Royal Docks Academy

Royal Docks Academy demonstrates a strong standard of education, particularly excelling in supporting disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Pupils generally achieve well across various subjects, with notable successes in English and humanities. Attendance has significantly improved due to effective leadership and a supportive environment, contributing positively to the overall safety and wellbeing of the students. While the leadership transition has been managed smoothly, there are areas requiring attention, especially regarding curriculum delivery and teaching consistency.

Strengths

• Strong support for disadvantaged pupils and SEND students.
• High-quality work produced by pupils in most subjects.
• Significant improvements in attendance and reduction of persistent absence.
• Inclusive school culture welcoming diverse learners.
• Effective use of funding to support weaker readers.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in checking pupils' understanding during lessons.
• Some pupils disengage or are not adequately challenged.
• Lack of clarity in the personal development program’s goals.
• Staff need better access to up-to-date information to inform teaching.

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 Royal Docks Academy attended 90.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 28.1% 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, 15.7% of pupils at Royal Docks Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 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 Royal Docks Academy had 13.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.4% 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, 10.6% of pupils at Royal Docks Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 9.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 36 pupils.

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 Royal Docks Academy received £12,719 and spent £11,841 for each of its 905 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £475,000 (£525 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Bmat Education, income was £8,609 and spending £8,507 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 Newham · Newham local authority: places and applications

Royal Docks Academy is part of Bmat Education, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Epping St John's Church of England School Epping
• Sir Frederick Gibberd College Harlow
• Roydon Primary Academy Harlow
• Bmat Stem Academy Harlow
• Little Parndon Primary Academy Harlow
• Freshwaters Primary Academy Harlow
• Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and Nursery Harlow
• Burnt Mill Academy Harlow
• Mark Hall Academy Harlow
• Forest Hall School Stansted Mountfitchet

What is Royal Docks Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Royal Docks Academy is Needs attention, from an inspection in April 2026.

When was Royal Docks Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Royal Docks Academy was last inspected in April 2026.

How many pupils does Royal Docks Academy have?

Royal Docks Academy has 849 pupils on roll.

What age range does Royal Docks Academy cover?

Royal Docks Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Royal Docks Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 40.0, and 36% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Royal Docks Academy?

Royal Docks Academy is at Prince Regent Lane, Custom House, London, E16 3HS.