Forest Academy, Ilford

In 2026, pupils at Forest Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 55.7 in Redbridge and 47 across England.

33% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 63% in Redbridge and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 42.2.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.11: pupils made 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 32.7, against 45.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 74 families put Forest Academy as their first choice and 190 named it as one of their preferences, for 134 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Forest Academy are King Solomon High School (1.6 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 49.5); Atam Academy (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.7); Ilford County High School (2 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 77); and West Hatch High School (2.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 51).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Forest Academy.

Forest Academy is one of 3 schools run by Beacon Multi-Academy Trust Limited, an academy trust.

Of the 133 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 32% to a further education college and 2% into work.

34.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 57.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (37%), White British (17%) and Black (13%).

Forest Academy has a resourced provision for autism: 30 places, 30 pupils on roll.

Forest Academy had 71 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest Underground station is Hainault Underground Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Forest Academy, 120 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 139 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Redbridge (338).

In 2024/25, Forest Academy issued 82 suspensions, 10 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Forest Academy are Coppice Primary School (0.3 miles), John Bramston Primary School (0.4 miles), Manford Primary School (0.6 miles) and Chigwell Row Infant School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.