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Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College

Barking and Dagenham, IG11 9AGSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Jan 2024
Progress 8
+0.02
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Oversubscribed
372 1st-choice / 357 places
Ranking
#1,463
of 3,141 nationally

About Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College

Barking Abbey School’s headline Progress 8 score of 0.02 sits below the Barking and Dagenham local authority average of 0.23, meaning pupils here make less academic progress from Key Stage 2 to GCSE than the typical student in the borough. That gap is modest but real, and it places the school 10th out of 15 secondary schools in the LA, in the bottom third locally. However, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 awarded it Outstanding across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — a jump from its previous Good rating in 2012. So you have an unusual picture: a school that inspectors now consider among the best in the country, yet whose core academic progress metric is slightly below the LA norm. That tension is worth exploring, because it suggests the school may be delivering on more than just exam grades.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressSandringham Road, Barking, Barking and Dagenham, IG11 9AG
HeadteacherTony Roe
Local AuthorityBarking and Dagenham
Number of Pupils2,336
Free School Meals (FSM)28.1%
School Capacity2,336 / 2,334 (100% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

31 Jan 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 4 Mar 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

13
Swimming PoolSixth Form CentreTheatreDining HallArt StudiosSports HallMusic RoomsGymnasiumScience LabsICT SuiteAstro TurfLibraryChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

SwimmingCricketRoundersTennisBasketballDanceRugby

Clubs & Activities

Eco ClubChoirChessDuke of EdinburghCodingScience ClubGardeningYoung EnterpriseModel United Nations

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

SEN Unit
AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultySevere LearningSEN UnitResourced ProvisionOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College

Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.