The James Hornsby School, Basildon

Ofsted's report card from its 3 February 2026 inspection grades The James Hornsby School on 6 areas: 1 strong standard, 4 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Personal development is a clear strength of the school."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance is in line with national averages and is slowly improving over time."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum is broad, ambitious and well sequenced."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have built an inclusive culture."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and governors understand the school's strengths and priorities."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Overall, examination outcomes remain below national averages, particularly in English and mathematics."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that improvements to teaching and the curriculum support pupils to achieve better outcomes in national examinations, particularly in English and mathematics, so that achievement reflects the school's raised expectations"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils' understanding and use assessment consistently well, so misconceptions are addressed quickly and pupils build secure, accurate knowledge over time"; "Leaders need to ensure that pupils in key stage 4, who are ready for more complex and demanding learning, have work that is well matched to their needs so they make greater progress through the curriculum".

In 2026, pupils at The James Hornsby School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

33% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Essex and 47% in England.

That is up from 38.9 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.32: pupils made below 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 34.4, against 48 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 259 families put The James Hornsby School as their first choice and 804 named it as one of their preferences, for 202 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 73 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The James Hornsby School are Harris Academy Kingswood (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.4); De La Salle School (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46); The Basildon Lower Academy (2.5 miles, Requires improvement); and Harris Academy Billericay (3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.3).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than The James Hornsby School.

The James Hornsby School is one of 5 schools run by Zenith Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.2 in 2024/25.

87 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The James Hornsby School (as of April 2026): 86% would recommend the school, 81% say their child is happy there and 58% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (86%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (58%).

Of the 174 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 69% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

48% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 6.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (79%) and Mixed (7%).

The James Hornsby School had 81 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Laindon Rail Station, about 1040 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Leinster Road (opposite), 160 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 274 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The James Hornsby School issued 49 suspensions, 4.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The James Hornsby School are The Phoenix Primary School (0.2 miles), Janet Duke Primary School (0.3 miles), Millhouse Primary School (0.4 miles) and Laindon Park Primary School & Nursery (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.