South Bank University Academy, London
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
South Bank University Academy excels at supporting all its pupils, especially those facing barriers to learning. The school creates a welcoming, inclusive community where disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND receive outstanding tailored support and achieve well. Through excellent links with universities and employers, the school broadens pupils' career horizons and helps them make informed decisions about their futures.
Key Strengths
- Strong support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, who achieve well compared to their peers nationally
- Calm, purposeful classrooms with high behaviour expectations that are met by pupils
- Comprehensive personal development programme covering healthy relationships, online safety, and mental health
- Excellent career guidance through links with universities and employers, broadening pupils' career aspirations
- Inclusive community where pupils with barriers to learning receive tailored, individualised support
Areas for Improvement
- Persistent absence remains too high and attendance improvement actions have not been fully effective
- Some SEND support strategies are not implemented consistently across all lessons
- Teachers occasionally do not check understanding or address misconceptions before moving learning forward
- Monitoring of wider clubs and activities participation could be sharper to improve engagement
- A-level outcomes have been below national averages, though showing signs of improvement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding with all legal requirements fulfilled, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, debating, robotics, biodiversity gardening project, Futures Pathways programme, charity fundraising for Macmillan and Cancer Research UK, Culture Day, university visits, employer meetings
South Bank University Academy is transitioning from a full secondary school to a sixth-form centre. The school provides a broad, ambitious curriculum with generally effective teaching, and pupils typically achieve well including in national tests.
At a Glance
53.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
17.7
Avg class size
25
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
45%
Available places
405 pupils
900 capacity
495 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for London
Admissions Demand - Southwark
Places available
3,440
Applications
2,545
Got 1st preference
71.7%
Got preferred school
95.0%
Secondary admissions across Southwark (2025/26)
Inspection History(3)
House Prices
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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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.60507%
Overall absence
35.18072%
Persistent absence
415
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
South Bank University Academy
Robert Browning Primary School
English Martyrs' Roman Catholic Primary School
Michael Faraday School
St Peter's Church of England Primary School
Oasis Academy Surrey Square
Victory Primary School
Imperial Oak School
St Paul's Church of England Primary School
John Ruskin Primary School and Language Classes
Crampton Primary
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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