OFSTED
6 January 2026
Latest inspection
Latest published outcome
Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Needs attention
Curriculum & teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Urgent improvement
Attendance & behaviour
Needs attention
Personal development
Needs attention
Leadership & governance
Needs attention
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
29 September 2021
Graded inspection
Good
Published
10 November 2021
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Essex
Trust
THE SIGMA TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,075
1,075 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
532
49.5% of pupils
Male pupils
543
50.5% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
17.7 pts
above England
School
42.5%
Tendring
32.9%
East of England
19.7%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
15.9 pts
below England
School
4.4%
Tendring
5.1%
East of England
16.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.5 pts
above England
School
1.5%
Tendring
0.9%
East of England
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
89.6%
963
Any other White background
2.0%
22
African
1.7%
18
White and Black Caribbean
1.2%
13
White and Black African
1.0%
11
Any other Mixed background
0.9%
10
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
23.9%
257 of
1,075 pupils
3.1 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
6.1 pts
above
England
6.0%
3.0 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
37.6
1.6 pts
below England
Latest published: -0.67 · 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
10.85%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
4.63 pts
higher than
England
School
10.85%
Tendring
7.45%
East of England
6.17%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
33.01%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
17.19 pts
higher than
England
School
33.01%
Tendring
21.16%
East of England
15.39%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
4.97%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
3.17 pts
higher than
England
School
4.97%
Tendring
2.19%
East of England
1.83%
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
82.7%
9.6 pts
below England
Harwich and Dovercourt High School
82.7%
Tendring
94.9%
East of England
92.9%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.