The King John School

The King John School is a highly inclusive and happy school that performs strongly across almost all areas. Pupils attend very well, behave respectfully and benefit from an ambitious, well-taught curriculum. Staff know pupils well and provide effective support, including for pupils with SEND, and the school's personal development, careers guidance and sixth-form provision are particular strengths. Leadership is committed, staff are well supported and retention is high, and safeguarding standards are met. Sixth-form students thrive and make strong progress, while pupils generally achieve well from their starting points. The main area for further development is achievement in key stage 4, where published outcomes are broadly in line with national averages rather than matching the school's stronger provision elsewhere. Leaders also recognise that some pupils find it harder to communicate their ideas in writing, and they are working to improve the teaching of writing across the curriculum. Contextually, this is a much larger than average secondary school within the Zenith Multi-Academy Trust, and it was inspected through a full section 5 inspection. The school uses two unregistered alternative provisions, and its inclusive approach supports a wide range of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have SEND.

Strengths

• Pupils attend very well, with attendance for all groups above the national average.
• The Pride Centre successfully helps pupils improve attendance and feel part of the school community.
• Pupils have highly positive attitudes, behave respectfully and disruptions are rare.
• Staff have high expectations and relationships with pupils are positive and supportive.
• The curriculum is broad, relevant, ambitious and expertly planned.
• Teaching is consistently strong, with teachers using expert subject knowledge and checking learning rigorously.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported and the curriculum is precisely adapted for them.
• Reading is a high priority, with effective support for pupils who need help to improve.
• The school is highly inclusive and swiftly identifies and addresses barriers to learning.
• Leaders, trustees and governors are committed, knowledgeable and effective.
• Staff receive extensive professional development, and retention is very high.
• Personal development is excellent, with a vast range of clubs, trips and student leadership opportunities.
• Careers guidance is highly comprehensive and prepares pupils for ambitious next steps.
• Pastoral support has a significantly positive impact on pupils' wellbeing.
• Sixth-form students thrive, are excellent role models and achieve highly with effective teaching.

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement in key stage 4 is only broadly in line with national averages, rather than matching the school's stronger provision elsewhere.
• Some pupils find it harder to communicate their ideas on paper as expertly as their peers.
• The teaching of writing across the curriculum needs further development so pupils write consistently well and achieve highly.

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 King John School attended 94.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 14.1% 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, 3.8% of pupils at The King John School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were 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 King John School had 18.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.1% 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, 14.4% of pupils at The King John School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.8% 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 King John School received £7,052 and spent £7,096 for each of its 2,121 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £870,000 (£410 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Zenith Multi Academy Trust, income was £8,305 and spending £8,523 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 Benfleet · Essex local authority: places and applications

The King John School is part of Zenith Multi Academy Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Castle View School Canvey Island
• Castledon School Wickford
• Laindon Park Primary School & Nursery Basildon
• The James Hornsby School Basildon

What is The King John School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The King John School is Expected standard, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was The King John School last inspected by Ofsted?

The King John School was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does The King John School have?

The King John School has 2,098 pupils on roll.

What age range does The King John School cover?

The King John School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are The King John School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 51.6, and 55% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The King John School?

The King John School is at Shipwrights Drive, Thundersley, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 1RQ.