School profile

The Ongar Academy

Secondary · Free schools · Ongar, CM5 0AN

Good

Map showing The Ongar Academy

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,644 of 3,312

Worse than 79% of schools in England

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

The Ongar Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 16 May 2018

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeFree schools
Ages11 to 18
Pupils467
GenderMixed
Head teacherMr Jonathan Sands
TrustBRIDGE ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityEssex
Opened01 Sept 2015
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 141947.

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.40, worse than England, worse than Essex45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.44.7%, worse than England, worse than Essex63.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.30.9%, worse than England, worse than Essex44.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.5.3%, worse than England, worse than Essex12.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths42.6%, worse than England, worse than Essex58.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 494--

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 pupils467
Girls223
Boys244
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.27.4%
First language not English3.6%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.800
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.41.6%
Sixth form places2022/23200
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.52
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.19
Average class size21.2

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
86.3%
Other White
4.3%
White and Black Caribbean
2.8%
Other mixed
1.5%
African
1.3%
White and Black African
0.6%
Other Asian
0.6%
Other ethnic group
0.6%
White and Asian
0.4%
Chinese
0.4%

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 teacher13.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.9
Teachers (FTE)34.16
Teaching assistants (FTE)6.75
Support staff (FTE)22.62
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2534.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2530.6
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252

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.107
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.193
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.90
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.90
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)6

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 absence8.2%, similar to England, similar to Essex8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.20.5%, similar to England, similar to Essex21.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.7%, worse than England, worse 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 rate33.3%
Pupils with one or more suspensions15.9%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
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.91%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.83.8%
Further education53.2%
School sixth form27.9%
Apprenticeship5.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4.5%
Employment1.8%
Sixth form college0%

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

Destinations after A-levels

2022/23

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.84.8%
Higher education39.4%
Employment30.3%
Apprenticeship15.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.12.1%
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 Ongar Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.5 miPrimaryOngar Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryHigh Ongar Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miPrimaryChipping Ongar Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.7 miPrimaryDr Walker's CofE Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about The Ongar Academy

What is The Ongar Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Ongar Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 16 May 2018.

How does The Ongar Academy rank in England?

The Ongar Academy ranks 2,644 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 79% of schools).

What are The Ongar Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 30.9% of pupils at The Ongar Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 40 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Ongar Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Ongar Academy made 107 offers from 193 applications (1.8 per offer), and 90 of 90 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Ongar Academy?

The Ongar Academy has 467 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Ongar Academy?

The Ongar Academy had 800 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Ongar Academy have a sixth form?

Yes, The Ongar Academy has a sixth form with 200 places in 2022/23.

How big are classes at The Ongar Academy?

At The Ongar Academy, the average class had 21.2 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 13.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Ongar Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Ongar Academy missed 8.2% of sessions (England 8%), and 20.5% 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.