Notley High School and Sixth Form
Braintree, CM7 1WY · Essex · secondary school
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41st of 78 secondary schools in Essex we can score, 81 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 872 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 3.5/10 among them, against 5.1/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 20 | 35% | 0.69 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 48.6 · 59 | 30% | 1.78 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.11 · 42 | 25% | 1.04 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 46.1 · 51 | 10% | 0.51 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Notley High School and Sixth Form overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 37.6% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 44.9, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.11 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than peers nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.5 out of 10 among them, against 3.9 out of 10 nationally. Ofsted inspected the school in May 2026 under the new framework, which grades areas separately without an overall grade.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, play sports including athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, dodgeball, fitness, football, and handball, or take instrumental tuition, singing lessons, and music theory. Trips include visits to Hyde Hall, Get Growing, the London Science Museum, Chelmsford Theatre, The Old Bailey, rock climbing, Iceland, and performances of *Oliver* and *Jack and the Beanstalk*.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,210 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,500. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school
What Ofsted said about Notley High School and Sixth Form
Overview
The report describes Notley High School and Braintree Sixth Form as a "happy, highly welcoming place" where leaders have taken "highly successful action to rapidly and substantially improve" provision. Pupils enjoy learning, attendance has improved, and the school is now over-subscribed in its early years.
Strengths
- Inclusion is rated at a "Strong standard," with "highly effective systems" and a "caring, personalised approach" that significantly improves opportunities for disadvantaged pupils.
- Leadership and governance are rated at a "Strong standard," with trustees acting as a "critical friend" and staff benefiting from "high quality professional development."
- The curriculum is "broad, carefully ordered and engaging," with staff using subject knowledge to "introduce and model new learning clearly."
- Personal development is robust, featuring a "thoughtfully constructed" programme where pupils learn about democracy, consent, and healthy relationships.
- Sixth form students are "highly positive about their experiences," valuing the "close support" and effective transition from Year 11.
Areas to improve
- Leaders should ensure staff use assessment skilfully to "identify opportunities to accelerate pupils’ progress through the curriculum and to deepen their understanding."
- Leaders should further build on their work to ensure pupils "achieve highly in national examinations and tests."
- Leaders should "increase the range of opportunities for pupils to develop their independence, self-motivation and resilience."
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with an "open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility" ensuring pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 44.1 |
| 2024/25 | 44.9 |
| 2025/26 | 46.1 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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