Classpot

Lift Maltings

Braintree, CM8 1EPSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Jul 2024
Progress 8
-0.64
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
119 1st-choice / 136 places
Ranking
#2,780
of 3,141 nationally

About Lift Maltings

Lift Maltings is a mixed 11-16 state secondary in Braintree, Essex, currently operating well below its capacity of 1,100 with 841 pupils on roll. That spare capacity is notable given the school’s popularity at admissions: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 260 applications for 136 places, with 119 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.91. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 21.6%, which is significantly above the national average for secondary schools and suggests a catchment serving a higher-than-typical level of disadvantage. The school is led by headteacher Leanne Abbott-Jones and has no religious character. Despite the strong demand from local families, the most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated the school as Requires Improvement across all categories — a sharp drop from its previous Outstanding rating in 2015. That downgrade will be a key consideration for parents weighing up the school’s popularity against its current performance.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressSpinks Lane, Witham, Braintree, CM8 1EP
HeadteacherLeanne Abbott-Jones
Local AuthorityEssex
Number of Pupils841
Free School Meals (FSM)21.6%
School Capacity841 / 1,100 (76% full)

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

19 Sept 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal Development
Requires improvement
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement

Source: Ofsted, 7 Dec 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
Music RoomsICT SuiteGymnasiumAstro TurfSports HallSwimming PoolDining HallTheatreScience LabsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

20

Sports

TennisSwimmingGymnasticsFootballCross CountryRugbyBasketballBadmintonCricketHockey

Clubs & Activities

GardeningDuke of EdinburghCodingOrchestraFilm ClubBook ClubModel United NationsDebateYoung EnterpriseNewspaper

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:15

After-school care

15:15-16:00

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Lift Maltings

Lift Maltings has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.