The Ravensbourne School
115%
Capacity
1,531
Pupils
4.5x
Demand
About The Ravensbourne School
The Ravensbourne School sits in the Bromley local authority, a large mixed secondary that ranks 10th out of 19 similar schools in the borough on Progress 8. That puts it in the middle of the pack locally, with the top three peers — St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School, Newstead Wood School, and Harris Girls Academy Bromley — all posting significantly higher scores. Bromley itself is a strong education area, with six schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted, though the nearest one, Bromley High School GDST, is a private girls' school about a mile and a half away. Ravensbourne is a state-funded non-selective school with no religious character, and it's noticeably oversubscribed: for 240 places in 2025/26, it received 1,079 applications, with 148 first-preference applications and 126 offers made to first-preference families. That level of demand suggests it holds a solid reputation among local parents, even if its ranking doesn't place it among the elite.
Academically, Ravensbourne's most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2024 rated it Good across the board — overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision all scored 2. That's consistent with its previous Good rating from 2014. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score of 0.11 is just below the Bromley local authority average of 0.13, but still positive, meaning pupils on average achieve slightly more than expected. The Attainment 8 score is 48.4, and 74% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though that drops to 51% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.17, with 37.7% of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At A-level, the school's value-added score is -0.03, classed as Average, with students averaging a C grade per entry and a best three A-levels grade of C+. The sixth form has 89 pupils in the data.
The school is well equipped for a comprehensive of its size, with 1,531 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,330 — so it's operating above capacity. Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, theatre, science labs, music rooms, and a sixth-form centre. Sports offered range from rowing and hockey to dance and badminton, and clubs include Eco Club, Model UN, Young Enterprise, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school's SEND provision covers a wide range of needs, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. With 29.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a more disadvantaged intake than many Bromley schools. This is a large, popular comprehensive that suits families looking for a broad curriculum, strong extracurricular offer, and a sixth form, in a competitive local area where grammar and selective schools dominate the top rankings.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Hayes Lane, Bromley, Bromley, BR2 9EH |
| Headteacher | M Ridley |
| Local Authority | Bromley |
| Number of Pupils | 1,531 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 29.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,531 / 1,330 (115% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 Jan 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 4 Mar 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.11)
1288th of 3,141
Nationally
324th of 487
In London
10th of 19
In Bromley
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
36.8
'22/23
35.9
'23/24
31.3
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
2022/2366%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 206 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)66%
- FE college15%
- Not sustained7%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Sixth form college2%
91% 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
2022/2347%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 203 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
4%
Russell Group
5%
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.
- University (HE)47%
- Employment28%
- Not sustained12%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Further education2%
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- Psychology23
- Business Studies:Single18
- English Literature16
- Mathematics14
- Biology13
- Sociology12
- Art and Design (Fine Art)9
- Geography8
- History8
- Art and Design (Graphics)6
- Computer Studies / Computing6
- Art and Design (Textiles)5
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
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed240
1,079
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
148 families put this school as their 1st choice (14% 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 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.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British39.6%
- Mixed13.4%
- White (other)12.4%
- Asian7.0%
- Black5.8%
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.
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.
13
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
10
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Ravensbourne School
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
Hayes Lane, Bromley
Bromley, BR2 9EH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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