Best secondary schools in Wiltshire (2026)
Wiltshire has 39 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is South Wilts Grammar School, in the top 2% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 46.5, against 46.1 for England. 2 are in England's top 10%, and 2 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 2 grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 2% in England |
South Wilts Grammar School Salisbury · Grammar · Girls |
75.1 | 77.0 | 99% | Good | |
2 Top 3% in England |
Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School Salisbury · Grammar · Boys · Church of England |
72.4 | 73.1 | 97% | Outstanding | |
3 Top 20% in England |
The Ridgeway School & Sixth Form College Wroughton |
52.8 | 53.5 | 62% | Good | |
4 Top 20% in England |
St Laurence School Bradford-on-Avon · Church of England/Christian |
53.8 | 54.5 | 58% | No rating | |
5 Top 23% in England |
St John's Marlborough Marlborough |
51.8 | 50.9 | 57% | Not judged | |
6 Top 24% in England |
Lavington School Market Lavington |
51.3 | 50.3 | 58% | No rating | |
7 Top 26% in England |
Malmesbury School Malmesbury |
51.2 | 49.8 | 49% | Outstanding | |
8 Top 28% in England |
St Augustine's Catholic College Trowbridge · Roman Catholic |
51.2 | 51.4 | 52% | Good | |
9 Top 30% in England |
Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Royal Wootton Bassett |
49.5 | 51.0 | 56% | Not judged | |
10 Top 31% in England |
Hardenhuish School Chippenham (Wiltshire) |
50.3 | 47.5 | 42% | No rating | |
11 Top 32% in England |
Swindon Academy Swindon |
48.6 | 50.2 | 57% | Report card | |
12 Top 39% in England |
Bradon Forest School Purton |
47.9 | 48.1 | 45% | Good | |
13 Top 42% in England |
Highworth Warneford School Highworth |
46.9 | 46.0 | 50% | Requires improvement | |
14 Top 43% in England |
The Deanery CofE Academy Swindon · Anglican/Church of England |
46.6 | 46.6 | 50% | Inadequate | |
15 Top 46% in England |
Great Western Academy Swindon |
46.8 | 45.5 | 41% | Good | |
16 Top 47% in England |
Lydiard Park Academy Swindon |
46.6 | 47.0 | 43% | No rating | |
17 Top 49% in England |
Abbey Park School Swindon |
45.1 | 46.2 | 51% | Good | |
18 Top 50% in England |
Nova Hreod Academy Swindon |
46.3 | 49.1 | 52% | No rating | |
19 Bottom 50% in England |
The Corsham School Corsham |
46.2 | 47.5 | 46% | Good | |
20 Bottom 50% in England |
The Commonweal School Swindon |
46.1 | 46.3 | 38% | No rating | |
21 Bottom 50% in England |
The Trafalgar School at Downton Downton |
45.4 | 44.3 | 46% | Good | |
22 Bottom 47% in England |
Sheldon School Chippenham (Wiltshire) |
45.2 | 45.2 | 42% | Good | |
23 Bottom 47% in England |
Devizes School Devizes |
45.0 | 45.3 | 45% | Not judged | |
24 Bottom 44% in England |
Kingdown School Warminster |
45.2 | 42.8 | 30% | No rating | |
25 Bottom 44% in England |
Matravers School Westbury (Wiltshire) |
45.7 | 47.0 | 43% | Good | |
26 Bottom 43% in England |
St Joseph's Catholic College Swindon · Roman Catholic |
44.7 | 38.0 | 28% | No rating | |
27 Bottom 35% in England |
Wyvern St Edmund's Academy Salisbury · Church of England |
42.5 | 42.2 | 40% | Not judged | |
28 Bottom 31% in England |
Kingsdown School Stratton St Margaret |
41.9 | 41.4 | 37% | Good | |
29 Bottom 29% in England |
The John of Gaunt School Trowbridge |
42.4 | 44.3 | 38% | No rating | |
30 Bottom 27% in England |
St Joseph's Catholic School Salisbury · Roman Catholic |
40.3 | 40.4 | 39% | Requires improvement | |
31 Bottom 26% in England |
The Dorcan Academy Swindon |
41.4 | 44.3 | 45% | Good | |
32 Bottom 24% in England |
Kingsbury Green Academy Calne |
40.7 | 39.6 | 30% | Report card | |
33 Bottom 22% in England |
The Clarendon Academy Trowbridge |
41.7 | 39.8 | 27% | No rating | |
34 Bottom 21% in England |
Melksham Oak Community School Bowerhill |
40.1 | 41.4 | 31% | Good | |
35 Bottom 20% in England |
The Wellington Academy Ludgershall (Wiltshire) |
40.7 | 42.1 | 34% | Good | |
36 Bottom 16% in England |
The Stonehenge School Amesbury |
39.7 | 37.4 | 26% | No rating | |
37 Bottom 15% in England |
Lawn Manor Academy Swindon |
38.5 | 37.5 | 30% | Good | |
38 Bottom 6% in England |
Avon Valley Academy Durrington and Bulford |
36.4 | 34.8 | 18% | Not judged | |
39 Bottom 3% in England |
Sarum Academy Salisbury · Church of England |
33.4 | 33.7 | 24% | No rating |
Best secondary school in each town
- Salisbury · best: South Wilts Grammar School
- Trowbridge · best: St Augustine's Catholic College
- Swindon · best: Swindon Academy
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Wiltshire?
On exam results over the last three years, South Wilts Grammar School is the top-ranked secondary school in Wiltshire, in the top 2% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.