OFSTED
12 March 2024
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Good
OEIF
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour & attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership & management
Good
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
14 December 2022
Ungraded inspection
School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next
Published
8 February 2023
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Wiltshire
Trust
SHELDON SCHOOL
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,467
1,467 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
747
50.9% of pupils
Male pupils
720
49.1% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
6.7 pts
below England
School
18.1%
Wiltshire
16.2%
South West
20.1%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
11.0 pts
below England
School
9.3%
Wiltshire
7.7%
South West
10.7%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.7 pts
above England
School
2.7%
Wiltshire
1.3%
South West
1.5%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
77.8%
1,142
Any other White background
6.7%
99
Any other Mixed background
2.7%
39
African
2.0%
29
Any other ethnic group
1.7%
25
Chinese
1.4%
21
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
14.1%
207 of
1,467 pupils
6.7 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
5.2 pts
below
England
6.0%
1.5 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
45.2
6.0 pts
above England
Latest published: -0.10 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
10.54%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
4.32 pts
higher than
England
School
10.54%
Wiltshire
5.54%
South West
6.20%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
25.94%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
10.12 pts
higher than
England
School
25.94%
Wiltshire
12.36%
South West
15.08%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
6.37%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
4.57 pts
higher than
England
School
6.37%
Wiltshire
1.62%
South West
1.90%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
81.5%
10.8 pts
below England
Sheldon School
81.5%
Wiltshire
88.3%
South West
88.7%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.