Plume School

Plume School demonstrates good overall effectiveness across various aspects of education, including the quality of education, behaviour, and leadership. The school's curriculum is well-designed and adapted for diverse student needs, promoting personal development and a positive school environment. Although recent key stage 4 outcomes highlighted underperformance due to high levels of persistent absence and some curriculum disruption, the supportive nature of the staff and broad extracurricular offerings provide a strong foundation for student growth. Additionally, the school effectively fosters a culture of respect and tolerance among its pupils, contributing to a welcoming and engaging learning atmosphere.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate pride in attending the school and appreciate staff support.
• The curriculum is broadly designed to prepare pupils well for adulthood.
• Strong focus on reading, with regular support for weaker readers.
• Well-developed personal development curriculum covering important life skills.
• Effective leadership that engages well with parents.
• Trustees provide robust support and challenge to school leaders.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent opportunities for pupils to revisit and practice important knowledge across subjects.
• Some pupils display less than optimal behaviour, particularly around the Mill Road campus.

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 Plume School attended 92.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.3% 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, 5.0% of pupils at Plume School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 Plume School had 15.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.9% 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, 20.3% of pupils at Plume School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.7% 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 Plume School received £7,373 and spent £7,220 for each of its 1,789 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,980,000 (£1,107 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

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What is Plume School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Plume School is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was Plume School last inspected by Ofsted?

Plume School was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does Plume School have?

Plume School has 1,789 pupils on roll.

What age range does Plume School cover?

Plume School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Plume School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 42.2, and 38% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Plume School?

Plume School is at Fambridge Road, Maldon, Essex, CM9 6AB.