The Ursuline Academy Ilford

About The Ursuline Academy Ilford

The Ursuline Academy Ilford is a girls’ secondary school in Redbridge that is currently operating very close to its capacity of 760 pupils, with 748 on roll. The school’s intake reflects a notably diverse socioeconomic profile: 24.3 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is significantly above the national average for secondary schools and suggests the school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage. Demand for places is strong — for entry in 2025/26, the school received 321 applications for just 118 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.72. Of those applicants, 84 put the school as their first preference, and 69 of those first-preference families were offered a place. This level of competition indicates a school that is well-regarded locally and that parents are actively choosing, despite the high proportion of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Academically, the school performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.75 is categorised as ‘well above average’ nationally, and comfortably exceeds the Redbridge local authority average of 0.59. This means pupils at The Ursuline Academy Ilford make significantly more progress than similar students across the country. Attainment 8 sits at 61.4, and 87.6 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school’s EBacc average point score of 5.41 is solid, though only 33.9 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2012, the school was rated Good overall, with Good for leadership and management and Good for sixth-form provision. An ungraded inspection in 2021 confirmed the school remains Good. The school ranks 6th out of 16 secondary schools in Redbridge by Progress 8, and 227th nationally out of 3,141 schools.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, theatre, sports hall, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Its SEND provisions cover seven areas, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and specific learning difficulties like dyslexia. The school has a strong co-curricular offer with clubs ranging from Eco Club and Model UN to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Young Enterprise. Sports include rowing, martial arts, and athletics. The sixth form is officially part of the school, with 63 students in the most recent A-level cohort achieving an average of 30.64 points per entry, graded at a C. This is a school that suits families looking for a Catholic girls’ environment with strong academic progress, a diverse intake, and a wide range of enrichment opportunities — particularly those who value a school that is both academically ambitious and inclusive of pupils from a range of backgrounds.

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