Orsett Heath Academy

Orsett Heath Academy, which opened in September 2020, is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in key areas including the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development. The school has faced significant challenges, including delays in building its permanent facility, and has effectively adapted by utilizing temporary accommodations. The leadership team, including the executive headteacher and head of school, has shown exceptional resilience and commitment, fostering a positive atmosphere and strong bonds among pupils. The emphasis on character development and high expectations has resonated with students, leading to a culture of pride and achievement.

Strengths

• Strong leadership with a clear vision for the school's development
• Pupils demonstrate a positive attitude and resilience
• Well-established reading culture with effective phonics teaching
• Ambitious curriculum that helps students understand the wider world
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Pupils feel safe and valued within a supportive environment

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 Orsett Heath Academy attended 92.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 20.2% 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, 8.0% of pupils at Orsett Heath Academy 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 Orsett Heath Academy had 18.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.4% 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, 17.0% of pupils at Orsett Heath Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.3% 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 Orsett Heath Academy received £8,305 and spent £7,915 for each of its 566 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £629,000 (£1,110 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of South West Essex Community Education Trust Limited, income was £8,131 and spending £7,874 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 Grays · Thurrock local authority: places and applications

Orsett Heath Academy is part of South West Essex Community Education Trust Limited, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Deneholm Primary School Grays
• William Edwards School Grays
• Stifford Clays Primary School Grays
• Chadwell St Mary Primary School Grays
• Marshalls Park Academy Romford

What is Orsett Heath Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Orsett Heath Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Orsett Heath Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Orsett Heath Academy was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Orsett Heath Academy have?

Orsett Heath Academy has 699 pupils on roll.

What age range does Orsett Heath Academy cover?

Orsett Heath Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Orsett Heath Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 42.0, and 41% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Orsett Heath Academy?

Orsett Heath Academy is at Stanford Road, Grays, RM16 4DG.