Academy sponsor led · Essex

Mark Hall Academy

11–16Ages
867Pupils
SecondaryPhase
148423URN

First Avenue, Harlow, CM17 9LR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.3per place

0.6 below Essex median (2.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in EssexSelective

351 applications for 155 places · 53rd of 78 in Essex

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

37.8of 90

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

70th of 79 in Essex

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 4 March 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
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

2.3applications per place, Year 7

0.6 below Essex median (2.8) close to England median (2.2)

351 applications · 155 places offered · 134 named it first

2026 2.3; Essex median median 2.8
2025 2.1; Essex median median 2.7
2024 2.2; Essex median median 2.8
2023 2.6; Essex median median 2.7
2022 2.4; Essex median median 2.7
2021 2.0; Essex median median 2.6
2020 2.5; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school
2019 1.3; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2018 2.7; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2017 2.7; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2016 2.1; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2015 1.3; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2014 1.8; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Essex median in 0 of 6 years.

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as Mark Hall Academy (URN 139271), Mark Hall Specialist Sport College (URN 115213), 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	155	351	2.3	134	0.86
Sep 2025	195	400	2.1	146	0.75
Sep 2024	193	420	2.2	134	0.69
Sep 2023	129	333	2.6	114	0.88
Sep 2022	118	285	2.4	82	0.69
Sep 2021	124	243	2.0	71	0.57
Sep 2020 *	145	368	2.5	99	0.68
Sep 2019 *	304	386	1.3	106	0.35
Sep 2018 *	166	452	2.7	128	0.77
Sep 2017 *	141	380	2.7	89	0.63
Sep 2016 *	154	324	2.1	76	0.49
Sep 2015 *	173	222	1.3	28	0.16
Sep 2014 *	133	233	1.8	30	0.23

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

141 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)37.870th of 79 in Essex

Essex 45.6 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths36%59th 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)−0.82

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	141	37.8	36%	50%	–
2024/25	138	38.9	30%	54%	–
2023/24	157	34.2	19%	46%	−0.82
2022/23	164	33.4	18%	40%	−0.93

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

Mark Hall AcademyThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.3applications per place 37.8Attainment 8
Burnt Mill Academy
1.6 km · Essex

Good2023

2.3applications per place 47.2Attainment 8
Bmat Stem Academy
2.4 km · Essex

Good2023

29.9Attainment 8
Passmores Academy
2.5 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

2.6applications per place 36.2Attainment 8
St Mark's West Essex Catholic School
2.5 km · Essex

Good2023

2.6applications per place 50.0Attainment 8
Sir Frederick Gibberd College
3.1 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.5applications per place 44.7Attainment 8
Stewards Academy - Science Specialist, Harlow
4.1 km · Essex

Requires improvement2024

1.7applications per place 40.1Attainment 8
Leventhorpe
4.8 km · Hertfordshire

Good2024

2.8applications per place 47.1Attainment 8
The Bishop's Stortford High School
8.0 km · Hertfordshire

Remains Outstanding2023

3.3applications per place 58.8Attainment 8

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 148423 · 881/4035
Trust: Bmat Education
Capacity: 1,080 pupils · 867 on roll
Free school meals: 27.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 January 2021
Replaced: Mark Hall Academy (URN 139271); Mark Hall Specialist Sport College (URN 115213)
Address: First Avenue, Harlow, CM17 9LR
Local authority: Essex · Harlow

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