The Deanery CofE Academy Review 2026, faith led secondary in Wichelstowe, Swindon

A newer Church of England academy trying to do something difficult, rebuild trust, routines, and outcomes after a turbulent period. The leadership picture is clear, Mr Jon Young is listed as Executive Headteacher and is recorded as taking up the headteacher role from 01 September 2024.

Unlike many long established Swindon secondaries, this is a school whose current story is still being written. Ofsted’s page for the current URN shows no published inspection report yet. At the same time, the school has had recent formal scrutiny of its Church of England character through a SIAMS inspection in May 2025, which describes a strong Christian vision, structured collective worship, and improving attendance.

Academically, the most reliable benchmark for families remains the published GCSE performance measures. In the FindMySchool ranking based on official data, GCSE outcomes place the school 2895th in England and 13th in Swindon. Progress measures indicate pupils have, on average, made less progress than similar pupils nationally. (FindMySchool rankings and the published GCSE measures are used for the performance section.)

The school’s ethos is explicitly Church of England, but the tone is not described as exclusive. The SIAMS report emphasises an inclusive approach to worship, recognising the diversity of beliefs among students, with students invited rather than compelled into prayer and responses. For families who value a faith informed culture without expecting every child to share the same level of observance, that framing will matter.

The same report describes the rhythm of the day as having planned moments for calm and reflection within tutor time, which is a practical detail rather than a slogan. In a school where some students may arrive anxious about secondary routines, that kind of deliberate quiet space can be a meaningful pastoral tool. It also signals that behaviour and emotional regulation are being treated as foundational to learning, not an afterthought.

House identity is being used to rebuild belonging. School publications refer to a revived house system and house competitions, including the Deanery Dash and inter house sport. For many pupils, this is the difference between feeling anonymous in a large secondary and feeling known within a smaller group. It also creates additional leadership roles for students, captains, organisers, and peer encouragement, which can be particularly valuable for pupils who do not see themselves primarily through academic achievement.

Leadership is currently structured around an executive head role with deputies covering curriculum and pastoral, alongside a designated safeguarding lead within the senior team. That matters because it suggests separation of responsibilities, which can make improvement efforts more consistent, particularly in a school managing multiple priorities at once.

The headline GCSE measures show a challenging picture at present, and families should read them as a baseline rather than an endpoint.

• Attainment 8 is 39.5.

• Progress 8 is -0.59, which indicates students, on average, have made below average progress from their starting points.

• 10.8% achieved grades 5 or above in the English Baccalaureate subjects measure.

In FindMySchool’s ranking for GCSE outcomes based on official data, the school ranks 2895th in England and 13th in Swindon. This places performance below England average overall, within the lower performance band when compared across England schools. (FindMySchool ranking.)

Alongside those official measures, the school has also published its own summary of improvements in English and mathematics outcomes for summer 2025, stating that 70% achieved grade 4 or above in both English and maths, and 50% achieved grade 5 or above. These figures are not a substitute for the national performance measures, but they can be a useful signal of direction of travel, particularly for families trying to judge whether improvement work is translating into outcomes.

The key question for families is less about whether the current headline measures are strong, they are not, and more about whether the school’s improvement trajectory and day to day learning culture fit their child. For some pupils, a school that is actively rebuilding routines and expectations can be a good match, particularly if the child benefits from explicit structure and clear adult direction.

Curriculum intent is framed around breadth, coherence, and preparation for life beyond examinations. In practical terms, subject pages show deliberate sequencing at Key Stage 3, for example in art where Year 7 starts with an introduction to drawing and progresses through defined projects across the year. That level of sequencing detail is a good sign, it suggests departments are thinking beyond individual lessons and are planning for cumulative knowledge.

Religious Education is also treated as a core part of the school’s identity rather than a bolt on. The SIAMS report describes RE as well led and given high status, with most teachers as subject specialists and GCSE RE taken by the vast majority of students at Key Stage 4. For families who want a Church school where faith is visible in curriculum time as well as worship, this is meaningful evidence.

There is also a clear emphasis on careers and post 16 planning. The careers programme explicitly references sixth form and college open days and structured support with subject choices. That matters in a school where not every student will take a purely academic route. A strong careers programme is often the most practical lever for keeping motivation high in Years 10 and 11.

The school’s published materials place substantial emphasis on post 16 decision making, including exposure to A level and vocational routes, and engagement with colleges and sixth form options. For families, the implication is that careers education is being used to widen horizons, not just to meet statutory requirements.

Because published A level performance measures are not yet available in the same way as GCSE benchmarks for this school, families considering post 16 should focus on the practical offer. Ask which courses are available, what entry requirements apply, and how the school supports applications for college, apprenticeships, or A level pathways. The school’s own communications show engagement with A levels, T levels, vocational routes, and apprenticeships as live options discussed with students.

For many students, the most important outcome is a clear, supported next step. Families should explore how early guidance begins, what employer encounters look like, and how the school supports students whose confidence in academic learning has been affected by earlier disruption.

