Lift New Rickstones
109%
Capacity
1,204
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About Lift New Rickstones
Lift New Rickstones, a mixed state secondary in Braintree, Essex, has a Progress 8 score of -0.43, which sits well below the Essex local authority average of -0.18 for secondary schools. This places the school in the bottom half of schools nationally, ranking 59th out of 86 similar schools in the county. The school is oversubscribed, with 451 applications for 232 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, and 210 first-preference offers were made. This level of demand suggests that despite the headline metrics, the school holds a strong local reputation. The school’s attainment 8 score sits at 41.1, and its EBacc average point score is 3.48, with only 11.3% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects.
Academically, the school’s performance is mixed. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2018, it was rated Good overall, with Good for leadership and management, sixth-form provision, and overall effectiveness. An ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good. At KS4, the basics measure (grade 5 or above in English and maths) stands at 39%, while 59.3% achieved a grade 4 or above. Progress in maths (-0.18) is closer to the national average than progress in English (-0.59), which is a weaker point. The sixth form is small, with just 15 pupils in the data, and achieves a value-added score of -0.42, with an average points per entry of 24, equivalent to a D+ grade. The sixth form is rated Good by Ofsted.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including playing fields, an astro turf, tennis courts, art studios, music rooms, an ICT suite, a chapel, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include football, rugby, netball, tennis, badminton, cricket, hockey, and swimming. There is a wide array of extracurricular clubs, such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, debate, chess, gardening, film club, science club, Young Enterprise, and Model UN. The school has a comprehensive SEND provision, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 28.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. It will suit families who value a large, inclusive secondary with a strong sixth form and a wide choice of activities, but who are realistic about academic outcomes that sit below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Conrad Road, Witham, Braintree, CM8 2SD |
| Headteacher | Karen Jones |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,204 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 28.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,204 / 1,100 (109% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 Nov 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (9 Nov 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 20 Jun 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.43)
2493rd of 3,141
Nationally
291st of 350
In East of England
7th of 8
In Braintree
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
'21/22
30.0
'22/23
28.5
'23/24
24.0
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
2022/2322%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 163 pupils).
- FE college37%
- School sixth form (stay)22%
- Sixth form college17%
- Employment9%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship3%
88% 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
2022/2331%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 16 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
0%
Russell Group
0%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- Employment44%
- University (HE)31%
- Not sustained19%
- Further education6%
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- Economics8
- Geography7
- English Literature4
- History4
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
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed232
451
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
210 families put this school as their 1st choice (47% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British87.4%
- Mixed4.0%
- White (other)3.6%
- Asian1.8%
- Black0.2%
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.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
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 Lift New Rickstones
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
Conrad Road, Witham
Braintree, CM8 2SD
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