The Commonweal School
99%
Capacity
1,382
Pupils
2.7x
Demand
About The Commonweal School
The Commonweal School is a large mixed secondary and sixth form in Swindon, part of the Swindon local authority. It is one of 15 state secondary schools in the area and ranks 10th among them by Progress 8 score, placing it in the bottom half locally. The top-performing peers in Swindon are New College Swindon, St Joseph's Catholic College, and Lydiard Park Academy, all of which post stronger academic progress scores. Commonweal is a non-faith school with no religious character, led by headteacher Charles Drew, and it educates 1,382 pupils, very close to its capacity of 1,400. The school has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 17.7%, reflecting its inclusive intake. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2017, the school was rated Good overall, and an ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Good with an improving trajectory. The sixth form provision was also rated Good.
Academically, Commonweal’s Progress 8 score of -0.11 is slightly below the Swindon local authority average of -0.06, meaning pupils make a little less progress than peers across the authority. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 44.9, and 63.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though this drops to 43.7% at the stronger grade 5 threshold. The EBacc entry rate is 28.6%, with 17.8% achieving the full EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the value-added score is -0.23, which is below average, and the average points per entry is 30.69, equivalent to a C grade. The best three A-levels average out at a C+ grade. Nationally, Commonweal ranks 1,786th out of 3,141 schools by Progress 8, placing it in the middle of the pack. The school’s Progress 8 banding is officially described as Average.
Commonweal is a popular choice, with 608 applications for 229 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it oversubscribed by a ratio of 2.66 to one. Of those, 277 were first-preference applications, and 215 first-preference offers were made. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, science labs, art studios, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include swimming, athletics, hockey, cricket, rugby, tennis, and football, while clubs range from Book Club and Debate to DofE, Young Enterprise, and Model UN. The school has a strong SEND provision, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties, autism, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, and physical disabilities, including a resourced provision. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, inclusive secondary with a broad curriculum and good facilities, though those prioritising top academic progress may want to consider higher-ranked local options.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | The Mall, Swindon, Swindon, SN1 4JE |
| Headteacher | Charles Drew |
| Local Authority | Swindon |
| Number of Pupils | 1,382 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 17.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,382 / 1,400 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 Jun 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (14 Jun 2023): School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 9 Jan 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.11)
1786th of 3,141
Nationally
182nd of 306
In South West
10th 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.7
'22/23
31.3
'23/24
30.7
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
2022/2342%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 241 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)42%
- FE college37%
- Sixth form college11%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Not sustained3%
- Employment2%
96% 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
2022/2341%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 133 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
16%
Russell Group
17%
Top-third HE
3%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)41%
- Employment33%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Other education5%
- 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- Psychology26
- Biology23
- Business Studies:Single22
- Geography22
- Law22
- Mathematics16
- Chemistry15
- History14
- Art and Design (Graphics)13
- Economics11
- Government and Politics10
- Physical Education / Sports Studies9
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
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed229
608
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
277 families put this school as their 1st choice (46% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British63.2%
- Asian13.6%
- White (other)7.5%
- Mixed7.1%
- Black0.5%
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
7
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 The Commonweal 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 Mall, Swindon
Swindon, SN1 4JE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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