Passmores Academy
Harlow, CM18 6JH · Essex · secondary school
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64th 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.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 0.2/10 against 835 of them, against 0.7/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. 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 | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 22.4 · 5 | 30% | 0.16 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.67 · 9 | 25% | 0.23 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 36.2 · 7 | 10% | 0.07 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Passmores Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 21.4% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 34.8, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.67 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Its results are much the same when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so the gap is not explained by intake (0.2 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.7 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted rated the school Good in March 2024.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join Ready Steady Cook, Spelling Bee, University Challenge, and European Week of Languages. Sports include football and district sports days. Music offers singing, piano, drum kit, electric guitar, classical guitar, bass guitar, cello, and trumpet. A trip to Mersea is planned for 2026.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,199 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,200. 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 support pupils to close the gap between their Progress 8 score
What Ofsted said about Passmores Academy
Overview
Passmores Academy continues to be a good school, where pupils are described as "warm and welcoming" with a "strong work ethic." The institution fosters an inclusive environment, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, while offering a "broad and ambitious curriculum" and extensive extracurricular opportunities.
Strengths
- Pupils demonstrate high regard for staff and peers, with a strong culture of inclusion and support for those with SEND.
- The curriculum is "well-planned," building progressively on pupils’ starting points, leading to good results for regular attendees.
- Staff possess "strong subject knowledge" and effectively break down learning into manageable chunks.
- There is a "wealth of extracurricular opportunities," including musical productions, curling, and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
- Reading support is robust, with expert guidance in nurture groups and ambitious reading tasks for fluent readers.
Areas to improve
- Teachers must ensure work has a "clear and timely purpose" to avoid hindering learning through excessive retrieval activities or closed questions.
- The school needs to further develop provision for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, as this group receives more suspensions than peers.
- Decisive action is required to address the impact of persistent absence on pupil outcomes, which currently drags down national performance data.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 37.6 |
| 2024/25 | 34.8 |
| 2025/26 | 36.2 |
| 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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