The Basildon Upper Academy

The Basildon Upper Academy is rated as a good school overall, showing notable strengths in its quality of education and personal development. The school is part of the Basildon Academies Trust and has seen improvements in its educational delivery following a previous inspection that rated it as requiring improvement. The curriculum is well-structured, allowing for pupils to catch up on missed learning, and inclusive, catering to pupils' diverse needs. However, concerns are noted regarding student behaviour and attendance, with some pupils disrupting learning due to inconsistent application of the behaviour policy.

Strengths

• Strong, positive relationships between staff and pupils
• Well-planned curriculum that builds knowledge sequentially
• Effective support for pupils with SEND, particularly those with SEMH needs
• Wide range of vocational courses offered
• High-quality support improving reading skills for struggling pupils
• Students in the sixth form enjoy studying and receive effective teaching

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not have high enough expectations for key stage 4 pupils
• Inconsistencies in managing pupil behaviour leading to disruptions
• Limited opportunities for enrichment activities in the sixth form curriculum

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Basildon Upper Academy attended 79.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 49.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 10.2% of pupils at The Basildon Upper Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Basildon Upper Academy had 13.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 45.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 14.9% of pupils at The Basildon Upper Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Basildon Upper Academy received £9,094 and spent £6,451 for each of its 916 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,507,000 (£1,645 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of The Basildon Academies, income was £9,155 and spending £8,430 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Basildon · Essex local authority: places and applications

The Basildon Upper Academy is part of The Basildon Academies, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• The Basildon Lower Academy Basildon

What is The Basildon Upper Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Basildon Upper Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was The Basildon Upper Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Basildon Upper Academy was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does The Basildon Upper Academy have?

The Basildon Upper Academy has 847 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Basildon Upper Academy cover?

The Basildon Upper Academy for pupils aged 14 to 19.

Where is The Basildon Upper Academy?

The Basildon Upper Academy is at Wickford Avenue, Pitsea, Basildon, Essex, SS13 3HL.