Lavington School
75%
Capacity
871
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Lavington School
Lavington School is a popular choice among Wiltshire families, with 202 first-preference applications for 175 places in the 2025/26 admissions round. The school was oversubscribed, with an oversubscription ratio of 1.82, meaning nearly two families applied for every available spot. Of those who put it first, 165 received offers. This level of demand suggests strong local confidence in the school. In its most recent graded inspection, Ofsted rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management judged Outstanding. The school’s previous inspection had rated it Requires improvement, so the jump to Good — and Outstanding for leadership — marks a clear improvement. While the Parent View data is not included here, the oversubscription figures alone indicate that Lavington is a school many local parents actively want their children to attend.
Academically, Lavington performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.32 is significantly higher than the Wiltshire average of -0.01, and the school ranks 7th out of 26 secondary schools in the local authority. Nationally, it sits in the top 25% of schools for Progress 8. The Attainment 8 score of 51 means pupils achieve roughly half a grade higher per subject than the national average. In English and maths, 58% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above, and 75.1% achieved a grade 4 or above. The EBacc average point score of 4.3 reflects solid performance across the core academic subjects, though only 29.8% of pupils entered the EBacc suite. The school’s Progress 8 banding is rated ‘Above average’, with particularly strong results in open subjects (0.59) and maths (0.29). For families prioritising academic progress, Lavington clearly delivers.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, tennis courts, playing fields, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision covers basketball, rugby, rowing, and gymnastics, among others. There is a strong extracurricular programme with clubs such as Coding, Science Club, Chess, Debate, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Lavington also supports a wide range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, autism, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With 13.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a reasonably diverse intake. The sixth form is officially part of the school, so pupils can continue through to A-levels without needing to move. Lavington suits families who want a well-regarded, oversubscribed state secondary with strong academic progress, good facilities, and a clear trajectory of improvement under outstanding leadership.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | The Spring, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 4EB |
| Headteacher | Ralph Plummer |
| Local Authority | Wiltshire |
| Number of Pupils | 871 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 13.7% |
| School Capacity | 871 / 1,160 (75% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Jun 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (7 Jun 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 2 Sept 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.32)
807th of 3,141
Nationally
64th of 306
In South West
7th of 26
In Wiltshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2360%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 156 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)60%
- FE college31%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained3%
- Employment1%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed175
319
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
202 families put this school as their 1st choice (63% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:15
Source: lavington.wilts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British92.8%
- White (other)2.1%
- Mixed2.1%
- Asian0.6%
- Black0.1%
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.
Half 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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Lavington 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
The Spring, Devizes
Wiltshire, SN10 4EB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Lavington School!
Write a Review