Waterside Academy
- Secondary
- Free schools
- Ages 11 to 16
URN 147653 · Hackney · COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TRUST
Inspection
Ofsted management information, as at 30 September 2026.
Latest report card inspection
27 January 2026- Inclusion
- Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching
- Strong standard
- Achievement
- Strong standard
- Attendance and behaviour
- Strong standard
- Personal development and wellbeing
- Strong standard
- Leadership and governance
- Strong standard
- Safeguarding standards
- Met
Full inspection (section 5)
Report cards, used from 10 November 2025, grade each area on a five-point scale and give no overall grade. Safeguarding is met or not met.
Earlier inspection, different framework
Earlier graded inspection
9 February 2022Overall effectiveness
Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding is effective
- Yes
Full inspection (section 5)
Under the earlier framework, inspections gave an overall effectiveness grade.
Read the reports on Ofsted’s website. Source: Ofsted, State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information.
Attendance
Against Hackney and England, secondary schools.
Overall absence
2024/257.8%
- Hackney
- 7.6%
- England
- 8.4%
0.6 percentage points lower than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | Not published | 4.8% | 5.5% |
| 2018/19 | Not published | 4.7% | 5.5% |
| 2020/21 | 7.1% | 5.0% | 5.5% |
| 2021/22 | 9.6% | 7.6% | 9.0% |
| 2022/23 | 7.2% | 8.2% | 9.0% |
| 2023/24 | 7.2% | 7.5% | 8.9% |
| 2024/25 | 7.8% | 7.6% | 8.4% |
Sessions missed for any reason, as a share of all possible sessions in the school year. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.
Persistent absence
2024/2525.8%
- Hackney
- 22.0%
- England
- 23.4%
2.4 percentage points higher than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | Not published | 12.1% | 13.9% |
| 2018/19 | Not published | 11.8% | 13.7% |
| 2020/21 | 20.7% | 13.0% | 14.8% |
| 2021/22 | 33.3% | 23.2% | 27.7% |
| 2022/23 | 21.4% | 24.5% | 26.5% |
| 2023/24 | 23.2% | 21.8% | 25.6% |
| 2024/25 | 25.8% | 22.0% | 23.4% |
Pupils who missed 10% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.
Severe absence
2024/254.1%
- Hackney
- 2.5%
- England
- 3.9%
0.2 percentage points higher than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | Not published | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| 2018/19 | Not published | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| 2020/21 | 2.7% | 0.8% | 1.5% |
| 2021/22 | 3.6% | 1.8% | 2.7% |
| 2022/23 | 3.5% | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| 2023/24 | 3.2% | 2.4% | 3.8% |
| 2024/25 | 4.1% | 2.5% | 3.9% |
Pupils who missed 50% or more of their possible sessions, as a share of pupils. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25.
Suspensions and permanent exclusions
Against Hackney and England, secondary schools.
Suspensions per 100 pupils
2024/2514.44
- Hackney
- 19.50
- England
- 21.24
6.80 lower than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | Not published | 13.62 | 10.13 |
| 2018/19 | Not published | 16.22 | 10.75 |
| 2019/20 | 19.34 | 11.28 | 7.43 |
| 2020/21 | 29.66 | 10.46 | 8.48 |
| 2021/22 | 6.07 | 14.98 | 13.96 |
| 2022/23 | 10.97 | 17.62 | 18.90 |
| 2023/24 | 18.45 | 20.91 | 22.61 |
| 2024/25 | 14.44 | 19.50 | 21.24 |
Suspensions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. One pupil can be suspended more than once. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.
Permanent exclusions per 100 pupils
2024/250.27
- Hackney
- 0.35
- England
- 0.23
0.04 higher than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | Not published | 0.35 | 0.20 |
| 2018/19 | Not published | 0.31 | 0.20 |
| 2019/20 | 1.78 | 0.17 | 0.13 |
| 2020/21 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.10 |
| 2021/22 | 1.32 | 0.20 | 0.16 |
| 2022/23 | 0.77 | 0.22 | 0.22 |
| 2023/24 | 1.00 | 0.36 | 0.25 |
| 2024/25 | 0.27 | 0.35 | 0.23 |
Permanent exclusions in the school year for every 100 pupils on roll. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, 2024/25.
Key stage 4 results
Against Hackney and England, secondary schools.
Attainment 8
2025/26 (provisional)45.5
- Hackney
- 53.2
- England
- 47.4
1.9 lower than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | Not published | 52.8 | 49.8 |
| 2022/23 | Not published | 52.3 | 47.2 |
| 2023/24 | 48.2 | 52.1 | 46.9 |
| 2024/25 | 44.6 | 51.6 | 47.1 |
| 2025/26 (provisional) | 45.5 | 53.2 | 47.4 |
The average of pupils' points across eight GCSE-level qualifications, with English and maths counted twice. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.
English and maths: grade 4 or above
2025/26 (provisional)57%
- Hackney
- 76%
- England
- 66%
9 percentage points lower than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | Not published | 75% | 70% |
| 2022/23 | Not published | 73% | 67% |
| 2023/24 | 68% | 74% | 67% |
| 2024/25 | 62% | 71% | 66% |
| 2025/26 (provisional) | 57% | 76% | 66% |
Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 4 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.
English and maths: grade 5 or above
2025/26 (provisional)40%
- Hackney
- 58%
- England
- 48%
8 percentage points lower than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | Not published | 57% | 51% |
| 2022/23 | Not published | 54% | 46% |
| 2023/24 | 60% | 55% | 47% |
| 2024/25 | 41% | 50% | 47% |
| 2025/26 (provisional) | 40% | 58% | 48% |
Pupils at the end of key stage 4 with grade 5 or above in both English and maths. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Key stage 4 performance, 2025/26.
