The Dorcan Academy
Secondary · Academy converter · Ages 11–16 · Swindon
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
4.520 miles
Published by Swindon Borough Council · offers on 2 March 2026
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
The Dorcan Academy is a secondary school in Swindon for ages 11–16 (academy converter). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Good, from the inspection on 12 July 2022. Swindon has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2026 entry.
The Dorcan Academy catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Year 7 2026 | 4.520 mi |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- Its Year 7 2026 last distance offered was 4.520 miles, the 3rd longest of 9 Swindon secondary schools with a published last distance (middle figure 3.04 miles).
- For Year 7 in 2026 there were 187 first-choice applications for 170 offers; 167 offers went to first-choice families and 20 first-choice families (11%) were not offered a place.
- In 2024/25, 45% got grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths (England 45%), 4th highest of 9 schools: this one and the 8 nearest secondary schools in Swindon.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Swindon schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- St Paul's Drive, Covingham, Swindon, SN3 5DA
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–16
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Swindon
- Pupils on roll
- 881 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 30.4% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 16.8
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Good Inspected 12 July 2022
Strengths
- “Pupils feel safe and welcome at The Dorcan Academy.”
- “They have warm relationships with staff who they know want the best for them.”
- “Leaders expect all members of the school community to be kind, show respect and work hard.”
To improve
- “However, there are incidents that are not reported and so action cannot be taken.”
- “Some support given to pupils with SEND is not effective in meeting their needs.”
- “Whilst most parents agree that the school lets them know how their child is doing, a minority feel that their concerns are not handled properly.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 9 September 2022 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 45% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 44.3 | 46 |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 187 first-preference applications, 170 offers in total, 167 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Swindon.
- Lawn Manor Academy 1.4 mi Good Last distance published
- St Joseph's Catholic College 1.5 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Kingsdown School 2.5 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- The Commonweal School 2.6 mi School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next Last distance published
- UTC Swindon 2.7 mi Requires improvement
- The Ridgeway School & Sixth Form College 3.4 mi Good Last distance published
- The Deanery CofE Academy 3.5 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Nova Hreod Academy 3.6 mi School remains Good Last distance published