Walthamstow Academy
London, E17 5DP · Waltham Forest · secondary school
Check the area around this school
3rd of 17 secondary schools in Waltham Forest we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 9.5/10 against 474 of them, against 8.4/10 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 | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 63.4 · 85 | 30% | 2.56 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.49 · 83 | 25% | 2.08 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 52.9 · 80 | 10% | 0.80 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Walthamstow Academy overview
How it's doing
Inspected in 2023, the school is rated Good. In 2024/25, 54.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 49.2, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.49 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (9.4 out of 10 against similar schools, 7.6 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,092 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,150. 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
With 58 places currently available, how does the school manage class sizes for new intakes? How does the curriculum support pupils to maintain the progress seen in the 2023/24 data? What specific support is available for students aiming to raise their Attainment 8 scores further?
What Ofsted said about Walthamstow Academy
Overview
Walthamstow Academy continues to be a good school, where pupils enjoy attending and feel kept safe. The curriculum is ambitious and well designed, with teachers possessing strong subject knowledge to systematically check understanding. However, in a few subjects, the work pupils complete is less ambitious than the curriculum suggests, preventing them from fully securing necessary knowledge.
Strengths
- Pupils behave well, with bullying not tolerated and issues dealt with swiftly by staff and ‘Anti-bullying ambassadors’.
- The curriculum is ‘ambitious’ and ‘carefully sequenced’ so pupils build knowledge over time, such as in geography and art.
- Teachers have ‘strong knowledge’ of their subjects and address misconceptions as they arise.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are swiftly identified and follow the same curriculum as their peers.
- Reading is ‘at the heart of the school’, with leaders supporting weaker readers to develop confidence and fluency.
Areas to improve
- In a few subjects, the planned curriculum is not implemented consistently well, meaning activities do not match the curriculum’s ambition.
- Leaders need to ensure activities pupils complete match the planned curriculum so pupils can tackle more challenging ideas.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders ensuring it is a top priority and staff responding swiftly to concerns.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 52.5 |
| 2024/25 | 49.2 |
| 2025/26 | 52.9 |
| 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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