Bacon's College
84%
Capacity
1,002
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Bacon's College
Bacon's College is a Church of England secondary school in Southwark that is clearly in high demand locally. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 459 applications for 191 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.4 to one, and 162 of those offers went to first-preference families. The school currently has 1,002 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,200, so there is some room to grow, but the application numbers suggest strong local interest. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 45.2%, which is well above the national average and reflects the diverse, inner-city community the school serves. The headteacher is James Wilson, and the school operates as a mixed, non-selective secondary with a sixth form, catering for students aged 11 to 19.
Academically, Bacon's College performs above the national average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.4 is rated as 'Above average', meaning pupils make significantly more progress than similar students nationally. This places the school 10th out of 19 secondary schools in Southwark, though the local authority average Progress 8 is 0.46, so it sits just below that benchmark. At KS4, the Attainment 8 score is 51.5, and 72.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 42.4%, with 29.7% achieving the qualification at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the school's value-added score is 0.06, classed as 'Average', and students achieved an average of 35.06 points per entry, equivalent to a B- grade. The most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated the school Good across all categories, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating in 2017.
The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a sixth form centre, science labs, art studios, a chapel, and playing fields. Sports provision includes rowing, netball, and athletics, while extracurricular clubs cover debate, chess, drama, and Young Enterprise. Bacon's College has a broad SEND offer, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and physical disabilities. For families considering this school, the data paints a picture of a popular, improving secondary that serves a high-needs community well. It is not the highest-performing school in Southwark — the nearest Outstanding school is Harris Academy Bermondsey, 1.5 km away — but its strong Progress 8 results and Good Ofsted rating make it a credible choice for parents seeking a strong state education in central London.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Timber Pond Road, London, Southwark, SE16 6AT |
| Headteacher | James Wilson |
| Local Authority | Southwark |
| Number of Pupils | 1,002 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 45.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,002 / 1,200 (84% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Jun 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 31 Aug 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.40)
652nd of 3,141
Nationally
202nd of 487
In London
10th of 19
In Southwark
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
40.9
'22/23
35.6
'23/24
35.1
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2357%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 167 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)57%
- FE college23%
- Sixth form college9%
- Employment4%
- Not sustained3%
- Apprenticeship2%
96% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2369%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 62 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
33%
Russell Group
36%
Top-third HE
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)69%
- Employment13%
- Not sustained10%
- Further education3%
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.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology20
- Economics18
- Mathematics17
- English Literature15
- Sociology15
- Biology11
- Computer Studies / Computing11
- Physics9
- Chemistry7
- Art and Design6
- Art and Design (Graphics)5
- Geography4
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
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
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed191
459
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
174 families put this school as their 1st choice (38% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
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
- White British24.9%
- Mixed12.7%
- White (other)9.7%
- Asian6.5%
- Black5.3%
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.
Half 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.
26
Total schools
24
Oversubscribed
20
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 Bacon's College
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
Timber Pond Road, London
Southwark, SE16 6AT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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