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Academy sponsor led · Essex

The Basildon Lower Academy

  • 11–14Ages
  • 892Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 135895URN

Timberlog Close, Timberlog Lane, Basildon, SS14 1UX · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Requires significant improvement

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
0.9per place
1.9 below Essex median (2.8)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

200 applications for 213 places · 76th of 78 in Essex
Every year since 2014

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Requires significant improvement

Report card · inspected 27 January 2026Published 8 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourUrgent improvement
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
  • 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

  1. 27 January 2026
    Report card · 4 Expected standard, 1 Needs attention, 1 Urgent improvement
  2. 29 March 2023
    Graded inspection: Requires improvement
  3. 24 October 2019
    Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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
0.9applications per place, Year 7
1.9 below Essex median (2.8) 1.3 below England median (2.2)

200 applications · 213 places offered · 86 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

  1. 2026 0.9; Essex median median 2.8
  2. 2025 0.9; Essex median median 2.7
  3. 2024 0.8; Essex median median 2.8
  4. 2023 0.8; Essex median median 2.7
  5. 2022 1.2; Essex median median 2.7
  6. 2021 0.9; Essex median median 2.6
  7. 2020 1.1; Essex median median 2.8
  8. 2019 0.7; Essex median median 2.7
  9. 2018 1.0; Essex median median 2.6
  10. 2017 1.0; Essex median median 2.7
  11. 2016 1.7; Essex median median 2.6
  12. 2015 1.8; Essex median median 2.5
  13. 2014 1.8; 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262132000.9860.40
Sep 20252522210.91080.43
Sep 20242902240.8950.33
Sep 20233182370.81040.33
Sep 20222282691.21300.57
Sep 20212872520.91030.36
Sep 20202132281.1810.38
Sep 20192751860.7800.29
Sep 20181781721.0700.39
Sep 20172162241.01050.49
Sep 2016981631.7650.66
Sep 20151132031.8920.81
Sep 20141412501.81210.86

Schools nearby

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

  • 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
135895 · 881/6908
Trust
The Basildon Academies
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,350 pupils · 892 on roll
Free school meals
52.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 September 2009
Address
Timberlog Close, Timberlog Lane, Basildon, SS14 1UX
Local authority
Essex · Basildon

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources