School profile

The Dorcan Academy

Secondary · Academy converter · Swindon, SN3 5DA

Good

Map showing The Dorcan Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,150 of 3,312

Worse than 64% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

The Dorcan Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 12 Jul 2022

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 16
Pupils881
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Lee Morgans
TrustTHE DORCAN ACADEMY
Local authoritySwindon
Opened01 Dec 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137684.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolSwindonEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.43.2, worse than England, similar to Swindon44.246.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.65.6%, similar to England, similar to Swindon63.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.39.3%, worse than England, worse than Swindon44.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.5.5%, worse than England, worse than Swindon10.5%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths57.1%, worse than England, similar to Swindon57.8%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4163--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils881
Girls417
Boys464
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.30.4%
First language not English11%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,234
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.28.6%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.255
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.20
Average class size23.9

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
78.1%
Other White
6%
African
3.6%
Other Asian
2.6%
Indian
2%
White and Black Caribbean
1.7%
White and Black African
1.2%
Other mixed
1.2%
Other ethnic group
1%
White and Asian
0.8%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher16.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.4
Teachers (FTE)52.4
Teaching assistants (FTE)8.92
Support staff (FTE)37.97
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2553.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2540.6
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/256
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/257

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.170
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.318
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.187
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.167
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)6

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolSwindonEngland
Overall absence10.3%, worse than England, worse than Swindon7.9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.29.5%, worse than England, worse than Swindon21.7%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.5.8%, worse than England, worse than Swindon4%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate76.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions17.1%
Permanent exclusion rate0.6%
Permanent exclusions5

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.90.9%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.79.7%
Further education65.7%
Sixth form college11.9%
Employment7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5.6%
Apprenticeship4.2%
School sixth form2.1%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Dorcan Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryCovingham Park Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miPrimaryEldene Nursery and Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryHoly Family Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryNythe Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.7 miPrimaryGoddard Park Community Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryColebrook Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryColebrook Infant AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryLiden AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryOaktree Nursery and Primary SchoolAcademy converter
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1.2 miPrimaryMountford Manor Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Dorcan Academy

What is The Dorcan Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Dorcan Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 12 Jul 2022.

How does The Dorcan Academy rank in England?

The Dorcan Academy ranks 2,150 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 64% of schools).

What are The Dorcan Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 39.3% of pupils at The Dorcan Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.2 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Dorcan Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Dorcan Academy made 170 offers from 318 applications (1.9 per offer), and 167 of 187 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Dorcan Academy?

The Dorcan Academy has 881 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Dorcan Academy?

The Dorcan Academy had 1,234 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Dorcan Academy have a sixth form?

No, The Dorcan Academy teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at The Dorcan Academy?

At The Dorcan Academy, the average class had 23.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Dorcan Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Dorcan Academy missed 10.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 29.5% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.