Harris Academy Chafford Hundred
115%
Capacity
1,379
Pupils
5.6x
Demand
About Harris Academy Chafford Hundred
Harris Academy Chafford Hundred is a school that parents clearly want to get into. For the 2025/26 secondary intake, the school received 961 applications for just 171 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 5.62. Of those applications, 395 were first preferences, and 155 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand is a strong signal from local families, and it aligns with the school’s reputation. It is a mixed, non-religious state secondary for ages 11 to 19, with a capacity of 1,200 but currently holding 1,379 pupils, so it is running above its official number. The headteacher is Jamie Maxted. The school has a sixth form and is not a boarding school.
Academically, this is an exceptional performer. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024, the school was rated Outstanding across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. That is a clean sweep. The Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 cohort was 1.04, which is well above average nationally and far above the Thurrock local authority average of 0.14. In fact, it ranks first out of ten secondary schools in Thurrock on this measure, and 68th out of 3,141 schools nationally. The Attainment 8 score was 61.1, and 89% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the average points per entry was 37.1, equivalent to a B- grade, and the value-added score was 0.21, rated above average.
The school is well equipped, with facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre. There is a broad range of clubs and sports on offer, from chess and coding to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Young Enterprise. The school also has a resourced provision and supports pupils with a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. Given its high oversubscription and outstanding results, this school will suit families who are looking for a high-performing, well-resourced secondary with a strong academic track record and a busy extracurricular programme. It is oversubscribed, so getting a place is competitive, but for those who do, the data suggests a very strong educational experience.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Mayflower Road, Grays, Thurrock, RM16 6SA |
| Headteacher | Jamie Maxted |
| Local Authority | Thurrock |
| Number of Pupils | 1,379 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 13.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,379 / 1,200 (115% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
20 Mar 2024Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 8 May 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+1.04)
68th of 3,141
Nationally
7th of 350
In East of England
1st of 10
In Thurrock
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
39.1
'22/23
37.5
'23/24
37.1
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
2022/2365%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 214 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)65%
- FE college29%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained1%
98% 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
2022/2359%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 216 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
29%
Russell Group
30%
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)59%
- Employment25%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Other education2%
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- Business Studies:Single71
- Psychology60
- Economics52
- Sociology37
- Mathematics36
- English Literature32
- Law26
- Media/Film/Tv Studies23
- Biology22
- Geography18
- Government and Politics18
- History17
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
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed171
961
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
395 families put this school as their 1st choice (41% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
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%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British29.9%
- Asian17.2%
- White (other)16.5%
- Mixed9.6%
- Black3.7%
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
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half 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
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Harris Academy Chafford Hundred
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
Mayflower Road, Grays
Thurrock, RM16 6SA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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