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Academy converter · Essex

The King John School

  • 11–18Ages
  • 2,098Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 136577URN

Shipwrights Drive, Thundersley, Benfleet, SS7 1RQ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

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
3.2per place
0.3 above Essex median (2.8)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

1,097 applications for 346 places · 30th of 78 in Essex
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
51.6of 90
13th of 79 in Essex
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 20 January 2026Published 28 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceStrong 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

  1. 20 January 2026
    Report card · 6 Strong standard, 1 Expected standard
  2. 7 July 2021
    Graded inspection: 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
3.2applications per place, Year 7
0.3 above Essex median (2.8) 0.9 above England median (2.2)

1,097 applications · 346 places offered · 481 named it first

  1. 2026 3.2; Essex median median 2.8
  2. 2025 3.0; Essex median median 2.7
  3. 2024 2.8; Essex median median 2.8
  4. 2023 2.5; Essex median median 2.7
  5. 2022 2.7; Essex median median 2.7
  6. 2021 3.0; Essex median median 2.6
  7. 2020 2.7; Essex median median 2.8
  8. 2019 3.4; Essex median median 2.7
  9. 2018 3.4; Essex median median 2.6
  10. 2017 3.4; Essex median median 2.7
  11. 2016 3.1; Essex median median 2.6
  12. 2015 2.9; Essex median median 2.5
  13. 2014 2.8; Essex median median 2.6
  • 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 20263461,0973.24811.39
Sep 20253461,0213.03991.15
Sep 20243499672.83741.07
Sep 20233498642.52990.86
Sep 20223048242.72780.91
Sep 20212808403.02040.73
Sep 20203278952.72670.82
Sep 20193491,1903.43701.06
Sep 20183471,1933.44441.28
Sep 20173421,1443.43951.15
Sep 20163451,0563.13270.95
Sep 20153449912.93531.03
Sep 20143469612.83991.15

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

284 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)51.613th of 79 in Essex
Grade 5 or above in English and maths55%15th of 79 in Essex
Grade 4 or above in English and maths76%
  • This school
  • Essex median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.19
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)28451.655%76%–
2024/2532449.650%76%–
2023/2434551.356%78%+0.19
2022/2333351.855%75%+0.15

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

  • 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 converter
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
136577 · 881/5403
Trust
Zenith Multi Academy Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
2,000 pupils · 2,098 on roll
Free school meals
13.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 April 2011
Replaced
The King John School (URN 115319)
Address
Shipwrights Drive, Thundersley, Benfleet, SS7 1RQ
Local authority
Essex · Castle Point

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