Swindon Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 May 2026

When children start in the Nursery Year, they get off to a flying start. As they move through the early years, children thrive. They often make excellent progress from their starting points. They quickly learn to read and interact well with peers and staff. In the primary phase, pupils benefit from an extensive extra-curricular offer. They have the opportunity to take on positions of responsibility such as wellbeing and digital ambassadors, as well as librarians. In these roles they work with staff to support other pupils and improve the school. While pupils' achievement at the end of key stage 2 is below the national average, leaders are taking appropriate action to ensure that pupils achieve more highly. Whether pupils join the secondary phase from one of Swindon Academy's two primary schools, or other schools, they quickly build a sense of belonging. For example, all pupils in Year 7 have the opportunity to climb a mountain to help build their resilience and aspirations. Pupils enjoy a rich diet of trips and extra-curricular activities. These include sports, the school show and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Many take on leadership roles such as prefects and eco ambassadors; others promote equality and diversity. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve very well at key stage 4. Pupils enjoy their learning. Students in the post-16 provision are excellent role models for younger pupils. Leaders prioritise their wider development, giving them opportunities to listen to guest speakers. This improves their employability skills. They are well-prepared for life beyond school, typically making expected progress from their starting points and being well-guided into employment, apprenticeships and higher education. Students enjoy studying a range of A Level and vocational subjects and are proud ambassadors for their school. Attendance is improving, with more pupils attending regularly and valuing their time in school. Typically, pupils across the school behave well and meet leaders' high expectations. Bullying is rare and pupils have confidence that staff will resolve issues when they arise.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should strengthen ongoing work to address gaps in writing knowledge across all phases, monitoring this closely to ensure it has the intended impact.
• Leaders should strengthen their oversight of the academic provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They should support staff to adapt the curriculum to meet pupils needs and ensure that progress is carefully monitored and reviewed.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)