The Ongar Academy
64%
Capacity
511
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About The Ongar Academy
The Ongar Academy holds a Good rating from Ofsted, confirmed in its most recent ungraded inspection in November 2023, which found the school 'remains Good'. The most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of -0.57, which is well below the national average and also trails the Essex local authority average of -0.18. This score places the school in the bottom 50 nationally, ranking 2700th out of 3141 schools. Within Epping Forest, it sits 7th out of 7 schools, and across the wider East of England region it ranks 309th out of 350. The Attainment 8 score sits at 38.9, and just 32.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. These figures paint a picture of a school where pupils typically make less progress than their peers nationally, though the school's Good Ofsted rating suggests leadership is working to address this.
Breaking down the Progress 8 figures, the school's weakest area is the EBacc bucket at -0.73, followed by maths at -0.58 and English at -0.41. Only 3.6% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above, and 10.8% at grade 4 or above, with 46.8% entering the EBacc combination of subjects. The EBacc average point score is 3.32. The school has a sixth form, though no specific A-level data is available in this dataset. With 27.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage. The school's capacity is 800, but it currently has 511 pupils on roll, suggesting it is not yet full. Its most recent graded inspection was in May 2018, when it was also rated Good across leadership and management and overall effectiveness.
The Ongar Academy offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, science labs, art studios and a sixth form centre. Sports provision is broad, with football, rugby, gymnastics, cricket, hockey, tennis, athletics, badminton, swimming and netball all on offer. Clubs include Art Club, Chess, Choir, DofE, Book Club, Model UN and Debate. The school has a dedicated sixth form centre and is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 153 applications for 82 places and 66 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.87. SEND provisions cover a wide range of needs including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health, speech and language communication, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. This school may suit families who value a Good-rated school with strong facilities and a broad extracurricular offer, and who are comfortable with below-average academic progress scores.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Fyfield Road, Ongar, Epping Forest, CM5 0AN |
| Headteacher | Jonathan Sands |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 511 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.2% |
| School Capacity | 511 / 800 (64% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
1 Nov 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (1 Nov 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 25 Jun 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.57)
2700th of 3,141
Nationally
309th of 350
In East of England
7th of 7
In Epping Forest
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
2022/2345%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 107 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)45%
- FE college34%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Not sustained7%
- Employment5%
92% 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
2022/2364%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 33 pupils).
- University (HE)64%
- Employment24%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained6%
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- Psychology18
- Biology10
- Business Studies:Single10
- English Literature10
- Media/Film/Tv Studies8
- Chemistry7
- History6
- Mathematics6
- Computer Studies / Computing5
- Art and Design (Fine Art)4
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
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed82
153
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
66 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British86.9%
- Mixed5.5%
- White (other)3.7%
- Asian0.8%
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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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 The Ongar 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
Fyfield Road, Ongar
Epping Forest, CM5 0AN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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