Melksham Oak Community School
79%
Capacity
1,134
Pupils
1.1x
Demand
About Melksham Oak Community School
Melksham Oak Community School is a popular choice for local families, with 156 first-preference applications for 171 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.09. This suggests a solid level of local demand, though the school is not heavily oversubscribed. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good across the board, including for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This marks a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2017, when it was rated Requires Improvement. For parents weighing up their options, the combination of a Good rating and a manageable oversubscription rate means that securing a place is realistic for most families who list it as a preference, though it is not a guaranteed shoo-in.
Academically, the school's results are mixed. At Key Stage 4, its Progress 8 score of -0.32 is below the national average and ranks it 22nd out of 26 secondary schools in Wiltshire, placing it in the bottom half of the local authority. This is notably lower than the Wiltshire average Progress 8 score of -0.01. The Attainment 8 score sits at 39.1, and just 57.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with only 30.3% reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is low at 15.8%, and the EBacc average point score is 3.27. At sixth form, the picture is more encouraging: the value-added score is -0.02, which is in the 'Average' band, and students achieved an average of 27.84 points per entry, equivalent to a C- grade. The sixth form is small, with 61 pupils in the data, so results should be interpreted with that in mind.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, music rooms, and art studios, plus a dedicated Sixth Form Centre. Sports provision is strong, with options like martial arts, netball, rugby, and hockey, and there are clubs covering everything from coding and Young Enterprise to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and eco club. SEND support is well-developed, with provisions for dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language challenges, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 22.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. Melksham Oak is a solid, improving option for families who want a good local secondary with a decent sixth form and strong facilities, particularly if they value the range of extracurricular activities and SEND support over top-tier academic rankings.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 6QZ |
| Headteacher | David Cooper |
| Local Authority | Wiltshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,134 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 22.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,134 / 1,427 (79% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Oct 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 27 Nov 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.32)
2297th of 3,141
Nationally
245th of 306
In South West
22nd of 26
In Wiltshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.4
'22/23
28.2
'23/24
27.8
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2335%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 210 pupils).
- FE college48%
- School sixth form (stay)35%
- Employment8%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained4%
95% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2348%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 60 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
19%
Russell Group
12%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)48%
- Employment35%
- Not sustained8%
- Further education3%
- Apprenticeship3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology18
- Sociology16
- Biology15
- Economics15
- Physics12
- Art and Design (Photography)11
- Mathematics11
- Chemistry10
- Media/Film/Tv Studies10
- Religious Studies8
- Computer Studies / Computing6
- Geography6
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed171
187
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
156 families put this school as their 1st choice (83% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: melkshamoak.wilts.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
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 British84.7%
- Mixed5.0%
- White (other)3.7%
- Asian1.4%
- Black0.3%
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.
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Melksham Oak Community 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
Melksham
Wiltshire, SN12 6QZ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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