Free schools · Swindon

The Deanery CofE Academy

11–18Ages
670Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Anglican/Church of EnglandReligious character
151305URN

Peglars Way, Wichelstowe, Swindon, SN1 7DA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Special measures

Graded inspection · Sep 2023 Previous framework

Inadequate

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.0per place

close to Swindon median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Swindon

210 applications for 104 places · 6th of 13 in Swindon

Every year since 2020

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

47.6of 90

Swindon 45.4 England 46.0

4th of 14 in Swindon

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Special measures

Overall effectiveness: Inadequate · 12 September 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Inadequate
Behaviour and attitudes	Requires improvement
Personal development		Inadequate
Leadership and management		Inadequate

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

2.0applications per place, Year 7

close to Swindon median (2.0) 0.2 below England median (2.2)

210 applications · 104 places offered · 46 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.0; Swindon median median 2.0
2025 1.3; Swindon median median 1.8
2024 3.0; Swindon median median 1.8; as the previous school
2023 2.1; Swindon median median 1.6; as the previous school
2022 2.0; Swindon median median 1.7; as the previous school
2021 2.4; Swindon median median 1.7; as the previous school
2020 2.1; Swindon median median 1.7; as the previous school

This school
Swindon median

Dashed bars: as The Deanery CE Academy (URN 147086), the previous school.

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	104	210	2.0	46	0.44
Sep 2025	143	184	1.3	38	0.27
Sep 2024 *	82	244	3.0	46	0.56
Sep 2023 *	181	382	2.1	90	0.50
Sep 2022 *	178	349	2.0	108	0.61
Sep 2021 *	209	504	2.4	199	0.95
Sep 2020 *	203	419	2.1	189	0.93

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

144 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)47.64th of 14 in Swindon

Swindon 45.4 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths48%6th of 14 in Swindon

Swindon 46% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths72%

Swindon 66% England 66%

This school
Swindon median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	144	47.6	48%	72%	–
2024/25	161	46.6	50%	71%	–
2023/24					–
2022/23 *	0				–

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 Deanery CofE AcademyThis school
This school

Special measures Inadequate2023

2.0applications per place 47.6Attainment 8
The Commonweal School
1.5 km · Swindon

Remains Good · improving2023

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

Requires improvement2024

32.3Attainment 8
The Ridgeway School & Sixth Form College
2.2 km · Swindon

Good2023

2.4applications per place 51.0Attainment 8
Lydiard Park Academy
2.9 km · Swindon

Remains Good2023

1.7applications per place 47.1Attainment 8
Lawn Manor Academy
3.4 km · Swindon

Good2023

1.9applications per place 41.5Attainment 8
Nova Hreod Academy
3.7 km · Swindon

Remains Good2022

1.5applications per place 49.6Attainment 8
St Joseph's Catholic College
3.8 km · Swindon

Remains Good2023

1.7applications per place 46.2Attainment 8
Swindon Academy
4.2 km · Swindon

2026

2.2applications per place 48.3Attainment 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: Free schools
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 151305 · 866/4009
Trust: The Park Academies Trust
Religious character: Anglican/Church of England
Capacity: 1,050 pupils · 670 on roll
Free school meals: 25.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: SEN unit
Opened: 1 September 2024
Replaced: The Deanery CE Academy (URN 147086)
Address: Peglars Way, Wichelstowe, Swindon, SN1 7DA
Local authority: Swindon

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