Hewens College

About Hewens College

Hewens College in Hillingdon is a mixed secondary school with a sixth form, currently educating 412 pupils against a capacity of 750. That leaves significant room for growth, and the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 admissions cycle, it received 181 applications for 111 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.63, with 32 first-preference offers made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 26.4%, which is notably higher than the national average for secondary schools and suggests a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. The school is led by headteacher Marlene Littlefair and has no religious character. Its intake is relatively small for a secondary of this size, and the gap between current pupil numbers and capacity indicates that the school has room to expand further if demand continues to grow.

Academically, Hewens College presents a mixed picture. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2025 judged the school as Requires Improvement overall, though notably several individual areas were rated Good, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. The school’s Progress 8 score of +0.2 is above the local authority average of +0.06, placing it 14th out of 21 schools in Hillingdon. This positive progress score is driven by strong English results (Progress 8 English +0.52) and EBacc subjects (+0.3), though maths progress is negative at -0.21. Attainment 8 sits at 42, and 50% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 39.5%, with 17.4% achieving the benchmark at grade 4 or above. The sixth form is very small, with just three pupils, and its value-added score of -0.48 is below average, though the progress banding is still rated as Average.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, playing fields, tennis courts, and dedicated art studios, music rooms, and science labs. Sports provision is broad, with rowing, martial arts, and gymnastics alongside more traditional options like rugby and cricket. Clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. Hewens College also provides for a wide range of special educational needs, including support for dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. The school is oversubscribed, so families should be prepared for competition, especially for first-preference places. Given its above-average Progress 8 score and Good-rated behaviour and personal development, Hewens College may suit families looking for a school that supports academic progress in a diverse, inclusive setting, particularly those who value strong pastoral care and a broad extracurricular offer.

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