School profile

Bradon Forest School

Secondary · Academy converter · Swindon, SN5 4AT

Good

Map showing Bradon Forest School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,087 of 3,312

Worse than 62% of schools in England

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

Bradon Forest School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 28 Feb 2023

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
Pupils987
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherRussell Clarke
TrustTHE ATHELSTAN TRUST
Local authorityWiltshire
Opened01 Sept 2015
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 142316.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolWiltshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.43.5, worse than England, similar to Wiltshire45.246.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.65.5%, similar to England, similar to Wiltshire63.6%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.43.5%, similar to England, similar to Wiltshire43.7%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.10.2%, worse than England, similar to Wiltshire11.7%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths56.5%, worse than England, similar to Wiltshire59%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4177--

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 pupils987
Girls463
Boys524
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.18.1%
First language not English6.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,355
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.27.2%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.136
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.58
Average class size26

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
77%
Other White
5.2%
African
5%
White and Asian
2.2%
Indian
1.7%
Other mixed
1.3%
White and Black Caribbean
1.2%
Other ethnic group
1.1%
White and Black African
1%
Other Asian
0.7%

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 teacher18.4
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.2
Teachers (FTE)53.5
Teaching assistants (FTE)15.33
Support staff (FTE)35.21
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2553
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2545.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253.8

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.174
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.394
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.163
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.162
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)275

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 schoolWiltshireEngland
Overall absence8.4%, similar to England, similar to Wiltshire8.4%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.20.5%, similar to England, similar to Wiltshire20.7%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.2%, worse than England, similar to Wiltshire4.2%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 rate24.2%
Pupils with one or more suspensions6.8%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

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.93%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.85.9%
Sixth form college43.8%
Further education30.3%
School sixth form11.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4.9%
Apprenticeship3.8%
Employment3.2%

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 Bradon Forest School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimarySt Mary's Church of England Primary School & Nursery, PurtonVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryLydiard Millicent CofE Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.5 miPrimaryRidgeway Farm CofE AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.6 miPrimaryPeatmoor Community Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.8 miPrimaryBrook Field Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Bradon Forest School

What is Bradon Forest School's Ofsted rating?

Bradon Forest School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 28 Feb 2023.

How does Bradon Forest School rank in England?

Bradon Forest School ranks 2,087 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 62% of schools).

What are Bradon Forest School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 43.5% of pupils at Bradon Forest School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.5 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Bradon Forest School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Bradon Forest School made 174 offers from 394 applications (2.3 per offer), and 162 of 163 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Bradon Forest School?

Bradon Forest School has 987 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Bradon Forest School?

Bradon Forest School had 1,355 school places in 2024/25.

Does Bradon Forest School have a sixth form?

No, Bradon Forest School teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at Bradon Forest School?

At Bradon Forest School, the average class had 26 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 18.4 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Bradon Forest School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Bradon Forest School missed 8.4% of sessions (England 8%), and 20.5% 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.