The Basildon Lower Academy, Basildon

Requires Improvement
Secondary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 1114

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.6km)Possible (~2.3km)Unlikely (~3.0km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Rebecca Rees
Pupils:892 / 1,350 capacity
LA:Essex
Phone:01268552536
Address:Timberlog Close, Timberlog Lane, Basildon, SS14 1UX
Trust:THE BASILDON ACADEMIES
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2009

Ofsted Rating

Requires Improvement

Overall

URN:135895
UKPRN:10029912
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Basildon and Billericay
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The Basildon Lower Academy provides a welcoming and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and know staff care about them. Teachers focus strongly on reading and use calm, structured lessons to help pupils build knowledge step-by-step. The school offers a range of enrichment activities and career encounters that help prepare pupils for their next steps, and provides tailored support to help all learners, including those with additional needs, access the full curriculum.

Key Strengths

  • Calm, orderly classrooms with positive relationships between staff and pupils
  • Ambitious, broad curriculum that helps pupils build knowledge logically
  • Strong focus on reading from the earliest stages with targeted support for those who fall behind
  • Effective identification and support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils
  • Well-planned personal development programme promoting British values and respect

Areas for Improvement

  • Persistently low attendance remains a critical priority - leaders' strategies have not had sufficient impact
  • Some inconsistency in how behaviour policies are applied and how quickly low-level incidents are challenged
  • Variability in pupils' literacy skills, including handwriting, affecting written work quality for some
  • Further development needed in some elements of the curriculum
  • Inconsistent adaptation of teaching to meet needs of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND across all subjects

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Parliamentary Week, cultural celebrations, creative and artistic activities, sporting activities, anti-bullying week, hate-crime-awareness week, employer encounters (Royal Navy, NHS, Department for Work and Pensions), transition events, trips, clubs, bridge provision, respect ambassadors programme

The Basildon Lower Academy requires significant improvement overall, though it has made progress in curriculum structure, safeguarding, and behaviour. The school's main weakness is persistently low attendance, which is limiting pupils' progress and benefit from the curriculum.

At a Glance

52.6%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

24.1

Avg class size

38

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Craylands (opp)
126m · 2 min walk
Barstable School (o/s)
136m · 2 min walk
Hereford Walk (S-bound)
355m · 6 min walk
Gibcracks (adj)
380m · 6 min walk
Beambridge (opp)
402m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

66%

Available places

892 pupils

1,350 capacity

458 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Basildon

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,803
Projected new pupils:325

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Basildon

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(110)

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

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School Funding

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

15.34457%

Overall absence

42.06426%

Persistent absence

1,027

Enrolments

Authorised6.42194%
Unauthorised8.92263%
Persistent (10%+)42.06426%
Severe (50%+)11.10029%

Absence trend

6.06561%
18/19
7.74307%
20/21
12.78399%
21/22
12.36219%
22/23
17.03377%
23/24
15.34457%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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