Classpot

Bow School

Tower Hamlets, E3 3QWSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Sep 2023
Progress 8
-0.39
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.4×
Not oversubscribed
83 1st-choice / 231 places
Ranking
#2,444
of 3,141 nationally

About Bow School

Bow School sits in Tower Hamlets, a London borough where secondary school performance is generally strong — the local authority average Progress 8 score is 0.09, comfortably above the national baseline. Bow, however, ranks 15th out of 17 same-type schools in the borough, placing it in the bottom half locally. Its Progress 8 score of -0.39 is below average nationally, and the school sits in the bottom 50 nationally by this measure. The top-performing peers in Tower Hamlets include Swanlea School, Bishop Challoner Catholic School, and Stepney All Saints Church of England Secondary School — the latter being the nearest Outstanding-rated school, just 2.5 km away. Bow itself has held a Good rating from Ofsted since at least 2013, and its most recent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Good. Headteacher Danny Lye leads a mixed, non-denominational secondary with a sixth form, serving 1,173 pupils against a capacity of 1,350.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
Address44 Twelvetrees Crescent, London, Tower Hamlets, E3 3QW
HeadteacherDanny Lye
Local AuthorityTower Hamlets
Number of Pupils1,173
Free School Meals (FSM)46.0%
School Capacity1,173 / 1,350 (87% 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

13 Sept 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (13 Sept 2023): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 2 May 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
TheatreGymnasiumDining HallScience LabsSports HallTennis CourtsChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

18

Sports

FootballMartial ArtsRugbyBadmintonCricketHockeyRoundersGymnasticsSwimming

Clubs & Activities

DramaYoung EnterpriseChoirDebateCodingOrchestraGardeningArt ClubDuke of Edinburgh

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:30

Breakfast club

07:30-08:30

After-school care

15:30-16:30

Source: bow-school.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Bow School

Bow School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.