Academy converter · Wiltshire

Sheldon School

11–18Ages
1,467Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
136632URN

Hardenhuish Lane, Chippenham, SN14 6HJ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.2per place

0.6 above Wiltshire median (1.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in WiltshireSelective

462 applications for 211 places · 4th of 27 in Wiltshire

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

45.5of 90

Wiltshire 45.5 England 46.0

14th of 27 in Wiltshire

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 12 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Sixth form provision		Good

Inspection history

12 March 2024
Graded inspection: Good
14 December 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.2applications per place, Year 7

0.6 above Wiltshire median (1.6) close to England median (2.2)

462 applications · 211 places offered · 178 named it first

2026 2.2; Wiltshire median median 1.6
2025 2.2; Wiltshire median median 1.7
2024 2.1; Wiltshire median median 1.5
2023 2.0; Wiltshire median median 1.5
2022 2.1; Wiltshire median median 1.6
2021 3.0; Wiltshire median median 2.4
2020 2.1; Wiltshire median median 1.6
2019 2.2; Wiltshire median median 1.5
2018 2.1; Wiltshire median median 1.6
2017 2.1; Wiltshire median median 1.8
2016 2.2; Wiltshire median median 1.6
2015 2.3; Wiltshire median median 1.5
2014 2.1; Wiltshire median median 1.6

More applications per place than the Wiltshire median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Wiltshire median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	211	462	2.2	178	0.84
Sep 2025	212	466	2.2	186	0.88
Sep 2024	227	476	2.1	156	0.69
Sep 2023	273	548	2.0	236	0.86
Sep 2022	261	538	2.1	253	0.97
Sep 2021	242	721	3.0	211	0.87
Sep 2020	258	546	2.1	199	0.77
Sep 2019	273	593	2.2	280	1.03
Sep 2018	260	556	2.1	247	0.95
Sep 2017	274	585	2.1	261	0.95
Sep 2016	284	613	2.2	299	1.05
Sep 2015	282	641	2.3	321	1.14
Sep 2014	281	580	2.1	277	0.99

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

243 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.514th of 27 in Wiltshire

Wiltshire 45.5 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths46%10th of 27 in Wiltshire

Wiltshire 42% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths63%

Wiltshire 64% England 66%

This school
Wiltshire median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.10

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	243	45.5	46%	63%	–
2024/25	268	45.2	42%	65%	–
2023/24	275	45.7	47%	66%	−0.10
2022/23	276	44.8	42%	66%	−0.26

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Sheldon SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

2.2applications per place 45.5Attainment 8
Hardenhuish School
0.4 km · Wiltshire

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 50.3Attainment 8
Abbeyfield School
3.3 km · Wiltshire

Good2022

2.0applications per place
The Corsham School
5.8 km · Wiltshire

Standards maintained2025

1.5applications per place 45.3Attainment 8
Kingsbury Green Academy
10.0 km · Wiltshire

2026

1.2applications per place 37.2Attainment 8
Melksham Oak Community School
11.8 km · Wiltshire

Good2022

1.1applications per place 38.3Attainment 8
Malmesbury School
13.3 km · Wiltshire

Outstanding2024

1.3applications per place 49.9Attainment 8
St Laurence School
15.5 km · Wiltshire

Remains Good2022

1.4applications per place 48.4Attainment 8
Devizes School
16.5 km · Wiltshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.1applications per place 44.6Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136632 · 865/5404
Trust: Sheldon School
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,800 pupils · 1,467 on roll
Free school meals: 19.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Opened: 1 April 2011
Replaced: Sheldon School (URN 126499)
Address: Hardenhuish Lane, Chippenham, SN14 6HJ
Local authority: Wiltshire

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources