Havant Academy Review 2026: Community secondary with a clear improvement agenda

A school can be both straightforward to understand and hard to judge quickly. Havant Academy is clear about its priorities, it talks consistently about standards, routines and a culture where students work hard and are kind.

The headline context is significant. The graded inspection in February 2025 placed the academy in special measures, with key judgements of Inadequate for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management, plus Requires Improvement for personal development. Since then, the first monitoring visit (published October 2025) describes progress, but also that further work is still required before special measures can be lifted; safeguarding remained effective.

For parents, that combination matters. This is a school where the direction of travel is central to the decision, not just the current snapshot.

The academy’s public language is direct. The values are framed around effort and kindness, and the behavioural focus is tied to simple expectations around readiness and respect. That kind of messaging usually lands best when it is reinforced by consistent classroom routines and predictable consequences.

Student experience is also shaped by structure beyond lessons. The house system is positioned as a key part of belonging, with house competitions, leadership roles such as house captains, and termly celebration assemblies. There is also an established charity element, with the school reporting that over £10,000 has been raised through house charity work across a six-year period. For some students, this is the part of school that creates identity and motivation, particularly if academic confidence is still developing.

Leadership stability is often a leading indicator for schools in an improvement phase. The current headteacher, Victoria Dillon-Thiselton, took up post in May 2024, so the academy’s current approach has been shaped by a relatively new senior leadership team working with trust support.

The most useful way to read performance data here is through both outcomes and trajectory. In the FindMySchool GCSE ranking based on official data, Havant Academy is ranked 3,735rd in England for GCSE outcomes, and 2nd locally in Havant. That position sits below England average overall, within the lower-performing 40% of schools in England.

The GCSE attainment picture in the provided data includes an Attainment 8 score of 30.7 and a Progress 8 score of -0.98, which indicates that, on average, students made less progress than peers nationally with similar starting points in the same period. The EBacc average point score shown is 2.54, and 3.4% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects.

For parents comparing local options, these figures are best used as a baseline and then tested through what the academy is now doing differently. If you are shortlisting several schools, FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools can help you line up GCSE performance indicators side by side, then focus visits on the practical differences that drive outcomes.

The academy’s current improvement narrative focuses on curriculum coherence, consistent teaching routines, and closing knowledge gaps so that students can build learning more securely. This is the right set of priorities for a secondary school serving a broad intake, because small inconsistencies compound quickly between Years 7 and 11.

What this typically means in day-to-day terms is a stronger emphasis on retrieval and revisiting key knowledge, clearer checking of understanding within lessons, and a tighter link between assessment information and what teachers do next. The monitoring visit notes that checks of understanding were happening, but that identified gaps were not always addressed quickly enough, which is a practical detail worth exploring during an open event or meeting with staff.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is described as developing, with an emphasis on ensuring staff understand individual needs well enough to adapt learning, not simply provide resources. For families where SEND support is a priority, this is an area to discuss in detail, including how teachers are trained and how strategies are used consistently across subjects.

Where Students Go Next

Havant Academy is an 11 to 16 secondary, so decisions at the end of Year 11 matter. In practice, most students in the area will be considering local sixth forms and colleges, plus apprenticeships and training routes. The academy references compliance with provider access requirements, which should translate into regular encounters with colleges, training providers and employers so that students can make realistic post-16 choices, not just default options.

A practical question for families is how early guidance starts, and whether it is personalised. For students who are undecided, the best careers programmes do three things well: they introduce pathways early in Key Stage 3, they provide structured guidance in Key Stage 4 (including for apprenticeships), and they help students match destinations to strengths and needs, not only predicted grades.

Admissions for Year 7 are coordinated through Hampshire, rather than directly by the academy. The main round timetable for September 2026 entry is clear: applications open 8 September 2025, the deadline is 31 October 2025, and offers are issued on 2 March 2026.

Hampshire’s school directory lists 140 Year 7 places for September 2026. Families should read the published admissions policy for the relevant year to understand how places are prioritised, especially if catchment areas are changing.

The available admissions figures in the provided data indicate oversubscription, with 96 applications recorded against 75 offers, around 1.28 applications per place. This signals competition, even if it is not at the extreme levels seen in the most oversubscribed schools.

If you are relying on distance criteria, use FindMySchoolMap Search to check your address accurately, and do not assume a place based on past patterns. Distances and criteria interact differently each year depending on applicant distribution.

The monitoring visit describes a strong safeguarding position, including a physical safeguarding hub intended to improve coordination and access for staff and pupils. That kind of operational detail is often a good sign, because it suggests safeguarding is being treated as a system, not simply a policy document.

Behaviour and attendance are highlighted as priorities. The school reports that suspensions were declining gradually and that attendance was improving overall, but also that punctuality remained an issue for too many pupils, with learning missed at the start of the day. For parents, the key question is consistency: are expectations applied the same way across subjects and year groups, and do students see routines as predictable and fair?

Extracurricular life is framed as inclusive and accessible. The academy states that clubs run before school, at break times and after school; they are described as free of charge, with equipment provided where required so students can take part. There is also a rewards and achievement points approach designed to encourage attendance and participation.

The most convincing enrichment programmes are those that connect to wider outcomes. A consistent club routine helps build belonging, which in turn can support attendance and behaviour. It also creates opportunities for students to find an area where they can be seen as successful, which is often a turning point for motivation in Key Stage 3.

The house system adds another layer, with termly competitions, leadership roles, and charity-led events that give students a reason to contribute beyond their own friendship group.

This is a state-funded academy, there are no tuition fees. Families should still plan for the usual secondary costs such as uniform, transport, meals, and optional trips or activities, with details varying by year group and choices.

The academy is in Leigh Park in Havant. For many families, travel will involve a mix of walking, cycling and local bus routes, depending on where you live. Where possible, check the school’s current travel guidance and any parking expectations before term begins, particularly if you anticipate driving at drop-off or pick-up.

Information about the exact start and finish times of the day should be confirmed directly with the academy, as timetables and routines can change during improvement work.

• Special measures context. The February 2025 inspection outcome and subsequent monitoring visit mean the academy is working to a defined improvement plan. This can bring positive momentum, but it can also mean frequent changes to routines, staffing and expectations while the work beds in.

• Behaviour, attendance and punctuality priorities. Improvements are described, but punctuality and consistent engagement remain focus areas. Families should ask how the academy supports students who struggle with routines at first.

• Academic performance baseline. Current GCSE indicators in the provided data are below England average overall, so parents may want to probe what is changing in teaching, curriculum sequencing and intervention, and how impact is measured term by term.

• Admissions competition. Oversubscription is indicated in the available figures. If you are applying from outside the most likely priority area, ensure you have realistic alternatives on your application.

Havant Academy is a school in a structured improvement phase, with clear messages about conduct, learning routines and belonging, and with evidence of progress alongside a candid recognition that more work remains.

It is best suited to families who want a local, mainstream secondary, value predictable expectations, and are willing to engage actively with a school that is changing quickly. The key decision factor is confidence in the academy’s trajectory and in how well its routines will suit your child’s needs and motivation.