Stewards Academy - Science Specialist, Harlow Review 2026: Secondary provision with a clear improvement agenda

A school can be in a rebuilding phase and still offer real strengths for families who want stability, clear routines, and a strong focus on personal development. That is the current picture here. The latest inspection judgement is Requires Improvement, with personal development graded Good, and safeguarding confirmed as effective.

Since September 2024, headteacher Stephen Drew has set an explicit improvement narrative, backed by a whole-school framework called the STEPS curriculum and a values model captured in the acronym COURAGE. The structure is purposeful, from Morning Prep and planned classroom routines, through to a wider enrichment offer called the Phoenix Curriculum.

For parents weighing this option, the key question is fit. This is a mainstream, mixed secondary serving ages 11 to 16, with Year 7 entry through Essex’s coordinated admissions system, and it is currently oversubscribed.

A clear feature of the school’s current identity is the language it uses to describe the student experience. The values acronym COURAGE expands to Confidence, Opportunity, Unity, Resilience, Appreciation, Generosity and Enjoyment, and it is positioned as something that should show up in assemblies, enrichment, and classroom expectations rather than sitting as a slogan.

The STEPS curriculum provides the operational spine. Its “Stewards Learner” strand links directly to routines such as Morning Prep, the House System, and Afternoon Prep for restorative conversations and catch-up. The House System is explicitly named as Valour, Prowess, Bravery and Fortitude, and it is intended to create belonging and healthy competition across tutor groups.

There is also a strong emphasis on student voice and participation. The school describes regular pupil voice meetings, including School Council, Peer Mentors, and an LGBTQ group, alongside a charity team and other representative groups. This matters because schools in an improvement cycle need feedback loops that feel credible to students, not just top-down policy.

Leadership is also part of the story. Stephen Drew is presented as the new headteacher from September 2024, and he frames the work as an “improvement journey”, with an invitation to families to engage and ask questions.

On the FindMySchool GCSE outcomes ranking, performance sits below England average. Ranked 3555th in England and 6th in Harlow for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school falls within the lower band, meaning it sits below England average overall.

The attainment and progress indicators point in the same direction. The most recent dataset shows an Attainment 8 score of 33.5, an EBACC APS of 2.99, and a Progress 8 score of -1.01, which indicates students, on average, made substantially less progress than similar students nationally from their starting points.

What this means for families is straightforward. If your child is academically self-driven and needs minimal scaffolding, they may cope well, but most students will benefit from tight teaching routines and consistent behaviour expectations, because that is what creates the conditions for learning to stick. The improvement work described in the curriculum model is therefore not cosmetic, it is central to outcomes.

Parents comparing results locally should use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view GCSE indicators side by side with nearby options, then align that data with what you see in curriculum plans and classroom routines during visits.

The school’s internal model is unusually explicit about how learning should work day to day. “Teaching First” is described as relying on well-developed schemes of learning and clearly structured lessons, with an additional Study Skills Programme to help pupils feel prepared for revision and exams.

There is also a focus on retrieval and recap routines, described through approaches such as short starter tasks intended to revisit prior learning. The important implication is that students who have gaps from earlier stages should, in theory, see more systematic rebuilding of knowledge over time, assuming routines are consistently applied.

Support for pupils with additional needs is referenced through a specific provision called “Bridge”, described as helping pupils with special educational needs and disabilities access the curriculum. For families of children with SEND, the practical question to test is how consistently classroom teachers adapt teaching, not just what specialist teams can provide outside lessons.

Where Students Go Next

With an 11 to 16 age range, the key destination is post-16 progression to local sixth forms and colleges. The school’s careers offer includes access to an independent careers adviser, a careers education programme, guest speakers, promotion of Year 10 work experience, resources including Unifrog, and drop-in sessions.

A practical strength is the way the school signposts open events and deadlines for colleges and sixth forms, helping students and families plan ahead rather than leaving decisions late in Year 11.

