Read Academy Education

Read Academy Education is performing well overall. Inspectors found attendance and behaviour to be strong: attendance is high across phases and year groups, persistent absence is very low, pupils behave excellently, lessons proceed without disruption, and there is a clear culture in which discrimination and bullying are unacceptable. Personal development and wellbeing are also strong, with a tailored curriculum, good preparation for modern Britain, extensive extracurricular and leadership opportunities, and pupils who feel safe and respected. Safeguarding standards are met, and all independent school standards are met. Across achievement, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, and leadership and governance, the school meets the expected standard. Pupils achieve well at the end of Year 6 and in GCSEs, most Year 11 pupils gain standard passes in English, mathematics and science, and all pupils progress into further education or training, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders know the school well, have improved teaching since the last inspection, support staff wellbeing and workload, and have strengthened governance. The school is an independent school with a Muslim religious ethos, 287 pupils on roll and 21 pupils with SEN support or EHC plans. The concerns are limited but specific. Teaching is sometimes variable, which can lead to less strong pupil work and GCSE results and to pupils being less able to draw connections within and between subjects. Teachers do not always check understanding routinely, and learning or resources are not always revisited or adapted to support recall. In the early years, staff interactions sometimes miss opportunities to extend children's thinking, and support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is not consistently effective across all subjects and phases. Leaders have suitable improvement plans, but some have only recently begun.

Strengths

• High and sustained attendance across phases and year groups, with very low persistent absence.
• Excellent pupil behaviour across phases, including in early years and at lesson transitions, with lessons free from disruption.
• A strong culture where discrimination and bullying are unacceptable and pupils trust staff to deal with issues.
• A wide-ranging personal development curriculum tailored to pupils, including safety, wellbeing, relationships and online resilience.
• Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain, including checking online sources, understanding AI risks and learning about other religions.
• Many extracurricular, charitable, leadership and residential opportunities develop pupils' character and resilience.
• High-quality, unbiased careers advice and successful work experience by the end of Year 11.
• Pupils achieve well at the end of Year 6 and in GCSEs, with all Year 6 pupils reaching expected standards in reading and mathematics in 2025.
• All pupils, including those with SEND and other barriers, progress into further education and training.
• Leaders accurately understand curriculum and teaching quality, continually refine provision and use research-based staff development.
• Inclusion is well led: needs are identified accurately, targets are clear and pupils are supported to access the ambitious curriculum.
• Governance has strengthened, with the proprietor and governing body holding leaders to account more effectively.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive, and staff feel supported with wellbeing and workload considered.

Areas for Improvement

• Teaching quality is variable in some areas, leading to less strong pupil work and GCSE results.
• Pupils are less able to draw connections within and between subjects where teaching is weaker.
• Teachers do not always routinely check that pupils know and understand what is taught.
• Teaching and resources are not consistently revisited or adapted to support pupils' understanding and recall.
• Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is not consistently effective across all subjects and phases.
• Early years staff interactions sometimes do not extend children's thinking or maximise deeper learning through dialogue.
• Some improvement plans have only recently begun, so their impact is not yet fully embedded.

In 2025–26, 5.4% of pupils at Read Academy Education were on SEN support (nationally 18.4%) and 1.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 7.9%).

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 independent school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

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• Secondary Schools

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What is Read Academy Education's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Read Academy Education is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Read Academy Education last inspected by Ofsted?

Read Academy Education was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Read Academy Education have?

Read Academy Education has 280 pupils on roll.

What age range does Read Academy Education cover?

Read Academy Education for pupils aged 3 to 16.

What are Read Academy Education's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.6, and 59% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Read Academy Education?

Read Academy Education is at 34-38 Mansfield Road, Ilford, Essex, Ilford, Essex, IG1 3BD.