Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available emoji_events #15 in Redbridge public Top 16% UK

The Palmer Catholic Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Paul Downey

corporate_fareTHE GOOD SHEPHERD CATHOLIC TRUST

location_onIlford, IG3 8EU

language Visit Website phone 2085903808

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2017

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Students

1,163

trending_up

Attainment 8

48.8

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GCSE Rank

#15 in Redbridge

#1,104 of 3,216 nationally

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The Palmer Catholic Academy is a Academy converter secondary school in Ilford, serving ages 11-18. Rated Good by Ofsted.

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School Summary

The Palmer Catholic Academy is an academy converter in Ilford, Redbridge, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of THE GOOD SHEPHERD CATHOLIC TRUST. The school has approximately 1,155 pupils on roll, of whom 29% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 48.8, placing the school #15 in Redbridge and #1,104 of 3,216 nationally. 47.40% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 18.2% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

The sixth form offers 21 A-level subjects. 39.2% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 14.2% at A*–A. A-level value added: -0.11 — students made below-average progress at sixth form.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2017. The school's current overall rating is Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.6× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 17.1:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there was 1 permanent exclusion. The average suspension rate was 3.3 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

48.8

Grade 5+ E&M

47.40%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)18.2%

Entering EBacc40.10%

EBacc APS4.39

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.49

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

50.4

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc41.30%

EBacc APS4.46

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.72

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

54.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc47%

EBacc APS4.88

2022

Progress 8 Score

0.58

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

52.4

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc61%

EBacc APS4.69

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc31%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

0.42

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

53.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc17%

EBacc APS4.47

2018

Progress 8 Score

0.39

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

52.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc15%

EBacc APS4.37

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)94%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)96%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)95%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)3%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

98%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)98%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)1%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

97%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)97%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)2%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

-0.11

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make below-expected progress at A-level.

Students

109

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*3.8%

Achieving A*–A14.2%

Achieving A*–B39.2%

VA Banding Average

Retention rate98.2%

A-level subjects offered21

2024

A-Level Value Added

+0.23

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

Students

118

Retention rate94.90%

2023

Avg Grade

Students

102

Retention rate97.10%

2022

Avg Grade

C+

Students

130

Retention rate95.4%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

25 January 2022

Inspection Report

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28 February 2017

Inspection Report

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09 October 2012

Inspection Report

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14 February 2012

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2017-02-28

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2012-10-09

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2007-05-16

None EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

3.9%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

2.5%(29 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

1pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,155 pupils. During this period, there were 45 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 3.9%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,155	45	3.9%	7.3%	1
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,154	31	2.7%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,174	39	3.3%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,169	25	2.1%	7.1%	1
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,187	22	1.9%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,160	15	1.3%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,163	11	0.9%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,171	10	0.9%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,182	21	1.8%	4.7%	2
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,172	16	1.4%	4.9%	2
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,192	35	2.9%	4.4%	4
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,167	27	2.3%	3.6%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,163	4	0.3%	1.0%	1
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,162	39	3.4%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,113	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,113	24	2.2%	3.2%	1
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,112	20	1.8%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,140	20	1.8%	3.1%	2
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,145	29	2.5%	3.8%	1
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,146	38	3.3%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,115	19	1.7%	3.4%	1
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,123	26	2.3%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,123	36	3.2%	3.7%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,104	27	2.4%	3.0%	3
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,111	28	2.5%	3.3%	2
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,112	20	1.8%	3.1%	2

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Moderate Learning Difficulty 29 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 24 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 22 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 11 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 10 pupils

Visual Impairment 5 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 4 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils