Atam Academy, Romford
Atam Academy is an all-through school for pupils aged 3 to 18 in Romford, part of One Multi Academies Trust Limited. It has a Sikh religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 4th-highest of the 10 schools in Romford with published results, and 670th of 3,298 across England. It was 82% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Well above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Redbridge (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Redbridge (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Atam Academy in detail
Atam Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At Khalsa Sixth Redbridge, we are committed to empowering students to excel in all aspects of life; academically, personally, and socially. Our Personal Development programme lies at the heart of what makes our sixth form exceptional. It is designed to prepare students for further study, success in the professional world, and meaningful contributions to society."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Atam Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 52.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 55.7 in Redbridge and 47 across England.
60% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 63% in Redbridge and 47% in England.
That is down from 57.2 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.52: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 47.2, against 54.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.9 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 18 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Business Studies and Geography.
Getting a place at Atam Academy
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put Atam Academy as their first choice and 140 named it as one of their preferences, for 46 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Atam Academy are Chadwell Heath Academy (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 53.9); The Warren School (1.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 46.4); Oaks Park High School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.3); and Mayfield School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46).
Atam Academy's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Chadwell Heath AcademyThe Warren SchoolOaks Park High SchoolMayfield School
The trust
Atam Academy is one of 2 schools run by One Multi Academies Trust Limited, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 106 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 28% to a further education college.
Who goes there
10.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 56.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (90%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 78 pupils (7.2%) received SEN support and 26 (2.4%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Atam Academy had 49 teachers in 2026, one for every 21 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chadwell Heath Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chadwell Heath Lane /Barley Ln, 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Atam Academy issued 70 suspensions, 6.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Atam Academy are Grove Primary School (0.2 miles), St Bede's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles), Farnham Green Primary School (0.7 miles) and Barley Lane Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Grove Primary SchoolSt Bede's Catholic Primary SchoolFarnham Green Primary SchoolBarley Lane Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils at Atam Academy have positive, committed attitudes to their learning. The school's curriculum is ambitious for all, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard and typically achieve well, including in national assessments.
The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Children settle quickly into established routines in early years and cooperate well. Across the school, there is an orderly environment for learning. Pupils are respectful and reflective. The school takes action to ensure that pupils are safe. For example, pupils learn about the importance of being aware of the risks when online. There are few incidences of bullying. Pupils know how to report any worries they may have. Staff resolve any such concerns swiftly.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Since the previous inspection, leaders have introduced a broad and more ambitious curriculum, that matches the scope of what is expected nationally. The knowledge pupils are expected to learn and remember is clearly defined and well-sequenced from early years to Year 11. Across most subjects this enables pupils to build and consolidate their knowledge and understanding as they move through the school, so that they achieve well.
Teachers have good subject knowledge. They value the opportunities that the school provides to develop their professional practice and to learn from others. For example, secondary subject specialists provide effective support to staff in the primary phase, to strengthen their subject-specific knowledge. Most teachers explain ideas and concepts clearly, matching activities well to intended outcomes. They typically identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and revisit learning to secure pupils' understanding.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
10.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Attainment 8 has remained stable at around 52.7 (2024 to 2026), while gCSE English & Maths 5+ has remained stable at around 60% (2024 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 52.7 | 60.2% |
| Disadvantaged(22) | - | 47.2 | 50% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(81) | - | 54.1 | 63% |
| Boys(61) | - | 53.0 | 63.9% |
| Girls(42) | - | 52.2 | 54.8% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(35) | - | 50.5 | 54.3% |
| Non mobile(99) | - | 52.9 | 60.6% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 106 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
1
Permanent exclusions
0.09%
Exclusion rate
70
Suspensions
6.40%
Suspension rate
42 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,094 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby all-through schools
Keep up with Atam Academy
Term dates
Atam Academy is a free school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Redbridge's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Atam Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Atam Academy is in Redbridge; for families living there:
Apply to Redbridge for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 78
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 15
- Children hurt
- 13
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 78 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 15 serious and 63 slight.
13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 10 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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 Redbridge is 56 (the median across 94 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
Your chances of a place at Atam Academy
Will you get a place at Atam Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Atam Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Atam Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Atam Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Redbridge, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Atam Academy for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Redbridge got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
82%
Available places
1,029 pupils
1,260 places
231 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Romford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Romford
Across Redbridge council
Places available
3,708
Applications
3,422
Got 1st preference
68.4%
Got preferred school
93.3%
All secondary applications across Redbridge council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
78
SEN Support
26
EHC Plans
9.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,083
Total Pupils
564
Boys
519
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
49
Teachers
22.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,186
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,326
Per pupil
£6835k
Total funding
£133k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.7%
Overall absence
21.6%
Persistent absence
979
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Atam Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Atam Academy
What are GCSE results like at Atam Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Atam Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 52.7. 60% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Atam Academy's Ofsted rating?
Atam Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2022 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Atam Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Atam Academy is oversubscribed, Redbridge allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Atam Academy?
Atam Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 82% of its 1260 places.
How big are the classes at Atam Academy?
Classes at Atam Academy average 24.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Atam Academy?
Atam Academy has around 1083 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Atam Academy?
6.7% of sessions were missed at Atam Academy in 2024/25. 21.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Atam Academy?
Apply through Redbridge's coordinated admissions process, naming Atam Academy on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Atam Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 78 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 15 serious and 63 slight. 13 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 10 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 Redbridge is 56 (the median across 94 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Atam Academy?
Atam Academy is at Little Heath, Romford, Essex, RM6 4XX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)