Great Western Academy
Secondary · Free schools · Ages 11–18 · Swindon
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
1.783 miles
Published by Swindon Borough Council · offers on 2 March 2026
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
Great Western Academy is a secondary school in Swindon for ages 11–18 (free schools). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Good, from the inspection on 10 January 2023. Swindon has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2026 entry.
Great Western 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 | 1.783 mi |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- The last Year 7 child offered a place in 2026 lived 1.783 miles away, the 3rd shortest of 9 Swindon secondary schools with a published Year 7 2026 last distance.
- For Year 7 in 2026 there were 162 first-choice applications for 180 offers, with 155 offers going to first-choice families and 7 first-choice families (4%) not offered a place.
- In 2024/25, 41% got grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths (England 45%), 5th 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
- William Morris Way, Tadpole Garden Village, Swindon, SN25 2PP
- Type
- Free schools
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–18
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Swindon
- Pupils on roll
- 1,039 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 15.3% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 15
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Good Inspected 10 January 2023
Strengths
- “Leaders are ambitious for pupils to excel.”
- “The school’s vision of ‘achievement, care and excellence’ is evident through the curriculum.”
- “As the school has grown, adding a new Year each year, staff have developed strong relationships with pupils.”
To improve
- “However, a few pupils continue to use derogatory language, which their peers do not always report to staff.”
- “In a small number of subjects, pupils complete assessments that are not necessary or useful.”
- “However, the careers programme is not comprehensive enough for younger pupils.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 2 March 2023 (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) | 41% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 45.5 | 46 |
| A level average grade (2024/25) | C | B- |
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: 162 first-preference applications, 180 offers in total, 155 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.
- Abbey Park School 0.7 mi Good Last distance published
- Nova Hreod Academy 2.4 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Kingsdown School 2.8 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- UTC Swindon 3.7 mi Requires improvement
- St Joseph's Catholic College 4.0 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Lydiard Park Academy 4.1 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Highworth Warneford School 4.5 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- The Commonweal School 4.6 mi School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next Last distance published