The Dorcan Academy
Swindon, SN3 5DA · Swindon · secondary school
9th of 14 secondary schools in Swindon we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 5.1/10 against 771 of them, against 3.9/10 nationally. 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% | 1.81 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2024/25 | 44.8 · 52 | 30% | 1.57 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.39 · 21 | 25% | 0.53 |
| Attainment 8 2024/25 | 44.3 · 42 | 10% | 0.42 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Get to know the school
How it's doing. The school is rated Good by Ofsted (inspected 2022-09). In 2024/25, 44.8% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 44.3, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.39 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than peers nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (5.1 out of 10 against similar schools, 3.9 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom. Pupils join Coding, STEM, Media, and Performing Arts clubs, play Rugby, Basketball, and Cricket, and attend theatre trips and residential visits to France, Austria, and the USA. An after-school club is available.
Getting in. There are 888 pupils in a school with 1234 places, leaving 346 spare places. The school has real spare room, so a place is likely and classes are smaller than it is built for.
Worth asking on a visit. How does the school support pupils to improve their progress scores, which are currently below the national baseline? What specific support is available for students who need extra help in English and maths? How do the smaller class sizes, resulting from the current spare capacity, impact individual teacher attention?
Written by AI from this school's published results, inspection record and its own website — not by Ofsted, the school, or SchoolsGPT staff. Every figure above comes from the sources on this page. Check anything that matters with the school.
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.
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