Swinton Academy, Mexborough

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Swinton Academy. We are an 11-16 secondary school committed to providing a high-quality education that enables every student to achieve their full potential and to thrive academically, socially and personally. Our community is built on high expectations and a strong set of shared values."

Coming up: an open day on Friday 20 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Swinton Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.9 in Rotherham and 47 across England.

40% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 41% in Rotherham and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 41.1.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.21: 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 31.6, against 45.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Religious Studies and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 104 families put Swinton Academy as their first choice and 206 named it as one of their preferences, for 117 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 Swinton Academy are Saint Pius X Catholic High School A Specialist School in Humanities (0.9 miles, Attainment 8 39.7); Wath Academy (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.7); Rawmarsh Community School (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.1); and The Laurel Academy (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.8).

Swinton Academy's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Swinton Academy is one of 12 schools run by Aston Community Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.1 in 2024/25.

Of the 181 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 41% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 37 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 38% went on to university or other higher education, 14% to apprenticeships and 24% into work. 15% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

34.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 5.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

Swinton Academy has a resourced provision for autism: 15 places, 11 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Swinton (South Yorks) Rail Station, about 1090 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Valley Road/The Lea (adjacent), 280 metres away.

In 2024/25, Swinton Academy issued 774 suspensions, 78.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Swinton Academy are Swinton Fitzwilliam Primary School (0.3 miles), Brookfield Primary Academy (0.4 miles), Swinton Queen Primary School (0.6 miles) and Kilnhurst St Thomas' CofE Primary Academy (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.