Belfairs Academy
112%
Capacity
1,606
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Belfairs Academy
Belfairs Academy is a heavily oversubscribed secondary school in Southend-on-Sea, with 690 applications for 291 places in the 2025/26 admissions round — an oversubscription ratio of 2.37. That means more than two families applied for every available spot, and 156 of those offers went to first-preference applicants. Despite this clear demand from local parents, the school does not publish a Parent View recommendation percentage, so we can't say exactly how satisfied current families are. What we do know is that the school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2024, rated it Requires Improvement overall, a downgrade from its previous Good rating. The inspection found that while behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision are all Good, the quality of education and leadership and management both require improvement. The school is led by headteacher Beverley Williams and serves 1,606 pupils, which is above its stated capacity of 1,440.
Academically, Belfairs sits below the local average on key measures. Its Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.31, meaning pupils achieved about a third of a grade less per subject than similar students nationally. That compares unfavourably with the Southend-on-Sea local authority average of +0.12. The school ranks 7th out of 10 secondary schools in the LA on this metric, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. Attainment 8 was 43.3, and 40.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school's value-added score was -0.39, also below average, with an average points per entry of 26.83 (equivalent to a C- grade). The best three A-levels averaged a C grade. On the plus side, 41.3% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, and 26.1% achieved it at grade 4 or above.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, gymnasium, science labs, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, martial arts, and rugby, while extracurricular clubs cover everything from Young Enterprise and Model UN to gardening, choir, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND provision is broad, with support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, and physical disabilities, among others. Given its oversubscription, families applying will want to be strategic. The school will suit those who value a large, mixed comprehensive with a strong sixth form and a wide range of activities, but who are comfortable with a school that is currently working through an improvement plan following its Requires Improvement rating.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Highlands Boulevard, Leigh-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, SS9 3TG |
| Headteacher | Beverley Williams |
| Local Authority | Southend-on-Sea |
| Number of Pupils | 1,606 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 20.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,606 / 1,440 (112% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 May 2024Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 17 Oct 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.31)
2260th of 3,141
Nationally
258th of 350
In East of England
7th of 10
In Southend-on-Sea
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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
31.4
'22/23
25.8
'23/24
26.8
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
2022/2352%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 229 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)52%
- FE college34%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Employment3%
92% 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
2022/2351%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 79 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
6%
Russell Group
7%
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)51%
- Employment32%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Further education1%
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- Psychology29
- Economics26
- Art and Design (Photography)19
- Mathematics18
- Sociology18
- English Literature17
- Geography14
- Film Studies13
- Business Studies:Single12
- Design and Technology (Product Design)11
- Physics11
- History10
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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed291
690
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
156 families put this school as their 1st choice (23% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British78.7%
- Mixed5.9%
- White (other)5.2%
- Asian4.2%
- Black0.1%
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
5
Oversubscribed
5
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 Belfairs 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
Highlands Boulevard, Leigh-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea, SS9 3TG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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