Schools by area › Southend-on-Sea › Belfairs Academy
Belfairs Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Highlands Boulevard, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 3TG · belfairsacademy.org.uk · 01702 509000
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Apr 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 45.5
- average Attainment 8 score. Southend-on-Sea 52.2, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · Southend On Sea Council
- Demand for places
- 0.5
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,558
- 118 over 1,440 places · 108%
- Local authority
- Southend-on-Sea
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 24.1%
- First language not English
- 6.5%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Legra Academy Trust
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Southend On Sea Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 129 families put the school first and 272 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 | 272 | 129 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 291 | 156 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 267 | 184 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 289 | 231 | 0.8 | 97% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 322 | 266 | 0.8 | 98% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 45.5, and 44.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Southend-on-Sea it was 52.2, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade D+ (24.5 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●45.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ●44.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ●64.4% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲46.5% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.06 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 39.9 | −7 |
| Further education | 50.7 | +7.7 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.5 | +2.1 |
| Employment | 0.7 | −1.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 3.3 | +0.2 |
| Activity not captured | 2.9 | +0.7 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 79 students | D+ (24.5) | Below average -0.43 | |
| 79 students | D+ (24.6) | Below average -0.43 | |
| 36 students | Dist (34.7) | Above average +0.43 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 88 | C- (26.8) | -0.39 |
| 2022/23 | 96 | C- (25.8) | — |
| 2021/22 | 79 | C (31.4) | — |
| 2018/19 | 71 | C- (27.5) | +0.11 |
| 2017/18 | 78 | D+ (24.7) | -0.40 |
| 2016/17 | 105 | D+ (24.2) | -0.20 |
| 2015/16 | 96 | D+ (21.8) | -0.37 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 39.3 | −7.8 |
| Further education | 1.1 | 0 |
| Apprenticeship | 6.7 | −0.4 |
| Employment | 44.9 | +13.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.6 | −2.6 |
| Activity not captured | 2.2 | −2.5 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Belfairs Academy on 28 April 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Post-16 provision: Needs attention
- Leadership and governance: Needs attention
- Inspected
- 28 Apr 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Post-16 provision | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, May 2024
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
May 2024Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth form Good Safeguarding Effective May 2023Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
May 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Jun 2010Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement
What parents said
66% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (336 replies, to 7 April 2025).
- Recommend
- 66%
- Replies
- 336
- 21% · 7 Apr 2025
based on the 80% who raised concerns
based on the 43% who had a child bullied
based on 91 parents (27%) with SEND