School Chooser

Bridlewood Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy213 pupilsNurserySwindon
School Chooser Score
30
Below
similar schools
Likely range 16 to 52, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 2% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, November 2025
Reached the expected level at 1160%England 63%
Attendance95.8%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families10%Far fewer than most schools
Parents would recommend89%28 Parent View responses
Places21 spare213 pupils, 234 places

Bridlewood Primary School is a converter academy in Swindon for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 213 pupils and room for 234. About 10 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 30 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 2% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in November 2025 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Chartwell Road, Swindon, SN25 2EX01793 706830bridlewoodprimaryschool.org.ukMrs Vicky Sammon headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 18 November 2025. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
17 November 2021Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

30 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1160%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score103.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 40%40%20172018: 63%63%20182019: 74%74%20192023: 69%69%20232024: 57%57%20242025: 60%60%2025
Since 2017: +20%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023†2019†2018†2017†SwindonEngland
Pupils tested303032586030
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths60%57%69%74%63%40%61%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%10%9%12%7%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score103.0104.0106.0105.0105.0102.0104.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0103.0104.0106.0103.0100.0103.9104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0106.0106.0108.0105.0102.0104.9105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard77%73%78%76%82%53%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard80%63%78%88%82%53%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)70%73%78%84%77%67%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.9-0.2-0.4-4.9
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.4-0.1-1.3-5.0
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged45%29%33%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged68%74%42%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Bridlewood Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 3 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
45%68%
Gap 23 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
50%69%
Gap 19 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Nearly full204 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
97% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Swindon council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

What parents say

Would recommend the school89%England 87%
My child is happy here89%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe89%
Positive overall92%
My child is happy at this school
89%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
89%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
75%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
18% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
60%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
86%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
4% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
100%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
86%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
75%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
75%England 82%
I would recommend this school
89%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
92%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 28 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll213Census January 2026
Places23491% full
Pupils from low-income families10%10% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English29%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support13%28 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%9 pupils with a plan
Average class size27.77 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)10%£29,450 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls110 / 103
White British pupils64%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 27.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.3 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (17), language and communications needs (9), emotional and mental health (7), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Physical disability (1), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census2026202520242023
Pupils on roll213226234227
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals10%14%13%13%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language29%25%23%18%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support10%10%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.8% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.8%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school9.8%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.92024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.2%4.5%5.2%5.3%2.1%3.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.6%4.1%4.7%4.7%1.9%2.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.6%0.5%0.5%0.6%0.2%0.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence9.8%10.8%13.7%8.6%2.2%5.2%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.90.00.4
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions000

† These attendance figures are for Bridlewood Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers9.3full-time equivalent, 12 people
Pupils per teacher22.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants5.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£52,744
Teachers who left in the year24%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.92024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,252England £7,128. Total £1.4m
Income per pupil£6,628England £7,587. Total £1.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,028England £3,405
Money in reserve12%A healthy amount put by: £178k, £819 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£82kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,252spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m16412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate48 per 1,000 people48% lower than the England average
Typical house price£280,000Swindon
Nearest bus stop220 mChartwell Road, 10 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Tadpole Farm CofE Primary AcademyAcademy720 m419Good 202414Compare
Abbey Farm Educate Together PrimaryFree school810 m184No overall grade 202586Compare
Abbey Meads Community Primary SchoolAcademy870 m417Good 202387Compare
Catherine Wayte Primary SchoolAcademy910 m339Not inspected70Compare
Orchid Vale Primary SchoolAcademy0.6 miles355Good 202347Compare
Haydonleigh Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles540Not inspected79Compare
William Morris Primary SchoolFree school0.9 miles462Good 202394Compare
Red Oaks Primary SchoolAcademy0.9 miles461Good 202436Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Bridlewood Primary School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats2%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 30 is 55 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 85 · highest 100100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 30 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 30% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 16 to 52. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
+0.03
2025 and 2024 results; 30 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%below
-0.12
Ofsted report card, 0.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.24
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 30 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.14
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.06
2024/25; 184 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.12
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 30 pupils
What parents say5%in line
+0.01
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 28 responses

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Bridlewood Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Bridlewood Primary School scores 30 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 2% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 16 to 52, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Bridlewood Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 18 November 2025 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

How good are Bridlewood Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 60% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Bridlewood Primary School have?

213 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 234 places, so it is 91% full.

Is Bridlewood Primary School oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

What is attendance like at Bridlewood Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 10% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Bridlewood Primary School?

89% of the 28 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 89% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Bridlewood Primary School?

The average class had 27.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Chartwell Road, Swindon, SN25 2EX
Telephone
01793 706830
Website
www.bridlewoodprimaryschool.org.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Vicky Sammon
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
The Park Academies Trust (8 schools)
Local authority
Swindon
Ward
St Andrews
Constituency
Swindon North
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 December 2022 (academy converter)
URN
149193 · LAESTAB 8662011 · UKPRN 10090706
Formerly
Bridlewood Primary School

Where these figures come from