The Archer Academy, London
The Archer Academy is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 27th-highest of the 266 schools in London with published results, and 223rd of 3,298 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.7 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 107% of capacity.
- GCSE results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2019)
- Demand
- 1.7 first choices per place
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Well above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Barnet (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Archer Academy in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at The Archer Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 61.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 57.9 in Barnet and 47 across England.
71% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 66% in Barnet and 47% in England.
That is up from 55.9 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.61: pupils made well 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 49.2, against 64.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Spanish.
Getting a place at The Archer Academy
For September 2026 entry, 244 families put The Archer Academy as their first choice and 1018 named it as one of their preferences, for 147 places offered. That is 1.7 first choices for every place. 122 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to The Archer Academy are Bishop Douglass School Finchley (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.3); Christ's College Finchley (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 56.4); Fortismere School (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 60.9); and The Henrietta Barnett School (1.1 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 87.1).
The Archer Academy's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Bishop Douglass School FinchleyChrist's College FinchleyFortismere SchoolThe Henrietta Barnett School
What parents say
240 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Archer Academy (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 71% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (71%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 159 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 26% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.
Who goes there
13.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 26.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (32%), Mixed (18%) and other ethnic groups (8%).
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is East Finchley Underground Station, about 580 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Stanley Road (N2) (->se), 210 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Archer Academy issued 34 suspensions, 4.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to The Archer Academy are Holy Trinity CofE Primary School (under 0.1 miles), Martin Primary School (0.2 miles), Tudor Primary School (0.7 miles) and Coldfall Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Holy Trinity CofE Primary SchoolMartin Primary SchoolTudor Primary SchoolColdfall Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Archer Academy excels at balancing academic achievement with personal development, ensuring every pupil feels valued and supported. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to present ideas clearly and adapt teaching to meet individual needs. The school goes beyond the classroom with a rich enrichment programme and excellent careers support, helping pupils develop into confident, well-rounded young people.
Key Strengths
- Broad and ambitious curriculum that exceeds national expectations, with excellent subject knowledge from teachers
- Strong focus on reading and vocabulary development across all subjects, with excellent support for struggling readers
- Exemplary enrichment programme and careers guidance helping pupils understand their future options
- Highly positive behaviour and a calm, productive learning atmosphere
- Exceptional care and support, with strong relationships between pupils and staff
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school staff creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Chess, golf, Mandarin, take my child to work day, bright ideas lecture series
The Archer Academy provides an exceptional education where pupils achieve highly and develop as confident, well-rounded young people. The school maintains outstanding standards through an ambitious curriculum, strong teaching, and a caring, inclusive environment.
At a Glance
13.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
240 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from 0.74 to 0.61 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 60.3 to 61.6 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has remained stable at around 71% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 61.6 | 70.6% |
| Disadvantaged(28) | - | 49.2 | 46.4% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(135) | - | 64.2 | 75.6% |
| Boys(86) | - | 60.2 | 70.9% |
| Girls(77) | - | 63.1 | 70.1% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(44) | - | 61.0 | 68.2% |
| Non mobile(162) | - | 61.8 | 71% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 6 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 159 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
34
Suspensions
4.20%
Suspension rate
22 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 809 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with The Archer Academy
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Archer Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Archer Academy is in Barnet; for families living there:
Apply to Barnet for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 63
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 14
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 63 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 49 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
15 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 Barnet is 53 (the median across 175 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
Your chances of a place at The Archer Academy
Will you get a place at The Archer Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Archer Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Archer Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Archer Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Barnet, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Archer Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Barnet got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
107%
Over capacity
803 pupils
750 places
53 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Barnet council
Places available
4,618
Applications
3,998
Got 1st preference
72.7%
Got preferred school
93.2%
All secondary applications across Barnet council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: 1.7 first choices per place
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
135
SEN Support
48
EHC Plans
22.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
818
Total Pupils
403
Boys
415
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
52
Teachers
15.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,710
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,397
Per pupil
£6318k
Total funding
£147k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.2%
Overall absence
20.6%
Persistent absence
817
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Archer Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Archer Academy
What are GCSE results like at The Archer Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Archer Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 61.6. 71% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Archer Academy's Ofsted rating?
The Archer Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2019, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Archer Academy?
No fixed boundary. When The Archer Academy is oversubscribed, Barnet allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Archer Academy?
The Archer Academy was full in 2025, at 107% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at The Archer Academy?
Classes at The Archer Academy average 23.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Archer Academy?
The Archer Academy has around 818 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Archer Academy?
7.2% of sessions were missed at The Archer Academy in 2024/25. 20.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Archer Academy?
Apply through Barnet's coordinated admissions process, naming The Archer Academy on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near The Archer Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 63 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 49 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 15 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 Barnet is 53 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Archer Academy?
The Archer Academy is at Eagans Close, London, N2 8GA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)