Academy converter · Essex

Stewards Academy - Science Specialist, Harlow

11–16Ages
978Pupils
SecondaryPhase
137552URN

Parnall Road, Harlow, CM18 7NQ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.7per place

1.2 below Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

283 applications for 171 places · 64th of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

40.1of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

63rd of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 8 May 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes		Requires improvement
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement

Inspection history

8 May 2024
Graded inspection: Requires improvement
23 November 2022
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

1.7applications per place, Year 7

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

283 applications · 171 places offered · 142 named it first

2026 1.7; Essex median median 2.8
2025 1.7; Essex median median 2.7
2024 1.8; Essex median median 2.8
2023 2.1; Essex median median 2.7
2022 2.0; Essex median median 2.7
2021 2.1; Essex median median 2.6
2020 2.4; Essex median median 2.8
2019 2.6; Essex median median 2.7
2018 2.3; Essex median median 2.6
2017 2.2; Essex median median 2.7
2016 2.4; Essex median median 2.6
2015 2.3; Essex median median 2.5
2014 2.3; 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	171	283	1.7	142	0.83
Sep 2025	176	296	1.7	135	0.77
Sep 2024	210	383	1.8	168	0.80
Sep 2023	166	352	2.1	151	0.91
Sep 2022	183	372	2.0	148	0.81
Sep 2021	188	390	2.1	161	0.86
Sep 2020	208	502	2.4	233	1.12
Sep 2019	199	522	2.6	264	1.33
Sep 2018	223	509	2.3	229	1.03
Sep 2017	203	453	2.2	216	1.06
Sep 2016	201	484	2.4	210	1.04
Sep 2015	205	468	2.3	207	1.01
Sep 2014	208	484	2.3	187	0.90

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

187 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)40.163rd of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths29%67th of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths50%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−1.01

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	187	40.1	29%	50%	–
2024/25	210	38.9	31%	52%	–
2023/24	202	33.5	20%	39%	−1.01
2022/23	222	34.7	21%	39%	−1.05

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

Stewards Academy - Science Specialist, HarlowThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

1.7applications per place 40.1Attainment 8
Sir Frederick Gibberd College
1.0 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.5applications per place 44.7Attainment 8
St Mark's West Essex Catholic School
1.7 km · Essex

Good2023

2.6applications per place 50.0Attainment 8
Bmat Stem Academy
2.1 km · Essex

Good2023

29.9Attainment 8
Passmores Academy
2.2 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

2.6applications per place 36.2Attainment 8
Burnt Mill Academy
3.1 km · Essex

Good2023

2.3applications per place 47.2Attainment 8
Mark Hall Academy
4.1 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.3applications per place 37.8Attainment 8
Epping St John's Church of England School
6.0 km · Essex

2026

2.3applications per place 46.6Attainment 8
The John Warner School
7.1 km · Hertfordshire

Special measures Inadequate2022

1.8applications per place 40.1Attainment 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 converter
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 137552 · 881/4343
Trust: The Passmores Co-Operative Learning Community
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,050 pupils · 978 on roll
Free school meals: 36.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 October 2011
Replaced: Stewards School - Science Specialist, Harlow (URN 115220)
Address: Parnall Road, Harlow, CM18 7NQ
Local authority: Essex · Harlow

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