Academy sponsor led · Essex

Lift Clacton

11–19Ages
1,466Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
135957URN

Pathfields Road, Clacton on Sea, CO15 3JL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.4per place

1.4 below Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

293 applications for 209 places · 71st of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

29.6of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

78th of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 11 June 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Sixth form provision		Good

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

1.4applications per place, Year 7

1.4 below Essex median (2.8) 0.8 below England median (2.2)

293 applications · 209 places offered · 176 named it first

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

2026 1.4; Essex median median 2.8
2025 1.4; Essex median median 2.7
2024 1.3; Essex median median 2.8
2023 1.2; Essex median median 2.7
2022 1.4; Essex median median 2.7
2021 1.3; Essex median median 2.6
2020 1.1; Essex median median 2.8
2019 1.2; Essex median median 2.7
2018 1.3; Essex median median 2.6
2017 1.9; Essex median median 2.7
2016 1.8; Essex median median 2.6
2015 1.8; Essex median median 2.5
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.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	209	293	1.4	176	0.84
Sep 2025	212	306	1.4	195	0.92
Sep 2024	218	286	1.3	170	0.78
Sep 2023	269	318	1.2	188	0.70
Sep 2022	236	327	1.4	189	0.80
Sep 2021	203	254	1.3	161	0.79
Sep 2020	209	228	1.1	136	0.65
Sep 2019	223	256	1.2	148	0.66
Sep 2018	217	285	1.3	159	0.73
Sep 2017	159	297	1.9	159	1.00
Sep 2016	167	292	1.8	164	0.98
Sep 2015	144	252	1.8	142	0.99
Sep 2014	166	290	1.8	162	0.98

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

262 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)29.678th of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths15%76th of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths33%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.83

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	262	29.6	15%	33%	–
2024/25	247	30.0	15%	37%	–
2023/24	263	30.3	21%	38%	−0.83
2022/23	242	30.3	17%	37%	−0.91

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 ClactonThis school
This school

Good2024

1.4applications per place 29.6Attainment 8
Clacton County High School
1.4 km · Essex

Standards maintained2024

1.6applications per place 37.5Attainment 8
Colne Community School
8.6 km · Essex

Good2023

1.3applications per place 42.3Attainment 8
Lift Tendring
9.0 km · Essex

Good2024

1.5applications per place 40.6Attainment 8
Harwich and Dovercourt High School
16.7 km · Essex

Requires significant improvement 2026

1.1applications per place 34.1Attainment 8
Manningtree High School
16.9 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.4applications per place 49.2Attainment 8
Colchester Academy
17.5 km · Essex

Good2023

1.5applications per place 35.3Attainment 8
The Thomas Lord Audley School
18.2 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.7applications per place 41.2Attainment 8
Colchester Royal Grammar School
20.1 km · Essex

Serious weaknesses 2026

6.3applications per place 80.9Attainment 8 Selective

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: 135957 · 881/6910
Trust: Lift Schools
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,550 pupils · 1,466 on roll
Free school meals: 57.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2009
Address: Pathfields Road, Clacton on Sea, CO15 3JL
Local authority: Essex · Tendring

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