Alec Reed Academy
88%
Capacity
1,672
Pupils
2.5x
Demand
About Alec Reed Academy
Alec Reed Academy is a heavily oversubscribed school, and it’s not hard to see why local families are keen to get a place. For the 2025/26 secondary intake, the school received 247 applications for just 101 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.45. That means nearly two and a half families applied for every spot, with 48 first-preference offers made. The school is a state-funded, mixed all-through academy in Ealing, taking pupils from age 3 right through to 19, which is a practical draw for parents looking for continuity. It’s a large school, with 1,672 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,895, and a significant 41.3 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The headteacher is Phil Cosby, and the school has no religious character. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2023, rated the school Good overall, with an Outstanding rating for early years provision.
Academically, the school performs solidly against a challenging local backdrop. At Key Stage 4, its Progress 8 score of 0.24 is above the national average, though it sits below the Ealing local authority average of 0.5. In the local rankings, it places 11th out of 16 schools in the borough. The Attainment 8 score is 43.4, and 59.3 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The English Progress 8 score is notably strong at 0.38, while maths is lower at 0.15. The EBacc average point score is 3.78, with 33.5 per cent of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At sixth form, the picture is more mixed: the value-added score is -0.44, which is below average, and the average points per entry is 30.42, equating to a grade C. The school’s progress banding for A-levels is rated as below average.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, astro turf, and a sixth form centre, plus a chapel. Sports on offer include rowing, martial arts, and cross country, while clubs range from Model UN and Young Enterprise to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and a gardening club. SEND provision is broad, covering autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, among others. For families weighing up options, Alec Reed Academy is a good-sized, inclusive school with strong primary-phase early years provision and a solid record of adding value at GCSE, particularly in English. It’s a practical choice for parents who want a single-site journey from nursery through to sixth form, though those prioritising top-tier A-level outcomes may want to look at higher-performing sixth forms nearby, such as William Perkin Church of England High School, 2.4 km away.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Bengarth Road, Northolt, Ealing, UB5 5LQ |
| Headteacher | Phil Cosby |
| Local Authority | Ealing |
| Number of Pupils | 1,672 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 41.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,672 / 1,895 (88% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
20 Jun 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 31 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.24)
969th of 3,141
Nationally
266th of 487
In London
11th of 16
In Ealing
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
30.3
'22/23
29.6
'23/24
30.4
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2365%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 75 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
8%
Russell Group
14%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)65%
- Employment17%
- Not sustained8%
- Other education1%
- Apprenticeship1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed101
247
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
48 families put this school as their 1st choice (19% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian25.1%
- White (other)16.4%
- White British11.4%
- Mixed8.8%
- Black1.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
6
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alec Reed Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Bengarth Road, Northolt
Ealing, UB5 5LQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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