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Academy converter · Bexley

Welling School

  • 11–18Ages
  • 1,084Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 136720URN

Elsa Road, Welling, DA16 1LB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Feb 2026

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

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.4per place
0.7 below Bexley median (3.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in BexleySelective

474 applications for 199 places · 11th of 16 in Bexley
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
36.4of 90
16th of 16 in Bexley
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 10 February 2026Published 19 April 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
Personal development and wellbeingNeeds attention
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
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. 10 February 2026
    Report card · 1 Expected standard, 6 Needs attention
  2. 4 October 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
2.4applications per place, Year 7
0.7 below Bexley median (3.1) close to England median (2.2)

474 applications · 199 places offered · 160 named it first

  1. 2026 2.4; Bexley median median 3.1
  2. 2025 2.2; Bexley median median 3.2
  3. 2024 2.0; Bexley median median 2.9
  4. 2023 1.9; Bexley median median 3.0
  5. 2022 2.1; Bexley median median 2.9
  6. 2021 2.0; Bexley median median 3.1
  7. 2020 2.7; Bexley median median 3.4
  8. 2019 2.4; Bexley median median 3.6
  9. 2018 2.8; Bexley median median 3.6
  10. 2017 2.8; Bexley median median 3.4
  11. 2016 2.8; Bexley median median 3.7
  12. 2015 2.4; Bexley median median 3.9
  13. 2014 3.2; Bexley median median 3.6
More applications per place than the Bexley median in 0 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Bexley 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 20261994742.41600.80
Sep 20251743832.21180.68
Sep 20241472882.0850.58
Sep 20231563001.9700.45
Sep 20222254672.11430.64
Sep 20212975902.01790.60
Sep 20202316202.71840.80
Sep 20192976972.41940.65
Sep 20182998442.82430.81
Sep 20172938332.82110.72
Sep 20162777812.81890.68
Sep 20152806672.41590.57
Sep 20142016433.21520.76

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

257 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)36.416th of 16 in Bexley
Grade 5 or above in English and maths32%15th of 16 in Bexley
Grade 4 or above in English and maths55%
  • This school
  • Bexley median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.82
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)25736.432%55%–
2024/2519134.727%48%–
2023/2424236.729%54%−0.82
2022/2328333.726%45%−0.97

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
136720 · 303/4021
Trust
The Kemnal Academies Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,850 pupils · 1,084 on roll
Free school meals
33.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision
Resourced provision
Opened
1 May 2011
Replaced
Welling School (URN 101467)
Address
Elsa Road, Welling, DA16 1LB
Local authority
Bexley

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