Schools by area › Tower Hamlets › Bow School
Bow School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Community school
44 Twelvetrees Crescent, Bow, London E3 3QW · bow-school.org.uk · 020 7536 5525
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Sept 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 43.2
- average Attainment 8 score. Tower Hamlets 47.4, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · Tower Hamlets Council
- Demand for places
- 0.6
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,126
- 83% of 1,350 places
- Local authority
- Tower Hamlets
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 47.7%
- First language not English
- 66.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Tower Hamlets Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 72 families put the school first and 122 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 122 | 72 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 231 | 83 | 0.4 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 203 | 97 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 284 | 94 | 0.3 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 236 | 81 | 0.3 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 43.2, and 33.2% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Tower Hamlets it was 47.4, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade B (39.1 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼43.2 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼33.2% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼60.5% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼38.2% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.79 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 53.2 | −8.4 |
| Sixth form college | 3.4 | −3.3 |
| Further education | 34.8 | +13.4 |
| Other education | 0.4 | 0 |
| Apprenticeship | 0.4 | −1.4 |
| Employment | 0.4 | — |
| Not in a lasting destination | 3 | −2.4 |
| Activity not captured | 4.3 | +1.6 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 students | B (39.1) | Well above average +0.54 | |
| 42 students | B (39.1) | Well above average +0.54 | |
| 19 students | Dist+ (37) | Above average +0.59 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 65 | C (31.1) | -0.01 |
| 2022/23 | 21 | D+ (24.5) | — |
| 2021/22 | 28 | B (39.2) | — |
| 2018/19 | 16 | D+ (23.7) | -0.30 |
| 2017/18 | 34 | D+ (23.8) | -0.47 |
| 2016/17 | 35 | C- (26.3) | -0.47 |
| 2015/16 | 21 | C (28.4) | -0.22 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 73.3 | −2.8 |
| Further and other education | 2.9 | — |
| Further education | 2 | — |
| Other education | 1 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 2 | −2.3 |
| Employment | 4 | −4.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 13.9 | +3 |
| Activity not captured | 4 | — |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 13 September 2023, Ofsted’s outcome for Bow School was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 12 Sept 2023
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Mar 2018
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Mar 2018Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Mar 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good May 2011Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
57% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (23 replies, to 2 September 2024).
- Recommend
- 57%
- Replies
- 23
- 2 Sept 2024
based on the 74% who raised concerns
based on the 52% who had a child bullied