Duke’s Aldridge Review 2026: A Tottenham secondary with rising expectations and strong enrichment

This is a mixed, non-selective secondary academy in Tottenham for students aged 11 to 16, with an established local role and a clear push on standards, routines, and personal development. It sits within Aldridge Education Trust and has been through a recent leadership transition, with Moira Green now Executive Principal.

The most recent Ofsted inspection took place on 29 and 30 April 2025 and graded Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, and Leadership and Management as Good.

Families considering this school typically weigh two things at the outset. First, it is a state school, so there are no tuition fees, and the admissions route is through the local authority. Second, it is a 11–16 school, so post-16 progression is an intentional transition rather than an automatic sixth form pathway.

A key theme in the current school narrative is raised expectations, with clearer routines and a more orderly feel as systems bed in. Students are expected to engage purposefully in lessons, listen attentively, and follow consistent procedures.

Leadership context matters here. Monica Duncan, who led the school for 14 years, retired at the end of the 2023/24 academic year, and the current Executive Principal, Moira Green, took up her post in January 2025. For parents, that means the day-to-day experience is shaped by relatively recent strategic decisions and a still-settling operational rhythm.

The culture emphasises respect and inclusion, and students are expected to understand and value difference. The school also positions personal development as more than a timetabled add-on, with structured enrichment and external connections intended to build confidence and resilience.

On FindMySchool’s GCSE performance ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 3,259th in England and 14th in Haringey. This places outcomes below England average overall, within the lower 40% of secondary schools in England.

The latest available dataset shows:

• Attainment 8 score of 38.5

• Progress 8 score of -0.05 (broadly in line with national expectations, slightly below)

• EBacc average point score of 3.38, compared with an England average of 4.08

External evaluation adds important nuance. Official inspection evidence describes improving achievement across the school, while also noting that published outcomes for 2024 did not fully reflect that improvement trajectory.

Parents comparing nearby options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these results side-by-side using the Comparison Tool, particularly if you are balancing travel time against outcomes.

Curriculum intent is broad and academically anchored, with a clear expectation that students study core GCSEs and engage with EBacc elements. At Key Stage 4, students take GCSEs in English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and Combined Science, plus at least one EBacc subject from Geography, History, German, French, Triple Science, or Computer Science.

Teaching practice is described as structured and increasingly consistent. Staff use strategies such as regular review of key content and routine checks for understanding, then adapt teaching to address gaps as they appear. This is the kind of approach that tends to suit students who benefit from clear explanations, predictable lesson routines, and frequent recap rather than purely independent discovery learning.

Reading is given explicit attention. Students read regularly during tutor time, and those in early stages of learning to read are identified quickly and supported to improve fluency. For families with a child who needs a strong literacy push in Key Stage 3, this is a meaningful indicator of focus and capacity.

With an 11–16 age range, transition planning for Year 11 is a central part of the experience. The school’s Futures and careers materials focus on helping students understand post-16 routes, including apprenticeships and traineeships, and how to prepare a CV and secure work experience.

Careers education is positioned as embedded, supported by structured activities from Year 7 onwards through Aldridge Connect, with an enhanced strand (Connect+) intended to provide additional support where needed.

What this means in practice is that progression should be considered as a planned, supported move to a sixth form or college rather than a default internal route. A Year 11 “college application day” is one example of how the school organises decision-making and applications support as students approach 16.

Admissions for Year 7 are coordinated through the local authority, and the Published Admission Number (PAN) is 210.

For September 2026 entry (Haringey coordinated admissions), the key dates are: applications open 01 September 2025; the application deadline is 31 October 2025; offer day is 02 March 2026; the acceptance deadline is 16 March 2026; and the appeal deadline is 13 April 2026.

Where the school is oversubscribed, priority follows a standard hierarchy. Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are placed ahead of other allocations; then looked-after and previously looked-after children; then a limited number of children of staff in shortage posts; then siblings; then a limited number of children of staff with two or more years’ service; then distance from home to school. If applications are still tied, the policy uses random allocation as a tie-break.

For families making location-sensitive decisions, it is sensible to use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check your exact home-to-school distance and to compare that against the local authority’s measurement approach described in the admissions policy.

Pastoral systems are closely linked to behaviour routines and attendance. The school describes clearer procedures and a calmer environment over time, alongside more considered support for students who need help managing behaviour. A practical implication for families is that most students should benefit from consistent expectations, while a minority may still experience disruption if peers are persistently struggling with conduct.

Attendance is treated as a priority area, with a stated focus on understanding barriers to attendance and making the school a welcoming place students want to attend.

The April 2025 inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Enrichment is a genuine feature here, both in the inspection evidence and in school-facing materials. Activities referenced include swimming, Haringey Young Musicians, and a range of sports clubs, with the wider programme using links with local organisations and employers to develop character and resilience.

The school’s own materials point to a wide menu of clubs and opportunities, including AI club, Chess club, Reading club, Coding club, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme. There is also an emphasis on competitions and performance, with references to robotics challenges, debating competitions, and the choir “Duke’s Voices” performing at the Royal Albert Hall.

For families who value music access, one distinctive commitment is subsidised instrumental tuition, described as an 80% reduction in the overall cost of lessons, with up to 10 different instruments offered. This can make the difference between music being a niche option and an accessible part of school life.

The school site is open to students from 8am until 4pm, Monday to Friday, with the school day ending at 3:20pm. Total taught time per week is stated as 32 hours and 55 minutes (including breaks, excluding after-school provision).

The Learning Resource Centre is positioned as a practical homework base, open from 8:15am to 4:30pm on weekdays, with computers and study resources available.

Facilities described include eight science laboratories, a computer room, mobile laptops for classroom use, plus wider spaces such as an Astro-Turf pitch, theatre, swimming pool, and dance studio.

Transport-wise, the school highlights two rail options, via White Hart Lane station or Northumberland Park station, plus local bus routes referenced for the surrounding area.

• Academic outcomes sit below England average. The FindMySchool GCSE ranking places the school in the lower 40% in England, so families prioritising top-end exam performance often compare carefully across nearby alternatives.

• SEND consistency is a stated improvement priority. External evaluation notes that support for pupils with SEND has not been consistently precise or well adapted across lessons, with improvement expected through better information and classroom adjustments.

• Behaviour is improving, but not uniform for every student. Most pupils benefit from clearer routines, yet some still miss learning due to conduct, so families may want to ask specific questions about early intervention and on-call systems.

• No sixth form. Students move on at 16, so the quality of guidance, applications support, and local post-16 fit matters more than it does in a 11–18 setting.

Duke’s Aldridge is best understood as a Tottenham community secondary with a clear direction of travel, stronger routines, and a well-developed enrichment and careers offer. The most recent inspection evidence supports a picture of improving teaching consistency and wider opportunities, alongside specific areas where families should probe, especially SEND adaptation and the small group whose behaviour still interrupts learning.

It suits families who want a structured school day, strong personal development, and meaningful enrichment access, including music and employer links, and who are comfortable planning a post-16 transition at the end of Year 11. Families interested in this option can use the Saved Schools feature to manage their shortlist and track application milestones across multiple schools.