Sheldon School
Hardenhuish Lane, Chippenham, SN14 6HJOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Sheldon School is a secondary school in Chippenham for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 262 schools in Wiltshire. It ranks 2nd of 2 secondary schools in Chippenham. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 12 March 2024, report published 13 May 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 12 March 2024
Pupils feel part of the 'Sheldon community.' The school has high expectations for pupils. Pupils are encouraged to be their best. As a result, there is a purposeful ethos. The school has refined and clarified its expectations for pupils' behaviour. Both pupils and staff understand and value the impact of this. In lessons, pupils focus on their learning. Pupils conduct themselves well during social times. The school has a large range of spaces for pupils to use. Pupils use this space well for sports, socialising, having a quiet place to sit or to run events, such as a charity cake sale. The school has worked with parents and pupils to review how the school deals with incidents of bullying or discrimination. The school community has focused on promoting equality and inclusivity. Pupils report this has caused a marked improvement. Incidents have reduced. The school responds quickly when pupils report their concerns. Pupils enjoy attending a range of clubs. Many pupils participate in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. The school reviews and plans clubs to appeal to pupils' interests. For example, the Pokémon card club is very popular.
What the school should improve
- In a few parts of the curriculum, the depth and sequencing of what pupils learn has only recently been planned with greater precision. This means it is in the early stages of being implemented. As a result, it has not had the impact on outcomes for pupils that the school is ambitious for. The school needs to ensure the curriculum is implemented effectively across all year groups.
- In a minority of subjects, teachers do not act on the assessment information they have. Although the mechanisms for checking how well pupils have understood are in place, sometimes this information is not used to identify misconceptions pupils may have. The school needs to ensure that assessment information is used effectively.
- Some areas of school leadership have worked in isolation from other areas. This means data has not been shared intelligently between leaders to strategically inform actions. The school has recently put in systems to make this cohesive. The school needs to make sure leaders have the strategic overview and can share information knowledgably.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
268 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
142 students
Average A level grade C+, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,467 pupils on roll, with places for 1,800
Schools near Sheldon School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardenhuish School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 47.5 |
| Abbeyfield School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| The Corsham School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 47.5 |
| St Marys Calne and St Margarets Prep | 6 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 37.9 |
| Kingsbury Green Academy | 6 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | Attainment 8: 39.6 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- SHELDON SCHOOL
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Peter Lynch
- Phone
- 01249766020
- Address
- Hardenhuish Lane, Chippenham, SN14 6HJ
- Local authority
- Wiltshire
- URN
- 136632
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.