Highworth Warneford School
68%
Capacity
630
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Highworth Warneford School
Highworth Warneford School’s most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in 2022, rated the school as Requires Improvement across every category, including overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This marks a consistent rating from its previous inspection in 2018, which also graded it as Requires Improvement. However, the school’s academic outcomes tell a more nuanced story. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year sits at 0.13, which is above the national average of zero and significantly higher than the Swindon local authority average of -0.06. This positive score means that, on average, pupils at Highworth Warneford achieve a third of a grade more per subject than pupils with similar starting points nationally. The school ranks 5th out of 13 state secondary schools in Swindon on this measure, placing it in the top 40% of schools locally and in the top 40% nationally.
Delving deeper into the exam data, the school’s Attainment 8 score of 47.7 indicates that pupils achieve just under a grade 5 on average across their best eight subjects. The basics measure, which tracks pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSEs, stands at 50.7%, while the grade 4 or above threshold is 71.2%. Progress in maths is notably strong, with a Progress 8 score of 0.24, while English sits exactly at the national average. The EBacc entry rate is 24.7%, and 19.2% of pupils achieve a grade 5 or above across the EBacc subjects. The school’s Progress 8 banding is classified as Average, and its confidence interval ranges from -0.10 to 0.36, meaning the true score could be slightly lower or higher, but the overall picture is one of solid, above-average progress compared with the local authority.
Highworth Warneford is a mixed, non-denominational secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It has capacity for 925 pupils but currently enrols 630, leaving significant room for growth. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 312 applications for 147 places, with 134 offers made to first-preference applicants. Facilities include a sports hall, gymnasium, art studios, ICT suite, and a dining hall, and the school offers a wide range of sports from cricket and rowing to martial arts and swimming. Clubs include drama, debate, and a newspaper group. The school provides support for a broad spectrum of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and speech and language difficulties. With 18.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse community. This is a school that, despite its Ofsted rating, delivers academic progress above the local average and is a popular choice among Swindon families.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Shrivenham Road, Swindon, Swindon, SN6 7BZ |
| Headteacher | Sophie Hesten |
| Local Authority | Swindon |
| Number of Pupils | 630 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.6% |
| School Capacity | 630 / 925 (68% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Apr 2022Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 7 Sept 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.13)
1243rd of 3,141
Nationally
113th of 306
In South West
5th of 13
In Swindon
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed147
312
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
138 families put this school as their 1st choice (44% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.2%
- White (other)4.0%
- Mixed3.7%
- Asian2.5%
- Black0.6%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
4
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
3
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Highworth Warneford School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Shrivenham Road, Swindon
Swindon, SN6 7BZ
Shrivenham Road, Swindon
Swindon, SN6 7BZ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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