (31.4 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●45.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼41.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲69.7% | 64.8% | ||
| ●40.0% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.09 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 43 | +2.6 |
| Sixth form college | 21.2 | +0.7 |
| Further education | 28.5 | +4.7 |
| Apprenticeship | 0.7 | −3.3 |
| Employment | 2 | −2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 2.6 | −4.7 |
| Activity not captured | 2 | — |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87 students | C (31.4) | Below average -0.22 | |
| 87 students | C (31.6) | Below average -0.20 | |
| Applied general29 students | Merit+ (27.4) | Average -0.13 | |
| Tech level7 students | Dist (33.6) | Average +0.10 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 55 | C (31.4) | +0.06 |
| 2022/23 | 51 | C- (26.1) | — |
| 2021/22 | 31 | C (31.4) | — |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 58.6 | −0.8 |
| Further education | 3.5 | +0.4 |
| Apprenticeship | 5.2 | −1.1 |
| Employment | 17.2 | −1.6 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 10.3 | +0.9 |
| Activity not captured | 5.2 | +2.1 |
Ofsted
Great Western Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 10 January 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 10 Jan 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
What parents said
87% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (215 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 87%
- Replies
- 215
- 24% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 76% who raised concerns
based on the 40% who had a child bullied
based on 43 parents (20%) with SEND