The James Hornsby School, Basildon

Good
Secondary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 1116

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.0km)Possible (~2.9km)Unlikely (~3.8km)Confidence: medium

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

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Tammy Nicholls
Pupils:1,040 / 900 capacity
LA:Essex
Phone:01268582400
Address:Leinster Road, Basildon, SS15 5NX
Trust:ZENITH MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 October 2012

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:138865
UKPRN:10039064
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 James Hornsby School creates a welcoming, family-like environment where pupils feel valued and safe. It offers exceptional enrichment opportunities including free clubs for sport, creative activities and academic help, plus educational visits designed to build confidence and independence. The school excels at including all pupils, particularly those facing challenges, through tailored support and strong pastoral care.

Key Strengths

  • Strong personal development programme with wide range of free clubs and enrichment activities
  • Inclusive culture where all pupils are known well and supported with tailored help
  • Calm, orderly behaviour and improving attendance with effective pastoral support
  • Safeguarding culture is open and positive with all legal requirements met
  • Teachers make appropriate adjustments for pupils with SEND and other barriers to learning

Areas for Improvement

  • Examination outcomes below national averages, especially in English and mathematics
  • Assessment of pupil understanding is inconsistent across subjects, leading to missed misconceptions
  • Pupils capable of more demanding work don't always get opportunities to think deeply and progress further
  • Need to translate positive pupil attitudes and day-to-day learning into better examination results

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Science club, technology, engineering and mathematics activities, choir, football, interest-based societies, academic help, creative activities, local day visits, London-based visits, overseas trips, cultural awareness days, guest speakers

The James Hornsby School is an inclusive school where pupils feel safe and supported in a calm, welcoming environment. However, examination outcomes remain below national averages, particularly in English and mathematics.

At a Glance

48.0%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

15 responses
Would recommend100%
Child is happy100%
Well taught100%
Good progress93%
Feels safe100%
Well behaved100%
Bullying dealt with33%
Kept informed93%
Handles concerns67%
Wider development100%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

23.2

Avg class size

42

Total classes

4 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Leinster Road (opp)
157m · 3 min walk
Pound Lane (adj)
268m · 4 min walk
Basildon Drive (adj)
320m · 5 min walk
Knights Surgery (S-bound)
434m · 7 min walk
Albert Drive (opp)
438m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

116%

Over capacity

1,040 pupils

900 capacity

140 places over capacity

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(10)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

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.

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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

8.84563%

Overall absence

23.41418%

Persistent absence

1,072

Enrolments

Authorised1.45141%
Unauthorised7.39422%
Persistent (10%+)23.41418%
Severe (50%+)3.54478%

Absence trend

5.46478%
18/19
5.87512%
20/21
10.46932%
21/22
9.56%
22/23
9.3388%
23/24
8.84563%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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