Pupils
Against Hackney and England, secondary schools.
Eligible for free school meals
2024/2560.4%
- Hackney
- 48.9%
- England
- 25.8%
34.6 percentage points higher than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 51.5% | 41.1% | 20.9% |
| 2022/23 | 58.7% | 42.6% | 22.7% |
| 2023/24 | 56.9% | 44.8% | 24.1% |
| 2024/25 | 60.4% | 48.9% | 25.8% |
Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals on census day in January. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
SEN support
2024/256.2%
- Hackney
- 15.2%
- England
- 13.4%
7.2 percentage points lower than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 6.9% | 14.1% | 11.9% |
| 2022/23 | 8.2% | 14.2% | 12.4% |
| 2023/24 | 5.0% | 13.9% | 12.9% |
| 2024/25 | 6.2% | 15.2% | 13.4% |
Pupils receiving special educational needs support without an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Education, health and care plan
2024/255.9%
- Hackney
- 4.4%
- England
- 3.1%
2.8 percentage points higher than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 1.9% | 3.7% | 2.2% |
| 2022/23 | 2.6% | 3.9% | 2.4% |
| 2023/24 | 3.7% | 4.0% | 2.7% |
| 2024/25 | 5.9% | 4.4% | 3.1% |
Pupils with an education, health and care plan. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
First language other than English
2024/2539.6%
- Hackney
- 38.3%
- England
- 19.2%
20.4 percentage points higher than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 49.6% | 43.4% | 17.5% |
| 2022/23 | 45.9% | 41.6% | 18.1% |
| 2023/24 | 41.9% | 40.4% | 18.6% |
| 2024/25 | 39.6% | 38.3% | 19.2% |
Pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Teachers
Against Hackney and England, secondary schools.
Pupils per qualified teacher
2025/2611.7
- Hackney
- 15.3
- England
- 17.3
5.6 lower than England.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | Not published | 13.3 | 16.5 |
| 2018/19 | Not published | 14.3 | 16.8 |
| 2019/20 | Not published | 14.7 | 17.2 |
| 2020/21 | 10.7 | 13.9 | 17.1 |
| 2021/22 | Not published | 14.3 | 17.1 |
| 2022/23 | Not published | 15.0 | 17.2 |
| 2023/24 | Not published | 15.3 | 17.4 |
| 2024/25 | Not published | 16.0 | 17.3 |
| 2025/26 | 11.7 | 15.3 | 17.3 |
Full-time equivalent pupils for each full-time equivalent qualified teacher. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2025/26.
Teacher sickness absence
2024/253.7 days
- Hackney
- 4.3 days
- England
- 5.0 days
1.3 days lower than England.
Compared with all state-funded schools: DfE publishes this measure for all schools, not by phase.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | This school | Hackney | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | Not published | 3.6 days | 4.0 days |
| 2018/19 | Not published | 3.6 days | 4.0 days |
| 2019/20 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2020/21 | Not published | 5.1 days | 3.9 days |
| 2021/22 | Not published | 6.9 days | 6.3 days |
| 2022/23 | Not published | 5.3 days | 5.2 days |
| 2023/24 | Not published | 4.8 days | 5.3 days |
| 2024/25 | 3.7 days | 4.3 days | 5.0 days |
Days lost to sickness absence in the school year, averaged across all teachers. Source: Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics, School workforce in England, 2024/25.
Finance
Academies report their accounts as part of their trust, so DfE publishes no school-level balance for this school. The trust’s figures are in DfE’s Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool.
See this school in the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool
About the school
- Pupils on roll
- 351
- Capacity
- 500
- Type
- Free schools
- Phase
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Gender
- Mixed
- Trust
- COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TRUST
- Opened
- 1 November 2019
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Constituency
- Hackney South and Shoreditch
- Deprivation of the area (IDACI)
- Decile 3 of 10 (1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods)
Sources and corrections
Every figure on this page names its source and period. This release was built on 20 October 2026.
- Department for Education: Get Information about Schools: establishment data (GIAS establishment extract 2026-10-20)
- Ofsted: State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information (Latest inspections as at 2026-09-30; All inspections, 2018/19; All inspections, 2019/20; All inspections, 2020/21; All inspections, 2021/22; All inspections, 2022/23; All inspections, 2023/24; All inspections, 2024/25; All inspections, 2025/26)
- Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Pupil absence in schools in England (absence-3term-school, 2013/14 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id])
- Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England (exc-school, 2006/07 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; exc-ap-school, 2013/14 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; exc-geography, 2006/07 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; exc-ap-geography, 2013/14 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id])
- Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Key stage 2 attainment (ks2-school, 2022/23 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; ks2-geography, 2015/16 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id])
- Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Key stage 4 performance (ks4-school, 2023/24 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id]; ks4-geography, 2018/19 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id])
- Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: Schools, pupils and their characteristics (School census, January 2022 (performance tables, 2021 to 2022); School census, January 2023 (performance tables, 2022 to 2023); School census, January 2024 (performance tables, 2023 to 2024); School census, January 2025 (performance tables, 2024 to 2025))
- Department for Education, Explore Education Statistics: School workforce in England (ptr-school, 2010/11 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id]; ptr-geography, 2010/11 to 2025/26 [pinned data set id]; sickness-school, 2009/10 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id]; sickness-geography, 2009/10 to 2024/25 [pinned data set id])
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: English indices of deprivation 2025: Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (English indices of deprivation 2025, File 7 (2021 LSOAs))
Spotted something wrong? Report a correction with the school’s URN (147653). Fixes go out in the next weekly release.