Haverstock School
77%
Capacity
800
Pupils
3.0x
Demand
About Haverstock School
Every single parent who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey for Haverstock School said they would recommend it to another parent. That’s a 100% recommend rate from the 21 families who took part in the survey. The school is also heavily oversubscribed: for 105 places in Year 7, there were 310 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.95. Of those, 81 families put Haverstock as their first preference, and all 81 received an offer. Parents reported very high levels of satisfaction on specific questions too: 95% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 96% felt their child is safe. On behaviour, 95% agreed the school ensures pupils are well behaved, and 95% said concerns are dealt with properly. The school is led by headteacher James Hadley and serves pupils aged 11 to 16 in Camden.
Academically, Haverstock’s Progress 8 score was -0.2, which is above the Camden local authority average of -0.32. This places the school 6th out of 12 secondary schools in Camden, and in the bottom 50% nationally. The Attainment 8 score was 44.2, and the EBacc average point score was 3.87. Just over a quarter of pupils (27.6%) entered the EBacc combination of subjects, and 23.1% achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. This was an improvement from the previous inspection, when the school was rated Requires improvement. A subsequent ungraded inspection confirmed that standards have been maintained. The sixth form, however, was rated Requires improvement in both inspections.
Haverstock is a large school with capacity for 1,035 pupils but currently has 800 on roll, so there is some room for growth. A very high proportion of pupils (72.6%) are eligible for free school meals, reflecting the school’s inner-city London context. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre. There are extensive SEND provisions covering areas such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Speech, Language & Communication needs, and Social, Emotional & Mental Health support, plus a resourced provision. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, Young Enterprise, and a gardening club. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, inclusive, and improving secondary in Camden, where the community is clearly very positive about the experience, even if academic outcomes are still developing relative to the strongest local peers.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Address | 24 Haverstock Hill, Chalk Farm, Camden, NW3 2BQ |
| Headteacher | James Hadley |
| Local Authority | Camden |
| Number of Pupils | 800 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 72.6% |
| School Capacity | 800 / 1,035 (77% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Dec 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (4 Dec 2024): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jul 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.20)
2008th of 3,141
Nationally
403rd of 487
In London
6th of 12
In Camden
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
38.0
'22/23
31.5
'23/24
30.1
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
2022/2360%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 176 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)60%
- FE college28%
- Not sustained6%
- Sixth form college3%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Employment1%
93% 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
2022/2370%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 77 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
19%
Russell Group
19%
Top-third HE
2%
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)70%
- Not sustained13%
- Employment9%
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- Mathematics30
- Biology28
- Chemistry21
- Economics17
- Physics17
- Psychology16
- Geography15
- Sociology14
- Design and Technology (Engineering)13
- Government and Politics13
- English Language9
- History9
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.
Ofsted Parent View
21 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
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
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed105
310
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
81 families put this school as their 1st choice (26% 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
- Asian24.2%
- White British16.0%
- Mixed12.9%
- White (other)11.1%
- Black1.3%
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.
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.
25
Total schools
19
Oversubscribed
16
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 Haverstock School
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
24 Haverstock Hill, Chalk Farm
Camden, NW3 2BQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Haverstock School!
Write a Review