Academy sponsor led · Essex

The Deanes

11–16Ages
588Pupils
SecondaryPhase
143639URN

Daws Heath Road, Thundersley, Benfleet, SS7 2TD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.9per place

1.0 above Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

558 applications for 144 places · 12th of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2015

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

32.2of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

76th of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 26 September 2023Ofsted'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

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

3.9applications per place, Year 7

1.0 above Essex median (2.8) 1.6 above England median (2.2)

558 applications · 144 places offered · 98 named it first

2026 3.9; Essex median median 2.8
2025 4.7; Essex median median 2.7
2024 3.9; Essex median median 2.8
2023 3.9; Essex median median 2.7
2022 4.2; Essex median median 2.7
2021 4.1; Essex median median 2.6
2020 3.9; Essex median median 2.8
2019 3.1; Essex median median 2.7
2018 4.2; Essex median median 2.6
2017 4.5; Essex median median 2.7
2016 5.1; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2015 5.2; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Essex median in 10 of 10 years.

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as The Deanes School (URN 115340), the previous school.

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	144	558	3.9	98	0.68
Sep 2025	114	532	4.7	97	0.85
Sep 2024	120	464	3.9	96	0.80
Sep 2023	106	416	3.9	92	0.87
Sep 2022	91	382	4.2	82	0.90
Sep 2021	90	372	4.1	69	0.77
Sep 2020	96	370	3.9	83	0.86
Sep 2019	116	355	3.1	84	0.72
Sep 2018	62	262	4.2	42	0.68
Sep 2017	67	301	4.5	41	0.61
Sep 2016 *	66	337	5.1	48	0.73
Sep 2015 *	66	346	5.2	53	0.80

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

111 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)32.276th of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths14%78th of 79 in Essex

Essex 43% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths31%

Essex 66% England 66%

This school
Essex median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.71

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	111	32.2	14%	31%	–
2024/25	104	34.4	17%	40%	–
2023/24	97	35.3	19%	45%	−0.71
2022/23	81	37.6	28%	43%	−0.46

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

The DeanesThis school
This school

Good2023

3.9applications per place 32.2Attainment 8
The King John School
1.4 km · Essex

2026

3.2applications per place 51.6Attainment 8
The FitzWimarc School
2.7 km · Essex

Good2022

3.6applications per place 47.3Attainment 8
The Sweyne Park School
3.1 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.5applications per place 41.3Attainment 8
Harris Academy Benfleet
3.3 km · Essex

Standards maintained2024

2.6applications per place 39.0Attainment 8
Belfairs Academy
3.4 km · Southend-on-Sea

2026

2.5applications per place 45.9Attainment 8
The Eastwood Academy
4.6 km · Southend-on-Sea

Standards maintained2024

4.6applications per place 51.2Attainment 8
The Cornelius Vermuyden School
5.0 km · Essex

Special measures Inadequate2023
Westcliff High School for Girls
5.0 km · Southend-on-Sea

Outstanding2024

4.6applications per place 73.8Attainment 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: 143639 · 881/4018
Trust: South East Essex Academy Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 600 pupils · 588 on roll
Free school meals: 25.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 October 2016
Replaced: The Deanes School (URN 115340)
Address: Daws Heath Road, Thundersley, Benfleet, SS7 2TD
Local authority: Essex · Castle Point

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