Churchward School, Swindon
Churchward School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Swindon, part of Brunel Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Churchward School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Churchward School are Uplands School (0.9 miles, Requires improvement); Brimble Hill Special School (1.1 miles, Good); Compass Community School Wheatley Park (2.3 miles, Good); and St Luke's Academy (2.4 miles, Good).
Uplands SchoolBrimble Hill Special SchoolCompass Community School Wheatley ParkSt Luke's Academy
The trust
Churchward School is one of 8 schools run by Brunel Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 14 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 29% to a further education college.
Who goes there
38.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Churchward School has an education, health and care plan (139 of 139 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Churchward School has a SEN unit for autism: 125 places, 153 pupils on roll.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Churchward School.
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Great Western Academy (sw-bound), 380 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 59 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Swindon (132).
Suspensions and exclusions
Churchward School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Sixth form.
At a Glance
38.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Churchward School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Churchward School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Churchward School is in Swindon; for families living there:
- Swindon's school travel policy: School travel support
- How to apply: Apply for school travel support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Swindon is 15.5 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
111%
Over capacity
139 pupils
125 places
14 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Swindon
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Swindon
Across Swindon council
Places available
2,867
Applications
2,914
Got 1st preference
90.5%
Got preferred school
97.9%
All secondary applications across Swindon council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
139
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Churchward School has a SEN unit for autism: 125 places, 153 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
139
Total Pupils
91
Boys
48
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
6.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,838
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
16.5%
Overall absence
45.8%
Persistent absence
96
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Churchward School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Churchward School
What are GCSE results like at Churchward School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Churchward School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 10.8. 10% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Churchward School's Ofsted rating?
Churchward School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023.
What is the catchment area for Churchward School?
No fixed boundary. When Churchward School is oversubscribed, Swindon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Churchward School?
Churchward School has around 139 pupils on roll. 38% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Churchward School have specialist SEN provision?
Churchward School has a SEN unit for autism: 125 places, 153 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Churchward School?
16.5% of sessions were missed at Churchward School in 2024/25. 45.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Churchward School?
Apply through Swindon's coordinated admissions process, naming Churchward School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Churchward School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Swindon is 15.5 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Churchward School?
Churchward School is at William Morris Way, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN25 2PP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)