Horizons Academy Bexley, Abbey Wood
Horizons Academy Bexley is an all-through school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Abbey Wood, part of London South East Academies Trust. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 6 expected standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2013.
- Ofsted report card
- 0 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Horizons Academy Bexley in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 11 June 2026 inspection grades Horizons Academy Bexley on 6 areas: 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils are well supported to overcome any barriers that they may face to their learning and/or wellbeing."
Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Most pupils did not regularly attend school prior to starting here, so leaders rightly prioritise improving pupils' attendance."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school's curriculum is ambitious."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders and staff work effectively to gather the information they need to identify pupils' needs, academic starting points and barriers to learning."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have lots to celebrate about their partnership work."
Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The quality of careers advice and guidance is a strength of the school's work."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff who work with pupils at key stage 3 have the skills to apply the school's behaviour approaches consistently so that these pupils are more effectively supported to adapt their behaviour"; "Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to adapt their teaching, where required, to better match pupils' starting points and deepen pupils' subject-specific knowledge and skills"; "Leaders should further improve pupils' punctuality for the start of school so that more pupils benefit from the activities and learning that take place at the beginning of the school day".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Getting a place at Horizons Academy Bexley
Across Bexley, 68% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 95% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Bexley lodged 219 appeals against secondary school offers; 175 reached a hearing and 11 succeeded (6.3% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Horizons Academy Bexley are Harris Garrard Academy (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.2); St Paul's Academy (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 42.1); Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.3); and Woolwich Polytechnic School (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.2).
Harris Garrard AcademySt Paul's AcademyWoolwich Polytechnic School for GirlsWoolwich Polytechnic School
The trust
Horizons Academy Bexley is one of 19 schools run by London South East Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
61.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 5.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (50%), Black (17%) and Mixed (11%).
In 2026, 15 pupils (83.3%) received SEN support and 2 (11.1%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Abbey Wood Station, about 360 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Yarnton Way / Harrow Manorway (->w), 180 metres away.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Horizons Academy Bexley are Willow Bank Primary School (0.2 miles), Boxgrove Primary School (0.3 miles), St John Fisher Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles) and Parkway Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Willow Bank Primary SchoolBoxgrove Primary SchoolSt John Fisher Catholic Primary SchoolParkway Primary School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- InclusionExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Horizons Academy Bexley
Pupils develop their resilience, confidence and self-esteem during their time at this school. Their attendance improves, often significantly so. Secondary-age pupils on long-term placements successfully gain a range of qualifications, including in GCSE and work-related courses. These pupils are well supported to find the right next step for when the time comes to leave school. Other pupils who are on short-term placements, such as those in the primary phase, build up the academic and personal development that they need to successfully return to their mainstream school. Pupils across the school make gains in their literacy and numeracy. Teachers know pupils well. Pupils have very positive relationships with the range of staff who work with them. Pupils learn in well-resourced classrooms and teaching spaces, for example to learn construction, hair and beauty and food technology. Teachers generally adapt their teaching, when needed, to meet pupils' different needs and starting points. Sometimes, pupils who have higher prior attainment from their initial assessments are not challenged in their academic learning as well as they could be. The school's work to help pupils to make gains in their social, emotional and mental health is something to celebrate. This success can be seen in lots of different ways, for example with primary-age pupils learning how to cooperate and take turns, through to older pupils learning how to develop a more positive mindset. Pupils are well looked after. This includes everyone doing all they reasonably can to keep pupils safe and free from any bullying and/or discrimination. Parents and carers talk positively about how the school helps to identify and meet their child's needs. The school offers pupils a range of enrichment experiences, such as different trips and activities. Pupils fully benefit from a well-developed careers education curriculum. They hear regularly from, and engage in visits to, a range of employers.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should ensure that staff who work with pupils at key stage 3 have the skills to apply the school's behaviour approaches consistently so that these pupils are more effectively supported to adapt their behaviour.
- Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to adapt their teaching, where required, to better match pupils' starting points and deepen pupils' subject-specific knowledge and skills.
- Leaders should further improve pupils' punctuality for the start of school so that more pupils benefit from the activities and learning that take place at the beginning of the school day.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 11 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Horizons Academy Bexley excels at helping young people rebuild confidence and improve attendance through strong pastoral support and staff who genuinely care. The school offers ambitious, practical learning opportunities - from construction to food technology - preparing pupils well for work or return to mainstream school. Staff work closely with families, social workers and external agencies to understand each child's needs and provide tailored support for their emotional wellbeing alongside academic progress.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on improving attendance and developing pupils' social, emotional and mental health with visible gains in resilience and confidence
- Ambitious curriculum with high-quality work-related courses (construction, hair and beauty, food technology) and well-resourced learning environments
- Excellent multi-agency working and outreach service that helps mainstream schools and families across Bexley
- Pupils make clear progress in literacy and numeracy, with many successfully returning to mainstream education or gaining relevant qualifications
- Strong pastoral support and very positive relationships between staff and pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Secondary-age pupils arriving late to school miss out on early morning activities
- Some pupils with higher academic starting points are not challenged enough to deepen their knowledge
- Inconsistent application of behaviour approaches by some staff working with key stage 3 pupils on short-term placements
- Staff need better skills to adapt teaching to match different starting points in secondary phase
- Pupils don't always retain detailed knowledge of PSHE curriculum content
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met; leaders and staff have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips, Friday enrichment sessions (cooking, games, sports), peer researcher opportunities (Mayor of London bullying and relationships project), careers guidance with employer visits and engagement, assembly programme
Horizons Academy Bexley is a specialist school that helps pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs to build confidence, improve attendance, and progress academically. The school uses a supportive approach with tailored placements ranging from short-term 'refocus' programmes to longer-term qualifications-focused pathways.
At a Glance
61.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby all-through schools
Keep up with Horizons Academy Bexley
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Horizons Academy Bexley.
- Abbeywood Kumon Study Centre660m away · Not yet graded
- Kids Festival Creative Zone - Breakfast and Afterschool Club950m away · Not yet graded
- Basecamp De Lucy970m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Horizons Academy Bexley from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Horizons Academy Bexley 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
- 46
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 46 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 38 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot.
13 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
15%
Available places
18 pupils
117 places
99 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Abbey Wood
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Abbey Wood
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(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
15
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
94.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
18
Total Pupils
14
Boys
4
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
1.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,862
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Horizons Academy Bexley
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Horizons Academy Bexley
What is Horizons Academy Bexley's Ofsted rating?
Horizons Academy Bexley's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Horizons Academy Bexley?
No fixed boundary. When Horizons Academy Bexley is oversubscribed, Bexley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Horizons Academy Bexley?
Horizons Academy Bexley has around 18 pupils on roll. 61% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Horizons Academy Bexley?
Apply through Bexley's coordinated admissions process, naming Horizons Academy Bexley 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.
Does Horizons Academy Bexley have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Horizons Academy Bexley: Abbeywood Kumon Study Centre (660m away, registered, not yet graded), Kids Festival Creative Zone - Breakfast and Afterschool Club (950m away, registered, not yet graded) and Basecamp De Lucy (970m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Horizons Academy Bexley?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 46 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 38 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot. 13 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 Horizons Academy Bexley?
Horizons Academy Bexley is at Lensbury Way, Abbey Wood, SE2 9TA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)