Hardenhuish School, Chippenham

In its own words: "Hardenhuish is an 11-18 co-educational comprehensive school set in the magnificent parkland of the former Hardenhuish Manor and Chippenham Grammar School. We enjoy an enviable reputation locally and nationally as a high performing academy, being the first school in Wiltshire to take advantage of more local leadership as part of the DfE’s flagship academy scheme."

In 2026, pupils at Hardenhuish School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.9 in Wiltshire and 47 across England.

51% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Wiltshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 47.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.14: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 32.2, against 52.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 20.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Statistics, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 272 families put Hardenhuish School as their first choice and 505 named it as one of their preferences, for 236 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 39 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Hardenhuish School are Sheldon School (0.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.5); The Young People's Support Centre (0.7 miles); Abbeyfield School (2.1 miles); and The Corsham School (3.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.3).

Hardenhuish School's 2026 results were higher than all 2 of them.

Of the 239 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 29% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 0% into work.

Of the 154 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 53% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 31% into work. 35% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

13.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

Hardenhuish School has a resourced provision: 31 places, 31 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Chippenham Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hardenhuish School (n-bound), 210 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hardenhuish School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 102 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 Wiltshire (34), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Hardenhuish School issued 119 suspensions, 7.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Hardenhuish School are St Paul's Primary School (0.5 miles), Redland Primary School (0.6 miles), St Peter's CofE Academy (0.8 miles) and Frogwell Primary School (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.