Co-op Academy Swinton

About Co-op Academy Swinton

Co-op Academy Swinton was rated Good by Ofsted in its most recent inspection in 2024, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2022. The school received Good marks across all five categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and overall effectiveness. The most telling exam metric is Progress 8, which measures how much pupils improve between the end of primary school and their GCSEs. Here, the school scores -0.48, meaning pupils achieve nearly half a grade less per subject than the national average. This places the school in the bottom 50 nationally, ranking 12th out of 15 secondary schools in Salford and 330th out of 445 in the North West region. The local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.22, so Swinton's result is notably below the Salford norm, though the school serves a community where 38 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average.

Looking deeper at the GCSE results, the school's Attainment 8 score is 42.3, meaning the average pupil achieves just over a grade 4 across their best eight subjects. The basics measure shows 51.3 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, but this drops to 27.2 per cent at the stronger grade 5 threshold. English progress is close to the national average at -0.05, but maths progress is significantly weaker at -1.02, suggesting a particular challenge in that subject. The EBacc average point score is 3.66, and only 34.8 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. Just 10.1 per cent achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above. These figures reflect a school that is working hard to improve outcomes from a low base, with clear areas for development, particularly in maths and in broadening academic pathways.

The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 226 applications for 174 places and 93 first-preference offers, giving a ratio of 1.3 applicants per place. Facilities include a swimming pool, theatre, gymnasium, tennis courts, and a chapel, alongside a library and ICT suite. Sports on offer include netball, football, hockey, basketball, martial arts, and gymnastics, while clubs range from debate and eco club to orchestra and Young Enterprise. The school has no sixth form, so pupils must plan for post-16 education elsewhere. SEND provision covers a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. This is a school that has turned around its Ofsted rating and is now focused on raising academic standards, particularly in maths, while serving a diverse and disadvantaged community. It will suit families who value the recent improvements and the broad range of facilities and activities, and who are comfortable with a school that is still on an upward trajectory.

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