Nova Hreod Academy
88%
Capacity
1,059
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About Nova Hreod Academy
Nova Hreod Academy sits within the Swindon local authority, where it ranks 9th out of 13 secondary schools on Progress 8, placing it in the bottom half of the local league table. The top-performing peers in the area are New College Swindon, St Joseph's Catholic College, and Lydiard Park Academy, all of which post stronger Progress 8 scores. The school is a mixed, non-denominational state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form on site. It has a capacity of 1,200 and currently houses 1,059 pupils, so there is some headroom. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 25.8%, which is above the national average and reflects the school's role in serving a diverse local community. Oversubscription is a reality here: for the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 348 applications for 217 places, with 155 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.6.
Academically, Nova Hreod's Progress 8 score of -0.09 is just below the Swindon local authority average of -0.06, and the school is rated as 'Average' on this measure nationally. Its Attainment 8 score is 46, and 64.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though the figure drops to 41.4% when looking at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.21, with 52.5% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2022, confirmed it remains Good overall, with Good ratings for leadership and management and for overall effectiveness. This is a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2013, when it was judged to require improvement. The inspection report notes that the school has held a Good rating across both its recent inspections, with the ungraded visit in 2022 confirming no decline in standards.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a theatre, art studios, astro turf, playing fields, a gymnasium, and a library, plus a chapel on site. Sports provision covers cross country, rowing, swimming, hockey, cricket, martial arts, gymnastics, rugby, and rounders, while extracurricular clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, coding, Model UN, eco club, science club, drama, gardening, and book club. SEND support is well-developed, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This breadth of support, combined with the school's Good Ofsted rating and its position as a genuinely local comprehensive, makes Nova Hreod a practical choice for families in Swindon who want a secondary that is inclusive, oversubscribed but accessible, and focused on steady improvement rather than headline-grabbing results.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Akers Way, Swindon, Swindon, SN2 2NQ |
| Headteacher | James Harding-Mbogo |
| Local Authority | Swindon |
| Number of Pupils | 1,059 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,059 / 1,200 (88% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
16 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (16 Nov 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 6 Mar 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.09)
1743rd of 3,141
Nationally
171st of 306
In South West
9th 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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/239%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 149 pupils).
- FE college60%
- Sixth form college13%
- School sixth form (stay)9%
- Not sustained9%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship3%
88% 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
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed217
348
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
155 families put this school as their 1st choice (45% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Source: novahreodacademy.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British69.1%
- White (other)9.3%
- Mixed7.0%
- Asian6.6%
- Black0.4%
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.
10
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
8
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nova Hreod Academy
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
Akers Way, Swindon
Swindon, SN2 2NQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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