School profile

The Gateway Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Grays, RM16 4LU

Good

Map showing The Gateway Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#987 of 3,312

Better than 70% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

The Gateway Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 27 Mar 2019

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils1,030
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherGrainne McLaughlin
TrustGATEWAY LEARNING COMMUNITY
Local authorityThurrock
Opened01 Sept 2006
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 133114.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolThurrockEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.50, better than England, better than Thurrock45.946.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.72.4%, better than England, better than Thurrock65.4%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.55.7%, better than England, better than Thurrock46%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.19.8%, better than England, better than Thurrock12.8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths67.2%, better than England, better than Thurrock60.3%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4192--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,030
Girls522
Boys508
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.41.7%
First language not English21.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,390
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.25.9%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.173
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.33
Average class size21.1

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
34.9%
Other White
21.7%
African
16.3%
Bangladeshi
4.8%
Other mixed
2.7%
Pakistani
2.7%
Other Asian
1.8%
White and Black Caribbean
1.6%
White and Black African
1.6%
Caribbean
1.4%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher13.9
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.9.6
Teachers (FTE)74.2
Teaching assistants (FTE)6.34
Support staff (FTE)69.69
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2576.4
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2566.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252.8
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/256.8

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.208
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.433
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.234
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.196
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)2

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolThurrockEngland
Overall absence6.9%, better than England, similar to Thurrock6.7%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.22.3%, similar to England, worse than Thurrock18.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.7%, better than England, better than Thurrock2.9%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate11.4%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.88.8%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.82.4%
Further education67.4%
School sixth form15%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.8.2%
Apprenticeship3.4%
Employment3%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Gateway Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.0 miPrimaryThe Gateway Primary Free SchoolFree schools
Good
0.4 miPrimaryChadwell St Mary Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.7 miPrimaryTilbury Pioneer AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.8 miPrimaryHerringham Primary AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryWoodside AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miPrimaryLansdowne Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Outstanding
1.0 miPrimarySt Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.2 miPrimaryThameside Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.2 miPrimaryLittle Thurrock Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.3 miSecondaryOrsett Heath AcademyFree schools
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Gateway Academy

What is The Gateway Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Gateway Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 27 Mar 2019.

How does The Gateway Academy rank in England?

The Gateway Academy ranks 987 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 70% of schools).

What are The Gateway Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 55.7% of pupils at The Gateway Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 50 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Gateway Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Gateway Academy made 208 offers from 433 applications (2.1 per offer), and 196 of 234 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Gateway Academy?

The Gateway Academy has 1,030 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Gateway Academy?

The Gateway Academy had 1,390 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Gateway Academy have a sixth form?

No, The Gateway Academy teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at The Gateway Academy?

At The Gateway Academy, the average class had 21.1 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 13.9 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Gateway Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Gateway Academy missed 6.9% of sessions (England 8%), and 22.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.