E-Act Bourne End Academy Review 2026: Improving culture, clear routines, and a co-curricular “societies” model

A Good judgement from the last full inspection sits alongside a more recent safeguarding check, which matters for parents who want reassurance that day-to-day systems are working as intended. The most recent Ofsted activity was an urgent inspection published on 19 November 2025, which confirmed safeguarding arrangements were effective.

This is an E-ACT secondary academy for students aged 11 to 18, serving Bourne End and surrounding communities in Buckinghamshire. Admission is competitive enough that families should treat Year 7 entry as a planned project rather than a last-minute form, with clear deadlines and criteria.

Academically, the picture is mixed. FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking places the school below England average, while the wider experience, routines, and personal development model come through strongly in official reporting. For families prioritising a structured school day, defined behaviour expectations, and a broad “societies” programme, the offer is clear.

The clearest thread through official reporting is a school that has put deliberate effort into culture, routines, and relationships. Students are described as polite and respectful with staff, and the school’s approach to behaviour includes a structured “reset” so students can return to learning quickly after mistakes.

A later safeguarding-focused inspection letter reinforces that classroom routines are calm and well-managed, with a behaviour policy that is increasingly embedded and understood by staff and students. It also points to quick intervention on punctuality and attendance, and a pastoral response that takes bullying reports seriously and aims to resolve issues promptly.

Leadership has also been a visible story. The September 2022 Ofsted inspection graded the school Good overall, with Outstanding for leadership and management. Since then, the school’s current headteacher is Miss Natalie King. In a letter to parents written shortly after taking up her role, Miss King describes being “nearly two weeks into” the post, and sets out priorities around standards, engagement, pride, and improved communication with families.

Physical environment and facilities are referenced in ways that feel practical rather than glossy. Students have access to an AstroTurf area at social times, and the school has communicated planned on-site improvements including a refurbished Learning Hub (library and quiet study space), new outdoor canopies and seating, an additional serving point at break and lunch, and upgraded changing rooms.

FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking places E-Act Bourne End Academy at 3,385th in England, and 1st locally in Bourne End for this measure. This sits in the band that indicates performance is below England average overall. (These are FindMySchool rankings based on official data.)

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 37.5, and Progress 8 is -0.18, suggesting outcomes are somewhat below what would be expected from students’ prior attainment across the full cohort. EBacc entry and outcomes are also low in the latest published figures: 5.6% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in the EBacc, and the average EBacc APS is 3.11, compared with an England average of 4.08 for that measure.

For sixth form, FindMySchool’s A-level outcomes ranking places the school at 2,491st in England, and again 1st locally in Bourne End for this measure, which also sits in the below-average band. (These are FindMySchool rankings based on official data.)

Grade distribution in the latest published A-level outcomes shows 14.58% at A* to B, with 4.17% at A and 10.42% at B. The England average for A* to B is 47.2%, which underlines that sixth form outcomes, on this measure, are currently an area for improvement.

What parents should take from this is not that ambition is absent, but that the school is still converting improved culture and curriculum work into consistently stronger headline results across all subjects and groups. That distinction matters when choosing between schools with similar pastoral offers but different attainment profiles.

Curriculum and classroom practice are described in official reporting as more coherent than previously, with an emphasis on sequencing and clarity about what comes next. Leaders introduced “leadership guides” and “learning cycles” to help staff and students understand where they are in a learning sequence, and many teachers use checking for understanding to adapt lessons and help students catch up.

Consistency is the key variable. The same reporting also notes that practice is uneven, with some students not sufficiently challenged and some students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, not always having work adapted well enough in every subject. The response described is targeted coaching and support for staff to improve delivery and meet needs across classes.

Support for students with additional needs is a notable structural feature. The school has a resourced provision that includes specialist teaching for students with autism spectrum disorder, and the wider model aims to support students with SEND in mainstream lessons where possible. For families seeking a mainstream setting with defined specialist capacity, that can be a meaningful differentiator, subject to the specific profile of a child’s needs and the school’s current capacity.

The school does not publish a Russell Group breakdown on the sources reviewed, so the best view available is the official 16 to 18 destinations data for the most recent cohort shown. In the 2023/24 leavers cohort, 44% progressed to university, 19% started apprenticeships, and 28% entered employment.

For parents, the implication is that the sixth form appears to support multiple pathways rather than funnelling students into a single model of success. Apprenticeships are a material destination route here, so families who value technical and employment-linked progression should ask directly about employer links, application support, and how guidance is delivered across Year 12 and Year 13.

Within school, personal development is treated as a core strand, including careers education and exposure to visiting speakers, which aligns with a destinations picture that includes employment and apprenticeships as well as university.

