City Heights E-ACT Academy

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 18 · Mixed · Sixth form

Part of E-ACT

33 Abbots Park, Tulse Hill, London, SW2 3PW

020 3691 4600 · School website · Map and directions

Ofsted report card4 expected, 2 needs attentionSafeguarding met · 9 December 2025
Grade 5 or above in English and maths25%England 45% · 2024/25
15th highest of 15 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Higher than 8% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils460Room for 1,100 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 763 in 2019, 650 in 2021, 593 in 2022, 581 in 2023, 549 in 2024, 473 in 2025, 460 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place0.215 for 71 places, September 2026
16th highest of 16 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Higher than 0% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 9 December 2025 , published 1 February 2026.

In short: 4 expected, 2 needs attention, and safeguarding met.

Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.

AreaGrade
SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. Met
InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

60 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school
Higher than 54% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
80% 83%
My child feels safe at this school
Higher than 51% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
83% 85%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
Higher than 79% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
88% 78%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 56 parents who had raised a concern
Higher than 71% of 431 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
79% 74%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 17 parents of children with SEND
Higher than 62% of 356 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
65% 63%
I would recommend this school to another parent
Higher than 41% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England.
78%said yes 83%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 13%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

110 pupils in this year group.

25% — 17 points below the Lambeth average, and 21 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolLambethEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 25% 41% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 40.6 45.4 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 3.6 4.1 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 24%This school 2023/24: 27%This school 2024/25: 25% This school England 45% 2022/23 24% 2023/24 27% 2024/25 25%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

164 pupils in this year group.

79% — 12 points below the Lambeth average, and 13 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolLambethEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 79% 91% 92%
School sixth form 23% 51% 34%
Sixth form college 19% 9% 13%
Further education college 34% 27% 37%
Apprenticeship 1% – 3%
Work 1% 1% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
86%79%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Lambeth. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were fewer first-choice applications than places.

Places offered71
Families who put it first15
Of those, offered a place15 (100%)
Families who listed it at all111

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.2 · 2025: 0.2 · 2026: 0.2

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in Lambeth

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolLambethEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
5th highest of 19 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Higher than 97% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
60.9% 43.9%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
3rd highest of 19 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Higher than 90% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
5.7% 4.2%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
2nd highest of 19 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Higher than 95% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
24.1% 13.7%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
2nd highest of 19 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Higher than 95% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
59.0% 42.0%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
11th lowest of 16 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Lower than 47% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
8.5% 7.2%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
13th lowest of 16 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Lower than 26% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
28.2% 20.7%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
12th lowest of 19 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Lower than 59% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
11.4 10.0 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
12th lowest of 19 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Lower than 37% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
8.5% 5.9% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.07% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
Joint 11th highest of 18 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Higher than 6% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
13.9 14.5 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
16th highest of 18 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Higher than 4% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
8.9 10.2 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
13th highest of 18 state secondary schools in Lambeth.
Higher than 72% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
17.6% 19.6%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby secondary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is City Heights E-ACT Academy's Ofsted rating?

City Heights E-ACT Academy was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 9 December 2025. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 4 expected, 2 needs attention, and safeguarding was met.

How did City Heights E-ACT Academy do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 25% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 21 points below the England average of 45%.

Would parents recommend City Heights E-ACT Academy?

78% of the 60 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend City Heights E-ACT Academy to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is City Heights E-ACT Academy oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 15 families put City Heights E-ACT Academy as their first choice for 71 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 15 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.