Kingdown School, Warminster

In its own words: "Kingdown School is committed to serving its community. It recognises the multi-cultural, multi faith and ever-changing nature of the United Kingdom. It also understands the vital role it has in ensuring that groups or individuals within the school are celebrated, protected from harm and not subject to not intimidation or radicalisation."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am very pleased to be introducing myself to you as the new Headteacher of Kingdown School. This role is particularly special to me as it is where I began my career nearly 20 years ago as a newly qualified PE teacher."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include swimming, dance, drama, choir, Lego and Duke of Edinburgh.

The school runs after-school care.

Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 23 June 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Kingdown School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.9 in Wiltshire and 47 across England.

41% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Wiltshire and 47% in England.

That is up from 42.8 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 36.4, against 48.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 195 families put Kingdown School as their first choice and 238 named it as one of their preferences, for 203 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Kingdown School is one of 21 schools run by Acorn Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.9 in 2024/25.

Of the 274 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 97 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 43% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 32% into work. 15% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

5.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

Kingdown School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Warminster Rail Station, about 1010 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woodcock Industrial Estate (w-bound), 110 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Kingdown School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 76 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wiltshire (34), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Kingdown School issued 451 suspensions, 32.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Kingdown School are St John's CofE School (0.2 miles); St George's Catholic Primary School, Warminster (0.4 miles); New Close Primary School (0.4 miles); and The Avenue Primary School and Children's Centre (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.