Year 7 applications are coordinated through Buckinghamshire Council, with a defined annual window for September 2026 entry. For Buckinghamshire residents, applications opened on 4 September 2025 and closed on 31 October 2025, with offers released on 2 March 2026.

The published admission number for Year 7 is 150 for September 2026 entry. Oversubscription is handled through a clear set of criteria, which include priority for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, and then categories such as exceptional medical or social reasons, siblings, catchment, and distance-based tie-break where needed. Where supplementary information forms apply (for example under specific criteria), families should plan early, gather evidence, and submit within the timescales set.

For families comparing options, this is where using FindMySchoolMap Search is particularly helpful. Even without a published “last distance offered” figure in the data available here, understanding your likely travel pattern and realistic alternatives remains central to good shortlisting decisions.

Sixth form admissions have their own entry requirements. The admissions arrangements document sets out a minimum threshold of three GCSE grades at 5 and two GCSE grades at 4, with higher subject-specific requirements in some areas. It also indicates that applications typically close by the second Friday in December each year, and that students may be invited for an informal meeting and tour as part of the process.

Pastoral support shows up as a practical, systems-led approach rather than a slogan. Students are expected to understand routines, and staff are trained to respond quickly when students need help to manage behaviour so learning can restart.

Bullying is handled in a structured way. Students reported that bullying can happen occasionally, but that staff help resolve it, and later reporting reinforces that leaders work with students and families when issues arise.

Safeguarding systems are described as vigilant, with clear staff training, strong recording, and appropriate escalation to external agencies when needed. For parents, the practical question is how those systems translate into communication and response times when a child is anxious, struggling socially, or experiencing conflict. The school has also acknowledged the need to improve communication with parents, and describes engagement events intended to rebuild confidence and address concerns earlier.

The most distinctive feature here is the “societies” model, built into the school day rather than treated as a purely after-school add-on. In official reporting, societies designed to develop interests and wider knowledge are described as popular, with examples including engineering, equine studies, debating, and musical theatre.

This structure matters because it creates predictable access. For students who cannot stay late due to transport, caring responsibilities, or other constraints, a timetable-integrated programme can widen participation, not just reward those with the most flexibility.

There are also smaller signals of breadth. A headteacher letter references a new Cheer club meeting after school in the dance studio, which suggests an attempt to widen the offer beyond the usual sports-and-homework template. Sixth form students are also trained as reading buddies to support younger pupils, and some older students run clubs for younger years, which supports leadership development and cross-year relationships.

Sport and social space are supported by physical facilities mentioned in student-facing materials, including playground areas with picnic space and access to an AstroTurf at break and lunch.

School day timings

the school day is structured around a bell at 8.37am, with teaching periods and tutor time through to 3.10pm.

Breakfast and after-school

a Year 7 welcome guide references breakfast provision from 7.30am at the start of term for new Year 7 intake. Families should confirm current eligibility, cost, and whether any after-school provision operates routinely, as council listings describe before and after school provision as not available.

Transport

the school has previously advised families not to drive up New Road at school times and to use nearby drop-off points to reduce congestion and respect neighbours. For rail, Bourne End station exists as the local stop, and a school document has previously described it as about a 10-minute walk from the academy.

• Academic outcomes are currently below England average. FindMySchool’s GCSE and A-level rankings place the school in the below-average band, so families with highly academic priorities should probe how improvement work is translating into outcomes across subjects, not only in pockets.

• Consistency of classroom practice is still a key issue. Official reporting highlights improvements in curriculum sequencing and assessment, but also notes uneven challenge and uneven adaptation for students with SEND across subjects. This is the right area for sharp questions on visits, especially about how staff are coached and how quality is checked.

• Admissions require planning and evidence. Some oversubscription routes depend on supplementary information and supporting documentation. Families considering those criteria should read policies carefully and prepare early.

• Communication has been a recognised pressure point. A recent safeguarding inspection letter notes increased parental complaints since the previous inspection and a renewed focus on parent engagement. Families who value proactive communication should ask how issues are logged, routed, and resolved.

E-Act Bourne End Academy reads as a school that has invested heavily in culture, routines, and personal development, with safeguarding systems confirmed as effective and a clear attempt to build belonging through societies, leadership roles, and structured pastoral work. Academic outcomes, however, still lag behind England averages in the latest published measures, so the decision often comes down to whether your child will benefit most from the school’s improving climate and wider programme, or whether you need stronger headline attainment now.

Best suited to families who want a structured, improving secondary with a built-in societies model and clear routines, and who are prepared to engage actively with the school on progress, challenge, and communication.