Year 7 admission is coordinated by Swindon Borough Council, with applications made through the local authority. The school’s admissions arrangements for entry in the academic year 2026 to 27 state that the application deadline is 31 October 2025, with offers made on 02 March 2026. Swindon’s secondary admissions guide for September 2026 also reiterates the 31 October 2025 deadline.

Oversubscription criteria include the standard priorities you would expect in an academy, including children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, looked after and previously looked after children, siblings, and children of staff. The local authority guide also indicates that there is a faith based criterion within the remaining places, so families who value the Church of England character should read the school’s admissions arrangements carefully and check whether supplementary evidence is needed in that year.

Competition for places can vary from year to year and the most reliable way to assess it is to review the most recent Swindon admissions guide and the school’s determined arrangements. Families can also use the FindMySchoolMap Search to understand travel practicality and compare options across the local area.

Pastoral provision is often best judged by the specifics, who holds responsibility and what routines exist. The school’s safeguarding information identifies a designated safeguarding lead and an extended safeguarding team that includes senior leaders, which matters because it suggests safeguarding is embedded in senior decision making.

The Church school framework is also being used to support wellbeing. The SIAMS report describes a chaplain role that supports worship and smaller group activity in the chapel, including morning prayers and Youth Alpha. For some students, chaplaincy provides a different kind of trusted adult relationship, particularly for pupils who find it easier to talk outside a formal classroom setting.

The same report refers to emotional literacy support work (ELSA) and a restorative approach to relationship issues. For families, the implication is that the school is trying to manage conflict through repair and reintegration, which can be an effective approach when consistently applied, but it relies on strong boundaries and follow through. This is a key question to explore at open events, how behaviour expectations are made clear, and how consequences and reconciliation are balanced.

The most convincing extracurricular stories are the ones with names, routines, and outcomes, and this is an area where the school provides helpful detail.

The enrichment programme runs in three rotations across the year and includes lunchtime and after school sessions, with after school enrichment listed as 15:30 to 16:30. A rotating model can work well in a school rebuilding engagement, it gives students a fresh chance each term to find something they enjoy, and it reduces the barrier of committing for a full year.

Several enrichment strands stand out because they are specific and externally connected. The enrichment page references fencing enrichment that has been strong enough to attract regional media interest, a chess enrichment group that attended the London Chess Classic and competed nationally, and a trampolining strand linked to competition beyond school. These are not generic clubs, they suggest staff or external coaches with genuine expertise, and they give students a reason to attend and persist.

Creative arts enrichment is also described in concrete terms. In art and design, the department lists Photography, Art Hub, and Upcycling as past enrichment offers. Photography includes entry into the Rotary Club Young Photographer Competition, while Upcycling includes reusing materials to create furniture for use around the site. For pupils who learn best through making and producing, these are the kinds of experiences that can re anchor a student in school.

House sport adds another layer of participation, with house rugby, netball, and football described as part of rebuilding culture. That is particularly helpful for students who may not make school teams but still want competition and belonging.

The local authority admissions guide lists school hours as 08:45 to 15:25. It also indicates there is no breakfast club. For working families, that means the before school routine needs planning, either through family arrangements or by pairing with wraparound provision elsewhere.

Facilities are frequently referenced as a strength, including a theatre and practical considerations such as parking and technical infrastructure for events. For families with students interested in performance, events, or technical production work, a functioning theatre space can be more than a nice extra, it can shape confidence and engagement for years.

Transport wise, Wichelstowe sits within Swindon’s urban area. Families should consider bus routes and journey time from their home postcode, particularly if a child will be travelling independently. The FindMySchool local hub comparison tools can help families assess realistic travel alongside academic measures.

• Performance baseline. Current GCSE benchmarks and progress measures are below average. Families should explore what has changed recently, how teaching is being stabilised, and whether support is in place for pupils who have gaps from earlier disruption.

• Inspection visibility. Ofsted’s page for the current URN shows no published inspection report yet. For some families, that means relying more heavily on open events, policies, and other formal evidence such as SIAMS until an Ofsted inspection is published.

• Morning logistics. School hours start at 08:45 and there is no breakfast club listed in the local authority guide. Families who need early supervision should plan for travel and supervision carefully.

• Faith criteria awareness. The school is Church of England and the local authority guide references a faith based criterion within remaining places. Families should read the determined admissions arrangements each year to avoid surprises about evidence requirements.

This is a Church of England secondary in active rebuild mode, with leadership and culture work that is visible through a revived house system, structured worship, and a detailed enrichment offer. Official GCSE benchmarks remain a key caveat, but the school is also publishing signs of improvement and has recent faith school inspection evidence describing inclusive culture and strengthening wellbeing support.

Who it suits: students who benefit from clear routines, a values led approach, and a school that offers practical enrichment pathways alongside academic learning, particularly families in Swindon who want a Church school ethos and are prepared to engage closely with the school’s improvement journey.