Classpot

Waterside Academy

Hackney, E8 4DLSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
May 2026
Progress 8
+1.04
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
0.7×
Not oversubscribed
32 1st-choice / 46 places
Ranking
🏆Top 5%
#70 of 3,141 nationally

About Waterside Academy

Waterside Academy is a mixed 11-16 state secondary in Hackney that currently serves 374 pupils against a capacity of 500, meaning it is running well below its physical limit. That spare capacity is not for want of demand: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 180 applications for just 46 places, an oversubscription ratio of 3.91, and made 32 offers to first-preference families. The school’s intake is notably disadvantaged — 60.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, more than double the national average for secondary schools (around 27%) and significantly above the Hackney average. This context matters because the school’s academic performance, which we’ll look at next, is all the more striking given the level of disadvantage it serves. The headteacher is Shuabur Rahman, and the school has been rated Good by Ofsted since its most recent graded inspection in 2022, a sharp improvement from the Inadequate rating it received in its previous inspection in 2019.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Address317-319 Kingsland Road, London, Hackney, E8 4DL
HeadteacherShuabur Rahman
Local AuthorityHackney
Number of Pupils374
Free School Meals (FSM)60.4%
School Capacity374 / 500 (75% 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

9 Feb 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 24 Mar 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
ICT SuiteArt StudiosSwimming PoolSixth Form CentreGymnasiumScience LabsMusic RoomsPlaying FieldsLibraryTheatre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

AthleticsBasketballCross CountryDanceBadmintonMartial ArtsRugbyRoundersGymnastics

Clubs & Activities

Duke of EdinburghScience ClubYoung EnterpriseDebateArt ClubFilm ClubChoirCoding

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:35 – 15:30

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Waterside Academy

Waterside Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.