The Sweyne Park School, Rayleigh

Requires Improvement
Secondary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 1119

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.3km)Possible (~3.2km)Unlikely (~4.2km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr John Edwards (Acting)
Pupils:1,429 / 1,520 capacity
LA:Essex
Phone:01268784721
Address:Sir Walter Raleigh Drive, Rayleigh, SS6 9BZ
Trust:RAYLEIGH SCHOOLS TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 April 2013

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Sixth Form

Inspected 13 May 2025View full report
URN:139534
UKPRN:10040978
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Rayleigh and Wickford
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The Sweyne Park School creates a warm, supportive environment where pupils feel safe and happy. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use various techniques to check understanding, with particular strength in supporting pupils with SEND. The school offers an exciting range of enrichment activities including visits to inspiring locations, sports, music, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to help develop confident, well-rounded young people.

Key Strengths

  • Well-planned curriculum with good subject knowledge from teachers who provide clear explanations
  • Effective provision for pupils with SEND with thoughtful adaptations and strong achievement
  • Embedded behaviour approach with consistent expectations that pupils understand and follow
  • Strong reading culture with diverse texts and targeted support for early readers
  • Extensive enrichment opportunities including educational visits, clubs, and sixth-form mentoring

Areas for Improvement

  • Assessment system not used consistently by all staff, leaving some pupils unclear on how to improve
  • Some teachers do not adapt the curriculum well enough for all pupils to access new learning
  • Not all pupils secure important knowledge because differentiation is not yet consistent

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Educational visits to mosques and art galleries, netball tour to Spain, creative arts clubs, sports, musical theatre, Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, student council, volunteering, charity fundraising

The Sweyne Park School is an aspirational and inclusive secondary school where pupils enjoy learning and building character. Since the previous inspection, leaders have raised expectations, leading to improvements in behaviour and a well-planned curriculum, though examination results have not yet reflected these recent changes.

At a Glance

20.9%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

HI - Hearing Impairment

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

142 responses
Would recommend82%
Child is happy86%
Well taught87%
Good progress83%
Feels safe89%
Well behaved80%
Bullying dealt with24%
Kept informed87%
Handles concerns63%
Wider development80%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

19.4

Avg class size

73

Total classes

6 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Rayleigh Rail Station (entrance)
681m · 11 min walk

Bus Stops

The Sweyne Park School (o/s)
145m · 2 min walk
Sir Walter Raleigh Drive (opp)
237m · 4 min walk
Victoria Avenue (opp)
396m · 6 min walk
Cheapside East (adj)
491m · 8 min walk
Purleigh Road (opp)
533m · 9 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

94%

Near capacity

1,429 pupils

1,520 capacity

91 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Rayleigh

Low pressure
New homes approved:464
Projected new pupils:84

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Rayleigh

Admissions Demand - Essex

Low demand0.96x oversubscription

Places available

17,576

Applications

16,788

Got 1st preference

83.8%

Got preferred school

97.1%

Secondary admissions across Essex (2025/26)

Inspection History(4)

13 May 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Sixth FormGood
21 February 2023
Requires ImprovementReport
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Sixth FormGood
3 October 2017

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.82221%

Overall absence

19.42945%

Persistent absence

1,297

Enrolments

Authorised4.59883%
Unauthorised3.22338%
Persistent (10%+)19.42945%
Severe (50%+)3.16114%

Absence trend

4.97799%
18/19
5.12914%
20/21
7.70562%
21/22
8.41463%
22/23
8.04197%
23/24
7.82221%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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