Highworth Warneford School, Swindon

Ofsted's report card from its 23 June 2026 inspection grades Highworth Warneford School on 6 areas: 1 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders' approach to pupils' personal development and wellbeing is coherent and designed with consideration of the local context."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, typically achieve well in national tests and examinations."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged, attend school well."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum is ambitious and broad for all pupils."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders identify and assess the needs of pupils who face additional barriers to learning or to positive wellbeing."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders' monitoring of all aspects of the school's work means that they have a robust understanding of the school's strengths and of where it needs to improve further."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should further embed the support they provide for pupils who face additional barriers so that they consistently enhance their opportunities and experiences"; "Leaders should further develop their analysis of all aspects of the school's provision so that leaders, at all levels, can continue to drive improvement across all aspects of the school's work"; "Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded throughout the curriculum so that pupils make the best possible progress from their starting points and achieve consistently well".

In 2026, pupils at Highworth Warneford School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45 in Swindon and 47 across England.

43% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Swindon and 47% in England.

That is down from 46 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.13: 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 36.2, against 46.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 130 families put Highworth Warneford School as their first choice and 282 named it as one of their preferences, for 140 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Highworth Warneford School are Kingsdown School (3.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.9); Great Western Academy (4.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.8); Swindon Academy (4.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.3); and The Dorcan Academy (4.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.2).

Highworth Warneford School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Highworth Warneford School is one of 8 schools run by The Park Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 146 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 28% to a further education college and 3% to an apprenticeship.

5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 107 pupils (16.8%) received SEN support and 15 (2.4%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Highworth Warneford School.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brewery Street (w-bound), 130 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 34 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Swindon (132).

In 2024/25, Highworth Warneford School issued 186 suspensions, 29.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Highworth Warneford School are Southfield Junior School (under 0.1 miles), Eastrop Infant School (0.2 miles) and Westrop Primary & Nursery School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.