Old Swinford Hospital
79%
Capacity
947
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Old Swinford Hospital
Old Swinford Hospital sits at the top of the Dudley secondary school rankings, coming first out of 17 schools in the local authority when measured by Progress 8. Its closest competitors in the area include Pegasus Academy, Redhill School, and Windsor High School and Sixth Form, but none match its score of 0.44. The school is a mixed, Church of England state secondary with boarding provision, and it serves 947 pupils against a capacity of 1,200. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good, a rating it has held consistently across both its graded and ungraded inspections. The leadership and management were also judged Good, and the previous graded inspection in 2013 gave the same overall effectiveness rating. For families in Dudley looking for a high-performing state school with a strong academic track record, Old Swinford Hospital is the standout option in the borough.
Academically, Old Swinford Hospital performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.44 is significantly higher than the Dudley average of -0.08, and the school ranks in the top 25% nationally. Attainment 8 sits at 58.5, and 86.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 69.3% reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 5.03, though only 15.9% of pupils entered the EBacc combination. At A-level, the picture is more mixed: the value added score is -0.23, which is rated as below average, and the average points per entry is 31.28, equivalent to a grade C. The best three A-levels average out at a C+ grade. The sixth form has 103 pupils, and 13.2% achieved at least AAB in their best three A-levels. So while the school excels at GCSE, families should note that sixth form outcomes are less strong relative to the national picture.
The school is oversubscribed, with 376 applications for 156 places in 2025/26, and 133 first preference offers made from 219 first preference applications. It offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, a chapel, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, martial arts, rugby, netball, and cross country, while clubs range from gardening and eco club to Model UN, debate, and coding. The school has a broad SEND offer, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, visual and multi-sensory impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With its boarding option and strong GCSE results, Old Swinford Hospital is particularly well suited to families who want a high-achieving state school with a structured environment and a wide co-curricular programme.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Heath Lane, Stourbridge, Dudley, DY8 1QX |
| Headteacher | Paul Kilbride |
| Local Authority | Dudley |
| Number of Pupils | 947 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 5.7% |
| School Capacity | 947 / 1,200 (79% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
| Boarding | Yes — Boarding school |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Jan 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (26 Jan 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 17 Apr 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.44)
587th of 3,141
Nationally
54th of 371
In West Midlands
1st of 17
In Dudley
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.8
'22/23
28.9
'23/24
31.3
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
2022/2375%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 56 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)75%
- Sixth form college11%
- FE college7%
- Apprenticeship5%
98% 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
2022/2363%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 107 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
27%
Russell Group
29%
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)63%
- Employment18%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Further education2%
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- Psychology33
- Mathematics32
- Chemistry30
- Biology28
- Economics25
- Business Studies:Single24
- History18
- Government and Politics16
- Physics15
- English Language and Literature14
- Geography11
- Religious Studies11
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
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
20Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed156
376
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
219 families put this school as their 1st choice (58% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:25 – 15:45
Breakfast club
07:00-08:25
After-school care
15:45-19:00
Source: oshsch.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British66.3%
- Mixed13.2%
- Asian10.0%
- White (other)3.9%
- 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.
Half 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
8
Oversubscribed
6
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 Old Swinford Hospital
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
Heath Lane, Stourbridge
Dudley, DY8 1QX
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