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Swindon, South West
Great Western Academy is a secondary free school in Swindon, South West.
Government data shown for the 2024/25 academic year
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Great Western Academy is a secondary free school in Swindon, South West. It has not yet been rated by students on y.school. Be the first to rate this free school and help other students and parents understand what the school experience is really like.
In terms of academic performance, Great Western Academy has a Progress 8 score of +0.12 (above the national average), an Attainment 8 score of 47.7, 72% of students achieving grade 4+ in English and Maths, an average A-Level grade of C.
The school has 504 pupils on roll, a teacher turnover rate of 20.1%, 14% of pupils eligible for free school meals, an overall absence rate of 7.6%.
After leaving Great Western Academy, student destinations include 59% going on to university and 6% entering apprenticeships.
All student scores on y.school are calculated from anonymous ratings using a transparent, deterministic methodology. Scores are freshness-weighted (18-month half-life) and include confidence tiers based on sample size, diversity, and consistency. For full details, see the y.school methodology.
Profile completeness: 6 of 8 data domains · Good coverage
6.6
Above Average
/ 10
Data Score
Computed from 26 government data points. Not based on student reviews.
Source: DfE / Ofsted · context onlyGovernment data is shown for context and does not influence the student-review Student Score. Small schools can show extreme percentages from small sample sizes.
Latest government data shown is for the 2024/25 academic year; some figures cover earlier years.
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The area around this school
Great Western Academy has a Progress 8 score of +0.12, which is above the national average of 0. Progress 8 measures how much progress students make between the end of Key Stage 2 and their GCSE results, compared to students with similar starting points nationally.
The school's Attainment 8 score is 47.7. Attainment 8 measures the average achievement of students across 8 qualifications including English, Maths, three EBacc subjects, and three open group qualifications.
72% of students at Great Western Academy achieved grade 4 or above in both English and Maths GCSEs.
Students at Great Western Academy achieve an average A-Level grade of C. This metric covers all A-Level and equivalent qualifications taken at the school.
Great Western Academy has an overall absence rate of 7.6%. The national average for secondary schools was approximately 8.5% (DfE, 2023/24).
The teacher turnover rate at Great Western Academy is 20.1%. This measures the percentage of teachers who left the school in the past year.
Great Western Academy has 504 pupils on roll.
14% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is used as a proxy for socioeconomic disadvantage.
15% of pupils receive SEN (Special Educational Needs) support or have an Education, Health and Care plan.
After leaving Great Western Academy, 59% go on to university and 6% enter apprenticeships.
In context — vs similar-intake schools
Above par for its intakeGreat Western Academy is in the upper half for Progress 8 among schools with a similar intake (11–17% of pupils eligible for free school meals).
Compared with 697 schools nationally that have a similar share of disadvantaged pupils (11–17% of pupils eligible for free school meals). Raw league-table positions are heavily shaped by intake; this comparison isolates how a school performs relative to others facing similar circumstances. Progress 8 already accounts for prior attainment. Source: Department for Education.
Schools like this one
Matched on the share of disadvantaged pupils plus special-needs, English-as-an-additional-language and school size — so you can compare like with like, not just by postcode.
National percentiles (100 = best) for the area around the school · 5/5 measures · Police.uk, DEFRA, NaPTAN, DfT STATS19, MHCLG IoD 2025.
Other schools in the Swindon area
Great Western Academy was rated "Good" by Ofsted following an inspection in January 2023 (3 years ago). Based on Ofsted's inspection cycle, Great Western Academy is next inspection expected around 2027.
A "Good" rating means Ofsted found the school provides a high standard of education across all areas assessed. It has historically been the most common Ofsted rating.
Note: From November 2025, Ofsted replaced single-word judgements with detailed report cards covering multiple categories. While Great Western Academy's rating shown above was awarded under the previous system, Ofsted now provides more granular assessments. For the most up-to-date inspection information, check the school's report card on the Ofsted website.
Ofsted data is shown for context only and does not influence the Student Score. For the official report, visit reports.ofsted.gov.uk.