Aspire Academy, Welling
Aspire Academy is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Welling, part of London South East Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Aspire Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Aspire Academy are Park View Academy (0.3 miles, Good); ADO River Valley School (1.5 miles, Good); Willow Dene School (1.6 miles, Outstanding); and Marlborough School (1.7 miles, Good).
Park View AcademyADO River Valley SchoolWillow Dene SchoolMarlborough School
The trust
Aspire Academy is one of 19 schools run by London South East Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
72% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (75%), Mixed (11%) and Black (8%).
Almost every pupil at Aspire Academy has an education, health and care plan (75 of 75 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Aspire Academy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bexleyheath Station, about 730 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bethel Road, 230 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Aspire Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Aspire Academy issued 35 suspensions, 54.7 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
72.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 25% to 0% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 10% to 0% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 5% to 0% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Aspire Academy
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Aspire Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Aspire Academy is in Bexley; for families living there:
Apply to Bexley for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 49
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 49 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 44 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Bexley is 28.5 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
117%
Over capacity
75 pupils
64 places
11 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Welling
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Welling
Across Bexley council
Places available
3,269
Applications
2,992
Got 1st preference
68.1%
Got preferred school
95.3%
All secondary applications across Bexley council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
75
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Aspire Academy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
75
Total Pupils
60
Boys
15
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
7.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£63,323
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.8%
Overall absence
41.8%
Persistent absence
67
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Aspire Academy
What are SATs results like at Aspire Academy?
Of the pupils at Aspire Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Aspire Academy's Ofsted rating?
Aspire Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2015 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Aspire Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Aspire Academy is oversubscribed, Bexley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Aspire Academy?
Aspire Academy has around 75 pupils on roll. 72% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Aspire Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Aspire Academy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Aspire Academy?
13.8% of sessions were missed at Aspire Academy in 2024/25. 41.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Aspire Academy?
Apply through Bexley's coordinated admissions process, naming Aspire Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Aspire Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 49 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 44 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Bexley is 28.5 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Aspire Academy?
Aspire Academy is at South Gipsy Road, Welling, Kent, DA16 1JB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)