For students considering vocational routes, the curriculum is described as including vocational options in key stage 4, and the careers programme is framed as preparation for further education and employment. The fit question here is whether your child is likely to thrive with applied pathways, alongside a core academic programme, and whether the guidance process helps them choose routes that remain open rather than narrowing too early.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Essex County Council, with the school’s published guidance for September 2026 entry stating applications open 12 September 2025 and close 31 October 2025, with offers issued 02 March 2026.

Demand is currently higher than supply. The admissions dataset shows 296 applications for 176 offers, which equates to about 1.68 applications per place, and the school is marked as oversubscribed.

In terms of process, admissions are non-selective. The admissions policy states that pupils are admitted without reference to ability or aptitude, within the framework of the local authority’s coordinated scheme.

Open events appear to follow an established annual rhythm. A news item describes an annual open evening in September, and the school has also advertised open day tours in October in a recent cycle. Dates change each year, so families should treat this as a typical pattern and verify the current schedule on the school website.

Parents thinking in catchment terms should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check travel feasibility and realistic alternatives, then align that with published admissions criteria and any priority area rules.

The personal development judgement from the latest inspection is Good, which aligns with the school’s emphasis on confidence-building, leadership roles, and participation routes such as prefects and school council structures.

A distinctive pastoral element is the presence of Place2Be, described as a well-established team providing emotional support, with both universal and targeted services for young people, alongside parent support and consultation for staff. This matters in secondary settings because transition pressures and adolescent anxiety often show up indirectly through attendance, behaviour, and engagement.

There is also evidence of a deliberately structured day. A tutor check-in is built into the timetable after Period 5, and the school differentiates between invitation-only academic prep and directed afternoon prep, which suggests a targeted approach to catch-up and support.

The enrichment model is branded, which is useful because it signals intentionality. The Phoenix Curriculum is presented as the umbrella for extra-curricular activities, and the Phoenix Challenge turns participation into a structured record of achievement with Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels across strands such as community participation, learning beyond the timetable, reading for pleasure, and independent learning.

Specific examples matter more than general claims, and there are several that stand out:

• Rocket Club, explicitly described as designing, building and flying rockets, alongside a broader enrichment offer referenced in the inspection narrative.

• A STEM after-school club focused on BBC MicroBit projects intended to strengthen the wider science curriculum, supported by an industry-sponsored STEM ambassador.

• Debate Club, Creative Writing Club, and Chess Club, giving a mix of academic confidence-building and structured social spaces.

• Arts and performance activity, including rehearsal programmes such as a whole-school production cycle.

Facilities also contribute to breadth. The school hosts a swimming programme aligned to the Swim England Learn to Swim Framework, with pathways beyond lessons for those who want a performance route.

The published school day runs from 08:45 (start of the formal day) to 15:15 (close of the formal day). Breakfast Club is listed from 08:15, and the programme after 15:15 includes clubs, fixtures, and targeted prep sessions for some students.

Transport support is aligned to Essex guidance. The school summarises eligibility for free home to school transport for mainstream secondary pupils, including distance thresholds and low-income provisions. For rail travel, Harlow Town is commonly the nearest major station used by families in the area, with local bus links serving Staple Tye and surrounding estates.

• Inspection profile and consistency. The May 2024 inspection outcome is Requires Improvement, with Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, and Leadership and Management graded Requires Improvement. Personal development is graded Good, and safeguarding is effective.

• Outcomes remain a key issue. Progress 8 of -1.01 and the lower-band ranking position indicate that sustained improvement in teaching consistency and behaviour routines needs to translate into measurable attainment gains over time.

• Oversubscription adds pressure to decision-making. With more applications than places, families should have credible alternatives and keep an eye on the local authority timeline for coordinated admissions.

• No sixth form on site. Post-16 planning matters earlier, and families should engage with the careers programme and open-event information from Year 10 onwards.

This is a mainstream community-facing secondary that is being repositioned through a clear internal framework, with a visible emphasis on personal development, enrichment, and structured routines. It will suit families who want a school that is direct about its improvement priorities, values student participation, and can offer pastoral capacity through established support such as Place2Be. The central decision is whether the trajectory in teaching consistency and behaviour is moving fast enough for your child’s needs, particularly if strong academic outcomes are the primary driver.