Schools by area › Hackney › Waterside Academy
Waterside Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Free school
317-319 Kingsland Road, London E8 4DL · watersidecst.org · 020 3870 7500
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Jan 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 44.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Hackney 50.5, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · Hackney Council
- Demand for places
- 0.4
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 351
- 70% of 500 places
- Local authority
- Hackney
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 65.7%
- First language not English
- 41%
- 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: Hackney Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 18 families put the school first and 46 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 | 46 | 18 | 0.4 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 46 | 32 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 51 | 31 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 91 | 28 | 0.3 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 64 | 14 | 0.2 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 44.6, and 41% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Hackney it was 50.5, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●44.6 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼41.0% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼61.5% | 64.8% | ||
| ●38.5% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.10 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 139595)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 19.4 | −6.9 |
| Sixth form college | 12.9 | −23.9 |
| Further education | 48.4 | +20.8 |
| Other education | 2.2 | −0.4 |
| Employment | 2.2 | +0.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.5 | +3.6 |
| Activity not captured | 7.5 | +6.2 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Waterside Academy on 27 January 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard
- Achievement: Strong standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard
- Personal development and well-being: Strong standard
- Leadership and governance: Strong standard
- Inspected
- 27 Jan 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Strong standard |
| Achievement | Strong standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Strong standard |
| Leadership and governance | Strong standard |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Feb 2022
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 139595), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Feb 2022Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Nov 2019Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Met
Before September 2019
Jul 2019Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Safeguarding Not effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 139595)
Jun 2018Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 139595)
Jun 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 139595)
What parents said
79% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (19 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 79%
- Positive
- 74%
- Replies
- 19
- 5% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 89% who raised concerns
based on 4 parents (21%) whose child was bullied
based on 11 parents (58%) with SEND