Schools by area › Essex › Mark Hall Academy
Mark Hall Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
First Avenue, Harlow CM17 9LR · markhallacademy.org · 01279 866280
On the mapSearch near CM17 9LR
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 38.9
- average Attainment 8 score. Essex 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 867
- 80% of 1,080 places
- Local authority
- Essex
- Sixth form
- No
- Free school meals
- 27.7%
- First language not English
- 12.2%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Bmat Education
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 134 families put the school first and 155 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 | 155 | 134 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 195 | 146 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 193 | 134 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 129 | 114 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 118 | 82 | 0.7 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 38.9, and 29.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Essex it was 45.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼38.9 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼29.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼53.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼13.8% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.10 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 139271)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 14 | −0.4 |
| Further education | 68.8 | −1.5 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.9 | +1 |
| Employment | 5.7 | +1.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.1 | +0.6 |
| Activity not captured | 4.5 | −0.9 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Mark Hall Academy on 4 March 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 4 Mar 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Nov 2022
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 139271), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2022Requires improvement
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Mar 2020Inadequate
Quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Safeguarding Not effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 139271)
Before September 2019
May 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 139271)
What parents said
65% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (101 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 65%
- Replies
- 101
- 12% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 79% who raised concerns
based on the 37% who had a child bullied
based on 28 parents (28%) with SEND