Melksham Oak Community School, Melksham

In its own words: "Melksham Oak Community School is a secondary school and sixth form in the south-east outskirts of Melksham, Wiltshire, for students aged 11 to 18. The school opened on 12 July 2010 and in August 2018, the school became part of The White Horse Federation, a multi-academy trust which runs primary and secondary schools in Wiltshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire."

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 12 November 2026 at 5pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Melksham Oak Community School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.9 in Wiltshire and 47 across England.

33% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Wiltshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 41.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.32: pupils made below 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 29.6, against 40.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 157 families put Melksham Oak Community School as their first choice and 177 named it as one of their preferences, for 168 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 Melksham Oak Community School are St Augustine's Catholic College (5.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.4); The John of Gaunt School (5.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.9); The Clarendon Academy (5.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39); and The Corsham School (5.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.3).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Melksham Oak Community School.

Melksham Oak Community School is one of 30 schools run by The White Horse Federation, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.1 in 2024/25.

16 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Melksham Oak Community School (as of April 2026): 13% would recommend the school, 13% say their child is happy there and 13% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (19%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (0%).

Of the 228 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 61% to a further education college, 8% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 71 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 38% went on to university or other higher education, 11% to apprenticeships and 39% into work. 14% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

4.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (85%) and Mixed (6%).

In 2026, 62 pupils (5.9%) received SEN support and 56 (5.3%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Melksham Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Oak School Bus Park (e-bound), 70 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 57 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wiltshire (34), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Melksham Oak Community School issued 426 suspensions, 37.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Melksham Oak Community School are Bowerhill Primary School (0.4 miles), Forest and Sandridge Church of England Primary School (0.8 miles), Aloeric Primary School (1.1 miles) and The Manor CofE VC Primary School (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.