St Joseph's Catholic College
106%
Capacity
1,433
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About St Joseph's Catholic College
St Joseph's Catholic College is the second-highest performing secondary school in Swindon, according to the most recent Progress 8 data, placing it ahead of local peers Lydiard Park Academy and The Ridgeway School & Sixth Form College, and behind only New College Swindon. As a Roman Catholic state school for pupils aged 11 to 16, it serves a large community of 1,433 students, which is above its official capacity of 1,350. The school is led by headteacher Jerry Giles and sits within the Swindon local authority, where it ranks in the top 25 per cent of all secondary schools in the area. Its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, carried out in November 2023, awarded the school a Good rating across the board, with leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes, and sixth-form provision all judged Good. This marks a significant improvement from the school's previous graded inspection in 2013, which rated it Inadequate overall.
Academically, St Joseph's delivers results that sit comfortably above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.37 means pupils here make around a third of a grade more progress per subject than the national average, and well above the Swindon LA average of -0.06. The school's Attainment 8 score stands at 49.1, and 68.4 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, compared with 49.5 per cent at the stronger grade 5 threshold. Progress in the EBacc subjects is particularly strong, with a score of 0.47, while English and maths progress are both positive at 0.30 and 0.34 respectively. The EBacc average point score is 4.18, though only 15.3 per cent of pupils entered the full EBacc suite, and 9.8 per cent achieved the grade 4 or above threshold in it. Nationally, the school ranks 708th out of 3,141 schools on Progress 8, placing it in the top quarter of all state secondaries.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 417 applications for 268 places, with 232 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.56. Facilities include a chapel, library, music rooms, tennis courts, playing fields, a sports hall, and an astro turf pitch, while sports on offer range from swimming and gymnastics to cricket and martial arts. There is a SEN unit and provisions for a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and physical disabilities. Clubs include choir, chess, gardening, art club, and science club. With no sixth form on site, families should plan for post-16 transition, but for a secondary school that combines strong academic progress with a faith-based ethos and broad extracurricular offer, St Joseph's is a popular choice for Swindon families.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Ocotal Way, Swindon, Swindon, SN3 3LR |
| Headteacher | Jerry Giles |
| Local Authority | Swindon |
| Number of Pupils | 1,433 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 20.1% |
| School Capacity | 1,433 / 1,350 (106% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Nov 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (8 Nov 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 4 Dec 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.37)
708th of 3,141
Nationally
48th of 306
In South West
2nd of 13
In Swindon
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
2022/236%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 274 pupils).
- FE college61%
- Sixth form college22%
- School sixth form (stay)6%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained2%
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
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed268
417
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
232 families put this school as their 1st choice (56% 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%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- Asian53.4%
- White British22.3%
- White (other)9.0%
- Mixed5.2%
- Black2.2%
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.
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.
12
Total schools
12
Oversubscribed
9
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 St Joseph's Catholic College
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
Ocotal Way, Swindon
Swindon, SN3 3LR
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 St Joseph's Catholic College!
Write a Review