Academy converter · Swindon

The Dorcan Academy

11–16Ages
881Pupils
SecondaryPhase
137684URN

St Paul's Drive, Covingham, Swindon, SN3 5DA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

close to Swindon median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Swindon

318 applications for 170 places · 9th of 13 in Swindon

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

43.2of 90

Swindon 45.4 England 46.0

11th of 14 in Swindon

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 12 July 2022Ofsted'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

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

1.9applications per place, Year 7

close to Swindon median (2.0) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

318 applications · 170 places offered · 187 named it first

2026 1.9; Swindon median median 2.0
2025 1.7; Swindon median median 1.8
2024 1.8; Swindon median median 1.8
2023 1.4; Swindon median median 1.6
2022 1.2; Swindon median median 1.7
2021 1.4; Swindon median median 1.7
2020 1.3; Swindon median median 1.7
2019 1.3; Swindon median median 1.6
2018 1.2; Swindon median median 1.5
2017 1.4; Swindon median median 1.4
2016 1.4; Swindon median median 1.9
2015 1.3; Swindon median median 1.7
2014 1.4; Swindon median median 1.6

More applications per place than the Swindon median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Swindon 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	170	318	1.9	187	1.10
Sep 2025	170	296	1.7	169	0.99
Sep 2024	170	307	1.8	175	1.03
Sep 2023	180	249	1.4	167	0.93
Sep 2022	172	210	1.2	156	0.91
Sep 2021	161	222	1.4	135	0.84
Sep 2020	146	196	1.3	135	0.92
Sep 2019	153	196	1.3	134	0.88
Sep 2018	156	191	1.2	119	0.76
Sep 2017	130	184	1.4	110	0.85
Sep 2016	171	245	1.4	164	0.96
Sep 2015	179	237	1.3	170	0.95
Sep 2014	177	246	1.4	166	0.94

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

163 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)43.211th of 14 in Swindon

Swindon 45.4 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths39%12th of 14 in Swindon

Swindon 46% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths66%

Swindon 66% England 66%

This school
Swindon median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.39

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	163	43.2	39%	66%	–
2024/25	163	44.3	45%	63%	–
2023/24	143	38.2	29%	49%	−0.39
2022/23	132	41.6	30%	55%	−0.04

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

The Dorcan AcademyThis school
This school

Good2022

1.9applications per place 43.2Attainment 8
Lawn Manor Academy
2.3 km · Swindon

Good2023

1.9applications per place 41.5Attainment 8
St Joseph's Catholic College
2.4 km · Swindon

Remains Good2023

1.7applications per place 46.2Attainment 8
Kingsdown School
4.0 km · Swindon

Standards maintained2025

1.7applications per place 41.9Attainment 8
The Commonweal School
4.2 km · Swindon

Remains Good · improving2023

2.5applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
UTC Swindon
4.4 km · Swindon

Requires improvement2024

32.3Attainment 8
Swindon Academy
4.6 km · Swindon

2026

2.2applications per place 48.3Attainment 8
The Ridgeway School & Sixth Form College
5.5 km · Swindon

Good2023

2.4applications per place 51.0Attainment 8
The Deanery CofE Academy
5.7 km · Swindon

Special measures Inadequate2023

2.0applications per place 47.6Attainment 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: 137684 · 866/4060
Trust: The Dorcan Academy
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,234 pupils · 881 on roll
Free school meals: 30.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 December 2011
Replaced: Dorcan Technology College (URN 126450)
Address: St Paul's Drive, Covingham, Swindon, SN3 5DA
Local authority: Swindon

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