Lift Maltings, Witham

Requires Improvement
Secondary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 1116

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Leanne Abbott-Jones
Pupils:787 / 1,100 capacity
LA:Essex
Phone:01376512911
Address:Spinks Lane, Witham, CM8 1EP
Trust:LIFT SCHOOLS
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2008

Ofsted Rating

Requires Improvement

Overall

URN:135653
UKPRN:10024183
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Witham
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Lift Maltings creates a calm, caring environment where pupils feel safe and valued. The school offers a wide range of enrichment activities and has strong pastoral systems that support pupil wellbeing. Teachers know their pupils well and are committed to helping them succeed, with effective support quickly put in place for those who need it.

Key Strengths

  • Strong safeguarding culture with open communication and effective systems that keep pupils safe
  • Positive behaviour and relationships across the school, with high staff expectations creating a calm learning environment
  • Well-planned personal development programme including form-time discussions on important themes and a wide range of clubs and activities
  • Effective support for pupils learning to read, with quick identification of needs and targeted interventions
  • Leaders demonstrate clear understanding of school strengths and areas for improvement, taking prompt action to address issues

Areas for Improvement

  • GCSE attainment and progress remain low over time, though recent improvements in English, mathematics and science are evident
  • Some pupils do not receive support matched precisely enough to their individual needs, affecting achievement
  • Writing skills development needs further strengthening, with support still at developing stage
  • Staff confidence and skills in implementing new approaches to inclusion and adapting learning needs further building
  • Overall attendance remains below national average, affecting some pupils' ability to catch up with learning

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed.

Extracurricular Activities

Art clubs, sports clubs, music clubs, mathematics clubs, science clubs, whole-school productions, student council, house captains, sports leaders, pupil librarians

Lift Maltings is an improving school where leaders have worked hard to strengthen the school following a period of change. The school provides a caring environment with positive relationships and a clear focus on raising pupil aspirations.

At a Glance

22.6%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

26.1

Avg class size

27

Total classes

3 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Spinks Lane (NW-bound)
67m · 1 min walk
Mill Lane (opp)
184m · 3 min walk
Bridge Hospital (o/s)
215m · 3 min walk
Hatfield Road (adj)
234m · 4 min walk
Cuppers Close (opp)
404m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

72%

Available places

787 pupils

1,100 capacity

313 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Witham

Medium pressure
New homes approved:773
Projected new pupils:139

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Witham

Admissions Demand - Essex

Low demand0.96x oversubscription

Places available

17,576

Applications

16,788

Got 1st preference

83.8%

Got preferred school

97.1%

Secondary admissions across Essex (2025/26)

Inspection History(19)

Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

12.75383%

Overall absence

32.84258%

Persistent absence

883

Enrolments

Authorised7.16204%
Unauthorised5.59179%
Persistent (10%+)32.84258%
Severe (50%+)8.94677%

Absence trend

5.5693%
18/19
5.82384%
20/21
11.52869%
21/22
10.25527%
22/23
12.79244%
23/24
12.75383%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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