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Free schools · Hackney

Waterside Academy

  • 11–16Ages
  • 351Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 147653URN

317-319 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DL · 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
2.6per place
0.4 below Hackney median (3.0)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Hackney

120 applications for 46 places · small intake, not ranked
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
45.5of 90
14th of 15 in Hackney
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 27 January 2026Published 14 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
AchievementStrong standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
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. 27 January 2026
    Report card · 6 Strong standard
  2. 9 February 2022
    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
2.6applications per place, Year 7
0.4 below Hackney median (3.0) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

120 applications · 46 places offered · 18 named it first

Small intakeFewer than 60 places, so not ranked.

  1. 2026 2.6; Hackney median median 3.0
  2. 2025 3.9; Hackney median median 2.9
  3. 2024 3.1; Hackney median median 3.2
  4. 2023 1.6; Hackney median median 2.6
  5. 2022 1.9; Hackney median median 3.2
  6. 2021 1.8; Hackney median median 3.6
  7. 2020 1.6; Hackney median median 4.0
  8. 2019 3.0; Hackney median median 3.9; as the previous school
  9. 2018 2.8; Hackney median median 3.4; as the previous school
  10. 2017 4.6; Hackney median median 4.1; as the previous school
  11. 2016 4.7; Hackney median median 4.0; as the previous school
  12. 2015 3.4; Hackney median median 3.8; as the previous school
  13. 2014 3.8; Hackney median median 3.7; as the previous school
More applications per place than the Hackney median in 1 of 7 years.
  • This school
  • Hackney median

Dashed bars: as Hackney New School (URN 139595), 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 2026461202.6180.39
Sep 2025461803.9320.70
Sep 2024511563.1310.61
Sep 2023911441.6280.31
Sep 2022641221.9140.22
Sep 2021941691.8120.13
Sep 2020971571.6200.21
Sep 2019 *972943.0260.27
Sep 2018 *1173302.8370.32
Sep 2017 *1034774.6500.49
Sep 2016 *1064984.7910.86
Sep 2015 *1043533.4590.57
Sep 2014 *963623.8410.43

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

94 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)45.514th of 15 in Hackney
Grade 5 or above in English and maths40%14th of 15 in Hackney
Grade 4 or above in English and maths57%
  • This school
  • Hackney median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+1.04
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)9445.540%57%–
2024/257844.641%62%–
2023/249348.260%68%+1.04
2022/239046.044%60%+0.71

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
Free schools
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
147653 · 204/4006
Trust
Community Schools Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
500 pupils · 351 on roll
Free school meals
65.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 November 2019
Replaced
Hackney New School (URN 139595)
Address
317-319 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DL
Local authority
Hackney

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