The Dorcan Academy
72%
Capacity
888
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About The Dorcan Academy
Parents considering The Dorcan Academy will want to know what other families think, and the numbers tell a clear story. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed, with 296 applications for 170 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.74. Of those, 154 first-preference offers were made from 169 first-preference applications, so the majority of families who put it top got in. That level of demand suggests a solid local reputation. The school is a mixed, non-selective secondary for ages 11 to 16, with no sixth form, and is led by headteacher Sherryl Bareham. It serves a community where 30.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, and the school has a capacity of 1,234, with 888 pupils currently on roll, so there is room to grow.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2022 rated it Good across the board, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This was an improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018. In the 2023/24 exam results, the school’s Progress 8 score was -0.39, which is below average nationally and ranks it 12th out of 13 schools in Swindon. The local authority average Progress 8 is -0.06, so Dorcan is behind the typical Swindon school. Attainment 8 was 38.2, and 49% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared with 28.7% at the higher grade 5+ threshold. The EBacc average point score was 3.4, and only 7.7% of pupils entered the full EBacc and achieved a grade 5 or above. These results place the school in the bottom 50 nationally by Progress 8.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, music rooms, art studios, and science labs. Sports on offer include cricket, hockey, rugby, gymnastics, and dance, while clubs range from book club and film club to orchestra and debate. The school has a substantial SEND provision, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a practical choice for families whose children need additional support. The school is oversubscribed, so applying as a first preference is important. It suits families who value a broad range of activities and a supportive SEND framework, and who are comfortable with a school that is improving but still below the local average on academic progress.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | St Paul's Drive, Swindon, Swindon, SN3 5DA |
| Headteacher | Sherryl Bareham |
| Local Authority | Swindon |
| Number of Pupils | 888 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 30.3% |
| School Capacity | 888 / 1,234 (72% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Jul 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 8 Sept 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.39)
2432nd of 3,141
Nationally
256th of 306
In South West
12th of 13
In Swindon
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/234%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 166 pupils).
- FE college75%
- Employment8%
- Sixth form college6%
- Not sustained5%
- School sixth form (stay)4%
- Apprenticeship2%
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.
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
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed170
296
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
169 families put this school as their 1st choice (57% 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 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.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British79.6%
- White (other)6.2%
- Asian4.8%
- Mixed4.6%
- Black0.1%
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
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 The Dorcan 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
St Paul's Drive, Swindon
Swindon, SN3 5DA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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