St Joseph's Catholic College
Swindon, SN3 3LR · Swindon · secondary school
Check the area around this school
2nd of 14 secondary schools in Swindon we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 6.6/10 against 876 of them, against 6.5/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 48.6 · 59 | 30% | 1.78 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.37 · 77 | 25% | 1.93 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 46.2 · 52 | 10% | 0.51 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
St Joseph's Catholic College overview
How it's doing
The school was rated Good by Ofsted in 2023. In 2024/25, 27.7% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 38.0, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.37 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than peers nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.1 out of 10 among them, against 3.8 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,425 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,350. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
What support is available for pupils who are below the national median in attainment? How does the school maintain its Good rating while addressing the gap in Progress 8 scores compared to similar schools?
What Ofsted said about St Joseph's Catholic College
Overview
St Joseph’s Catholic College continues to be a good school, where pupils and staff are proud of their community. Relationships are described as “warm and respectful,” ensuring pupils feel safe and supported within an ambitious academic and personal development framework.
Strengths
- Pupils behave well in lessons and understand that “disruptive behaviour has consequences.”
- The school offers an “ambitious curriculum” with a broad range of qualifications that prepares pupils well for further study.
- Pupils “recall their learning well over time” and generally take pride in their work.
- Reading is highly valued, with weak readers identified and supported to “catch up and keep up with their peers.”
- Staff well-being is prioritised, with leaders reducing workload and fostering a “‘one team’ approach to school improvement.”
Areas to improve
- Teachers’ use of assessment is “occasionally, not precise enough,” meaning learning is sometimes moved on before foundational knowledge is grasped.
- The curriculum is “sometimes not adapted successfully to enable all pupils to securely learn the key content,” hindering some pupils’ progress.
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 49.1 |
| 2024/25 | 38.0 |
| 2025/26 | 46.2 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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