Gorse Hill Primary School, Swindon
Gorse Hill Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Swindon, part of The White Horse Federation. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 32nd-highest of the 65 schools in Swindon with published results, and 7,842nd of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Swindon (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Gorse Hill Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Gorse Hill Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 77% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Swindon and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (73% in reading, 82% in maths).
Getting a place at Gorse Hill Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 42 families put Gorse Hill Primary School as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 42 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Gorse Hill Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Gorse Hill Primary School are Holy Cross Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 62% reading, 72% maths); Ferndale Primary School & Nursery (0.8 miles, Good, 75% reading, 81% maths); Drove Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 76% reading, 80% maths); and St Mary's Catholic Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 85% reading, 85% maths).
Gorse Hill Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Holy Cross Catholic Primary SchoolFerndale Primary School & NurseryDrove Primary SchoolSt Mary's Catholic Primary School
The trust
Gorse Hill Primary School is one of 30 schools run by The White Horse Federation, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
15.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 68.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (53%), White British (21%) and Mixed (9%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Swindon Rail Station, about 1100 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Swiss Chalet (e-bound), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 505 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Swindon (132), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Gorse Hill Primary School issued 7 suspensions, 1.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Gorse Hill Primary School are St Joseph's Catholic College (0.7 miles), Swindon Academy (0.8 miles), UTC Swindon (1.2 miles) and Kingsdown School (1.5 miles).
St Joseph's Catholic CollegeSwindon AcademyUTC SwindonKingsdown School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its September 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
15.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 82% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.9
Avg class size
28.2
Infant (KS1)
29.0
KS2
13
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Gorse Hill Primary School
TWHF gifts educational book bag to new reception pupils
27 Jul 2026
TWHF Primary Sporting Excellence 2026
16 Jul 2026
A Proactive Approach to Allergy Management
30 Jun 2026
Changes to Free School Meals Guidance
12 Jun 2026
Our Schools celebrate Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday
8 May 2026
TWHF Shortlisted for Two Awards at ‘The Oscars of Education’
8 May 2026
From Gorse Hill Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Gorse Hill Primary School
Term dates
Gorse Hill Primary School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Swindon's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Gorse Hill Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Gorse Hill Primary 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
- 63
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 12
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 63 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 51 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 7 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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
Your chances of a place at Gorse Hill Primary School
Will you get a place at Gorse Hill Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Gorse Hill Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Gorse Hill Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Gorse Hill Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Swindon, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Gorse Hill Primary School for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Swindon got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
412 pupils
420 places
8 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Swindon
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Swindon
Across Swindon council
Places available
3,059
Applications
2,416
Got 1st preference
95.6%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across Swindon council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
53
SEN Support
16
EHC Plans
15.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
441
Total Pupils
226
Boys
215
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
23.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,094
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,194
Per pupil
£2339k
Total funding
£103k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
15.8%
Persistent absence
366
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Gorse Hill Primary School
Questions parents ask about Gorse Hill Primary School
What are SATs results like at Gorse Hill Primary School?
Of the pupils at Gorse Hill Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 77% did so in maths.
What is Gorse Hill Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Gorse Hill Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2018 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Gorse Hill Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Gorse Hill Primary School is oversubscribed, Swindon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Gorse Hill Primary School?
Gorse Hill Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Gorse Hill Primary School?
Classes at Gorse Hill Primary School average 27.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Gorse Hill Primary School?
Gorse Hill Primary School has around 441 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Gorse Hill Primary School?
5.1% of sessions were missed at Gorse Hill Primary School in 2024/25. 15.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Gorse Hill Primary School?
Apply through Swindon's coordinated admissions process, naming Gorse Hill Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Gorse Hill Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 63 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 51 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 7 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Gorse Hill Primary School?
Gorse Hill Primary School is at Avening Street, Gorse Hill, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 8BZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)