The Swan School

The Swan School has received a 'Good' overall effectiveness rating in its first official inspection since opening in 2019. The school showcases notable strengths in its ambitious and inclusive curriculum, as well as outstanding personal development and behaviour among pupils. The leadership and management are highlighted as exceptionally strong, fostering an environment where pupils feel valued and safe. Parents also express significant support for the school, especially regarding the personalized attention their children receive from staff.

Strengths

• Ambitious and inclusive curriculum design.
• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes of pupils.
• Strong personal development program supporting resilience and respect.
• High-quality teaching across the school.
• Effective careers program with links to local employers.
• Comprehensive reading strategy addressing diverse needs.

Areas for Improvement

• Some variability in how the curriculum connects new knowledge over time.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Swan School attended 92.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 20.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 8.7% of pupils at The Swan School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Swan School had 17.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 18.1% of pupils at The Swan School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Swan School received £8,373 and spent £8,162 for each of its 953 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £96,000 (£101 per pupil).

Across all 30 schools of River Learning Trust, income was £8,007 and spending £7,763 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Oxford · Oxfordshire local authority: places and applications

The Swan School is part of River Learning Trust, which runs 30 schools. The nearest others:

• New Marston Primary School Oxford
• The Cherwell School Oxford
• Barton Park Primary School Oxford
• Cutteslowe Primary School Oxford
• Cheney School Oxford
• Wolvercote Primary School Oxford
• Bayards Hill School Oxford
• Larkrise Primary School Oxford
• Sandhills Community Primary School Oxford
• Beckley Church of England Primary School Oxford

What is The Swan School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Swan School is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was The Swan School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Swan School was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does The Swan School have?

The Swan School has 1,057 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Swan School cover?

The Swan School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are The Swan School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 60.1, and 73% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Swan School?

The Swan School is at Marston Ferry Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 7WP.