Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College, Barking

In its own words: "We are a non-selective, comprehensive twelve form entry school with a proud tradition of academic and sporting success. Barking Abbey School was founded in 1922 as one of the first co-educational grammar schools in England at the site in Longbridge Road. At the time, it was situated in a largely rural area, with fields and farmland close by."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our motto ‘Give and expect the best’ means that we strive for excellence in everything that we do. We try hard each and every day to improve opportunities for our pupils and we expect them to try hard in all that they do. As well as our academic success we have our BEST habits Character Education curriculum."

In 2026, pupils at Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.4 in Barking and Dagenham and 47 across England.

52% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Barking and Dagenham and 47% in England.

That is down from 49.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.02: pupils made about 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 43, against 51.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Multimedia, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 423 families put Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College as their first choice and 1097 named it as one of their preferences, for 359 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 102 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College are Eastbury Community School (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47); Loxford School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 54.1); Greatfields School (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 45.8); and Jo Richardson Community School (1.2 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 47.4).

Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Of the 353 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 32% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 268 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 61% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 13% into work. 18% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 164 pupils (6.8%) received SEN support and 118 (4.9%) 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 autism.

Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College has a resourced provision (60 places, 83 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (30 places, 30 pupils on roll) for autism and moderate learning difficulties.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Upney Station, about 460 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barking Community Hospital, 290 metres away.

In 2024/25, Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College issued 211 suspensions, 9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College are Manor Junior School (under 0.1 miles), Manor Primary School (under 0.1 miles), Eastbury Primary School (0.4 miles) and Ripple Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.