Abbey Park School

About Abbey Park School

If you're a parent weighing up Abbey Park School, the numbers suggest it's a popular choice. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 566 applications for 238 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.38, meaning more than two families applied for every spot. Of those, 281 put it as their first preference, and 226 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand often reflects a school that local families trust. While the school doesn't publish a formal parent satisfaction survey, the sheer volume of applications — nearly two and a half times the places available — is a strong signal that it's seen as a solid option in Swindon. The school is a mixed, non-religious secondary for ages 11 to 16, with no sixth form, so pupils typically move on elsewhere after Year 11.

Academically, Abbey Park sits right around the national average. Its Progress 8 score is exactly 0, meaning pupils make roughly the expected progress from their starting points. That puts it 7th out of 13 schools in Swindon, and in the top half nationally. The local authority average Progress 8 is -0.06, so Abbey Park is marginally ahead of the typical Swindon school. Attainment 8 sits at 44.8, and 46.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths (the basics 95 measure). The EBacc average point score is 4.03, with 44.1% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023, the school was rated Good across the board — for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. That's a significant turnaround from its previous inspection in 2016, when it was rated Inadequate.

The school is well-equipped for a comprehensive. Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, science labs, and a library. Sports on offer range from football and rugby to rowing and martial arts, and there's a strong set of clubs including Debate, Model UN, Duke of Edinburgh, and an orchestra. For families with children who have additional needs, the SEND provision is broad, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 15.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a fairly typical mix of backgrounds. It's oversubscribed, so if you're considering it, make sure you get your application in early. Abbey Park suits families looking for a solid, comprehensive state secondary that's performing in line with national expectations and offers plenty of extracurricular breadth.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Abbey Park School

Helpful Guides for Parents