School profile

The Sandon School

Secondary · Academy converter · Chelmsford, CM2 7AQ

Requires improvement

Map showing The Sandon School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,739 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#1,745 of 2,536

Worse than 68% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Sandon School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 19 Mar 2024

Ofsted rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Sixth form provision
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,218
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherHeadteacher Jonathan Pead
TrustTHE SANDON SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityEssex
Opened01 Aug 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137240.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolEssexEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.45.5, similar to England, similar to Essex45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.67.6%, similar to England, better than Essex63.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.37.7%, worse than England, worse than Essex44.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.5.9%, worse than England, worse than Essex12.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths64.2%, better than England, better than Essex58.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4204--

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

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolEssexEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.30.54, worse than England, worse than Essex34.6835
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels31.09, worse than England, worse than Essex35.8235.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC--
AAB or better11.5%, worse than England, worse than Essex17.6%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.03, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study97--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist---

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,218
Girls603
Boys615
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.14.4%
First language not English5.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,367
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.10.9%
Sixth form places2024/25287
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.92
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.33
Average class size21.8

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
85.5%
Other White
4.4%
African
2.1%
Indian
1.3%
White and Black Caribbean
1.1%
Other mixed
1%
White and Asian
0.9%
Other ethnic group
0.9%
Other Asian
0.7%
Other Black
0.6%

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 teacher16.9
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.7
Teachers (FTE)72.14
Teaching assistants (FTE)9.77
Support staff (FTE)50.55
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2572.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2562.7
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/256.4

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.213
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.708
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.164
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.164
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

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 schoolEssexEngland
Overall absence8.4%, similar to England, similar to Essex8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.21.8%, similar to England, similar to Essex21.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.5%, similar to England, better than Essex4%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 rate5.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions2.8%
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.93.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.86.9%
Further education46.6%
School sixth form34.8%
Sixth form college5.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5%
Employment3.6%
Apprenticeship3.2%

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

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.84.3%
Higher education48%
Employment28.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.8.8%
Apprenticeship7.8%
Further education0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 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 Sandon School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryBaddow Hall Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryBaddow Hall Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryLarkrise Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.1 miNurseryWoodcroft Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryMeadgate Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.3 miSecondaryGreat Baddow High SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.5 miPrimaryChancellor Park Primary School, ChelmsfordCommunity school
Outstanding
1.5 miPrimaryBeehive Lane Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.6 miPrimaryBarnes Farm Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Sandon School

What is The Sandon School's Ofsted rating?

The Sandon School is rated Requires improvement by Ofsted, last inspected on 19 Mar 2024.

How does The Sandon School rank in England?

The Sandon School ranks 1,739 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 1,745 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 68% of schools).

What are The Sandon School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 37.7% of pupils at The Sandon School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 45.5 (England 46.2).

What are The Sandon School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Sandon School was C, and 11.5% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The Sandon School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Sandon School made 213 offers from 708 applications (3.3 per offer), and 164 of 164 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Sandon School?

The Sandon School has 1,218 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Sandon School?

The Sandon School had 1,367 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Sandon School have a sixth form?

Yes, The Sandon School has a sixth form with 287 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Sandon School?

At The Sandon School, the average class had 21.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.9 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Sandon School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Sandon School missed 8.4% of sessions (England 8%), and 21.8% 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.