King Harold Business & Enterprise Academy
106%
Capacity
797
Pupils
1.1x
Demand
About King Harold Business & Enterprise Academy
King Harold Business & Enterprise Academy holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained since its graded inspection in 2016 and which was confirmed as unchanged in an ungraded visit in 2022. The most telling academic metric for this 11-16 mixed state secondary is its Progress 8 score of -0.34, which the Department for Education bands as 'Below average'. This means that, on average, pupils leaving the school achieved nearly a third of a grade less per subject across eight GCSEs than students with similar prior attainment nationally. The school's Attainment 8 score sits at 38.7, and just 32.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, compared with 58.3% who managed a grade 4 or above. These figures place the school 6th out of 7 schools in the Epping Forest local authority area by Progress 8, and in the bottom 50% of schools nationally.
To put that Progress 8 score in context, the average for all secondary schools in Essex is -0.18, so King Harold's result of -0.34 is notably weaker than the local authority norm. The school's EBacc entry rate is low at 21.5%, and only 4.9% of pupils achieved the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. Breaking down the Progress 8 components, the school performs worst in the 'open' group of qualifications (-0.41) and the EBacc subjects (-0.54), while English (-0.13) and maths (-0.17) are closer to the national average. Leadership and management were also rated Good by Ofsted, and the school has improved significantly from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2014. With 31.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage, which may partly explain the attainment profile.
The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 156 applications for 149 places and 116 first-preference offers, suggesting solid local demand despite the middling results. Facilities are comprehensive for a secondary of 797 pupils, including a theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs and a sports hall, with clubs ranging from chess and debate to a newspaper and science club. The SEND provision is broad, covering dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support, among others. There is no sixth form, so pupils must plan for a post-16 move elsewhere. This school will suit families in the Epping Forest area who value a Good-rated, inclusive environment with strong pastoral and SEND support, but who are realistic about academic outcomes that sit below both the national and local averages.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Broomstick Hall Road, Waltham Abbey, Epping Forest, EN9 1LF |
| Headteacher | Andrew Jones |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 797 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 31.9% |
| School Capacity | 797 / 750 (106% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 Jul 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (14 Jul 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 15 Jul 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.34)
2331st of 3,141
Nationally
271st of 350
In East of England
6th of 7
In Epping Forest
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 103 pupils).
- FE college80%
- Not sustained11%
- Apprenticeship4%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
- Employment2%
- Sixth form college1%
89% 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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed149
156
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
116 families put this school as their 1st choice (74% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:15
Source: kha-tkat.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British64.5%
- White (other)16.4%
- Mixed9.3%
- Asian2.0%
- Black0.3%
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.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
4
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 King Harold Business & Enterprise 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
Broomstick Hall Road, Waltham Abbey
Epping Forest, EN9 1LF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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