Bmat Stem Academy, Harlow

From the headteacher's welcome: "BMAT STEM Academy is a University Technical College that focuses on ensuring our students are fully prepared and ready for industry. We are a unique year 10 to 13 school that specialises in science, technology, engineering and maths. We work with both international and national companies and have partnerships with several businesses in the local area."

In 2026, pupils at Bmat Stem Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 29.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

15% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Essex and 47% in England.

That is up from 28.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -1.68: pupils made well below 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 22.4, against 34.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 13 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Media / Film / TV Studies and Art and Design.

Across Essex, 83% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 97% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2026, families in Essex lodged 542 appeals against secondary school offers; 406 reached a hearing and 57 succeeded (14% of those heard).

The nearest other state secondary schools to Bmat Stem Academy are St Mark's West Essex Catholic School (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50); Burnt Mill Academy (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.2); Sir Frederick Gibberd College (0.7 miles, Attainment 8 44.7); and Stewards Academy - Science Specialist, Harlow (1.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 40.1).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Bmat Stem Academy.

Bmat Stem Academy is one of 12 schools run by Bmat Education, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.7 in 2024/25.

Of the 79 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 38% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 9% into work.

Of the 31 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 42% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 32% into work. 8% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 42 pupils (17.5%) received SEN support and 4 (1.7%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Bmat Stem Academy had 21 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Harlow Town Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bus Station (stand 14), 260 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 512 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Bmat Stem Academy issued 152 suspensions, 57.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Bmat Stem Academy are The Downs Primary School and Nursery (under 0.1 miles), Freshwaters Primary Academy (0.3 miles), Pemberley Academy (0.6 miles) and Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.