Academy sponsor led · Essex

Lift Maltings

11–16Ages
787Pupils
SecondaryPhase
135653URN

Spinks Lane, Witham, CM8 1EP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Mar 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

1.2 below Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

204 applications for 128 places · 66th of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

40.6of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

60th of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 24 March 2026Published 14 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion			Needs attention
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years	Does not apply to this school
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

24 March 2026
Report card · 4 Expected standard, 2 Needs attention
19 September 2023
Graded inspection: Requires improvement

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.6applications per place, Year 7

1.2 below Essex median (2.8) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

204 applications · 128 places offered · 105 named it first

2026 1.6; Essex median median 2.8
2025 1.9; Essex median median 2.7
2024 1.9; Essex median median 2.8
2023 1.8; Essex median median 2.7
2022 2.0; Essex median median 2.7
2021 2.0; Essex median median 2.6
2020 1.8; Essex median median 2.8
2019 2.1; Essex median median 2.7
2018 2.4; Essex median median 2.6
2017 2.1; Essex median median 2.7
2016 2.6; Essex median median 2.6
2015 1.9; Essex median median 2.5
2014 1.7; Essex median median 2.6

More applications per place than the Essex median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Essex median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	128	204	1.6	105	0.82
Sep 2025	136	260	1.9	119	0.88
Sep 2024	163	307	1.9	133	0.82
Sep 2023	203	368	1.8	171	0.84
Sep 2022	177	358	2.0	172	0.97
Sep 2021	174	339	2.0	163	0.94
Sep 2020	180	330	1.8	173	0.96
Sep 2019	173	361	2.1	199	1.15
Sep 2018	176	430	2.4	233	1.32
Sep 2017	179	379	2.1	203	1.13
Sep 2016	169	437	2.6	234	1.38
Sep 2015	174	323	1.9	172	0.99
Sep 2014	173	301	1.7	178	1.03

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

162 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)40.660th of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths38%51st of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths59%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.64

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	162	40.6	38%	59%	–
2024/25	166	39.9	42%	64%	–
2023/24	171	39.0	37%	59%	−0.64
2022/23	170	43.3	39%	67%	−0.36

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Lift MaltingsThis school
This school

2026

1.6applications per place 40.6Attainment 8
Lift New Rickstones
2.4 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

1.9applications per place 42.5Attainment 8
Plume School
8.1 km · Essex

Good2023

2.0applications per place 42.2Attainment 8
Thurstable School
8.3 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 46.5Attainment 8
Alec Hunter Academy
9.3 km · Essex

Remains Good2022

2.4applications per place 47.1Attainment 8
Notley High School and Sixth Form
9.6 km · Essex

2026

1.8applications per place 46.1Attainment 8
Honywood School
9.8 km · Essex

Good2022

3.2applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
The Beaulieu Park School
10.2 km · Essex

Outstanding2023

9.2applications per place 59.3Attainment 8
The Boswells School
11.2 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.6applications per place 49.1Attainment 8

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 135653 · 881/6907
Trust: Lift Schools
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,100 pupils · 787 on roll
Free school meals: 22.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2008
Replaced: The John Bramston School and Sixth Form College (URN 115367)
Address: Spinks Lane, Witham, CM8 1EP
Local authority: Essex · Braintree

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources