Kingsley Academy Review 2026: A calm, inclusive secondary with growing momentum in Feltham

A school day that starts with breakfast club at 07:45 and runs through to a 15:15 finish sets a purposeful tone, especially for families balancing work and travel. Kingsley Academy is a mixed 11 to 18 state secondary serving Feltham and the wider Hounslow area, with sixth form provision and a clear emphasis on standards, routines, and student character. The school’s current leadership places kindness, courage, and curiosity at the centre of its message, alongside a strong focus on reading and oracy.

For parents, the practical headline is simple: there are no tuition fees, entry is coordinated through local authority admissions for Year 7, and the school has recent inspection evidence that points to consistent strengths in behaviour, pastoral support, and the way the curriculum is sequenced. The sixth form is an important part of the offer, but outcomes at post-16 sit below England averages, so fit matters.

The school’s recent external evidence paints a setting where pupils feel safe, expectations are clear, and routines support learning. The tone is best described as orderly and respectful, with a deliberate emphasis on relationships between staff and students, and on building confidence through structured enrichment rather than leaving students to “opt in” to school life.

Values are used as more than branding. Kindness, courage, and curiosity appear repeatedly in the school’s public messaging, and those same ideas show up in the way students are encouraged to take responsibility, speak up, and contribute beyond lessons. Student leadership is well-established, including a student council structure built around tutor groups and year-group representation, plus opportunities linked to local youth democracy. That is often a good indicator for families seeking a school where voice and participation are taken seriously, not treated as a once-a-term activity.

The trust context matters. Kingsley Academy is part of Lift Schools and joined the trust in September 2020, which helps explain the consistency of systems and the emphasis on staff development and shared expectations. For parents, the practical implication is that policies, training, and school improvement support are likely to be shaped by trust-wide frameworks, with local leadership responsible for how those frameworks land in classrooms.

The most recent inspection (25 and 26 March 2025) graded all key areas as Good, including sixth form provision, under the post-September 2024 framework where Ofsted no longer awards a single overall effectiveness grade.

GCSE outcomes (Key Stage 4)

On FindMySchool’s GCSE rankings (based on official data), Kingsley Academy is ranked 2,715th in England and 20th in Hounslow for GCSE outcomes. This sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is best read as solid performance rather than an exam-driven outlier.

The headline measure is an Attainment 8 score of 40.3. Progress is the more encouraging story here. A Progress 8 score of +0.39 indicates that, on average, students make above-average progress from their starting points, a sign that systems and teaching are supporting improvement across the cohort, not only the highest prior attainers.

EBacc indicators are mixed. The average EBacc APS is 3.66, below the England average shown alongside it (4.08), and 12.2% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure listed. For families with strong language and humanities priorities, it is worth exploring how EBacc pathways are structured and supported, and which subject combinations are most common at Key Stage 4.

A-level outcomes (sixth form)

The sixth form picture is more challenging. On FindMySchool’s A-level rankings (based on official data), the sixth form is ranked 1,921st in England and 17th in Hounslow, placing it below England average overall (bottom 40% of providers by rank band).

Grade breakdown shows 2.78% A*, 10.19% A, and 22.22% B, with 35.19% of grades at A* to B. The England comparison provided alongside indicates 23.6% at A* to A and 47.2% at A* to B, so the sixth form is behind the England benchmark on these measures.

What this means in practice is that sixth form can still be a strong fit for some students, particularly those benefiting from a supportive environment, applied routes, and structured routines. Students aiming for highly competitive university courses should look carefully at subject options, independent study expectations, and how academic stretch is built into teaching, because that is the precise area identified as a development point in the latest inspection evidence.

Teaching is described in recent official evidence as structured and clear, with frequent checks on understanding and planned revisiting of prior learning so that knowledge sticks. Reading is explicitly treated as a priority, with tailored support for pupils who need it and an organised wider reading programme so students are not limited to set texts alone.

In classroom terms, the strongest thread is sequencing. Curriculum content is planned progressively, and the aim is that students build knowledge over time rather than jumping between disconnected units. For families, the implication is that students who respond well to clarity, routine, and step-by-step challenge may find the teaching approach reassuring, especially in subjects where confidence grows through repeated practice and cumulative understanding.

The main “next step” academically is stretch for pupils who are ready to move faster or deeper. Recent evidence points to occasions where students could have been pushed into more complex tasks sooner, and to a sixth form priority around independent learning and critical discussion. For parents of high prior attainers, this is worth probing directly: ask how top sets are stretched, what scholarly reading looks like in humanities, and how independent problem-solving is taught in mathematics and sciences.

Destinations data for the 2023/24 leavers cohort shows 77% progressing to university, 11% moving into employment, and 2% into further education, from a cohort of 57 students. Apprenticeships are recorded as 0% for that cohort.

For families, the key interpretation is that university progression is the dominant route, but there is also a meaningful slice of students moving straight into work. That tends to align well with a school that puts visible effort into careers education, provider access, and real-world guidance alongside academic pathways.

Oxbridge outcomes are small-number by nature at a school of this size. The dataset records 3 applications with 0 offers and 0 acceptances in the measurement period. That does not mean ambitious destinations are off the table; it does mean that applicants aiming for Oxford or Cambridge should expect to drive the process actively, and to look for evidence of targeted super-curricular support, high-end reference writing, and structured interview preparation.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through local authority admissions, with Lift Schools as the admissions authority for the school. The school sets out the national pattern clearly: applications open in September and close on the statutory national deadline of 31 October.

For September 2026 entry in Hounslow, the published timetable is precise:

• 1 September 2025: main application period opens

• 31 October 2025: main application period closes

• 2 March 2026: offer day

• 16 March 2026: deadline for accepting an offer

• 13 April 2026: appeal deadline

Open evenings are signposted as happening in early October, which fits the standard rhythm for London secondaries. Parents who want to benchmark their chances should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check realistic travel patterns and to compare nearby alternatives, especially if you are weighing multiple schools with different oversubscription pressures.

Sixth form admissions are promoted as open for September 2026, with applications submitted online through the school’s preferred route. This is useful for external applicants, and also for Year 11 students who want clarity early about subject choices and entry expectations.

Pastoral support comes through strongly in the published evidence. The school is described as caring and inclusive, with students reporting feeling safe. Behaviour is framed as calm and orderly, which matters for learning time, but also for wellbeing, particularly for students who can be anxious in more chaotic settings.

Safeguarding is confirmed as effective in the most recent inspection evidence.

Support for students with special educational needs and disabilities is described as carefully identified and communicated to staff. The implication for families is that the school is set up to spot needs early and to provide consistent classroom adjustments, though parents of children who need regular extension work should still ask how independence and deeper thinking are developed over time, as this is an identified improvement theme.

Extracurricular life at Kingsley Academy is not presented as an optional extra. Evidence points to a deliberately planned enrichment offer, including trips and themed days that build confidence and broaden horizons. Recent examples include culture days that explore identity through music, food, and traditions, plus character development days linked to themes such as anti-bullying and careers, delivered with external partners. The practical benefit is that students who learn best through varied experiences, not only classroom routines, can still find structured opportunities that feel purposeful rather than filler.

Clubs and programmes are also specific enough to be meaningful. Published examples include robotics, photography, drama, and sport, plus a Basketball Academy. Where this matters most is for students who need a “reason to belong” beyond lessons. A well-run club programme can stabilise attendance, build friendships, and create routes into leadership and responsibility.

There are also named enrichment pathways that suggest external partnerships and academic support, including Urban Scholars, Coachbright, and The Brilliant Club, alongside Chess Club, Photography Club, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award. These are the sorts of initiatives that can make a difference for aspiration and confidence, particularly for students who benefit from mentoring, structured academic stretch, or exposure to university-style learning.

Student leadership is another distinguishing feature. The school describes a student council model built around tutor groups and year-group tutor captains, plus representation in local youth structures and charity initiatives such as food collections and fundraising events. For parents, the implication is that leadership roles are normalised and accessible, not reserved for a small subset of students.

The school day is clearly published: breakfast club runs 07:45 to 08:30, Period 1 starts at 08:30, and the final period ends at 15:15. Reception hours are listed as 08:00 to 15:30 on weekdays.

After-school clubs are described as running 15:30 to 16:30, with booking required. There is also a morning Table Tennis and Fitness Club running 08:00 to 08:20.

For travel, the school is within reach of Piccadilly line stations including Hounslow Central and Hounslow East, which can help families balancing public transport with after-school commitments.

• Sixth form outcomes. The A-level grade profile sits below England averages, so students who need a highly academic, independent-study culture should look carefully at subject-by-subject expectations and how scholarship-level stretch is taught.

• Stretch for high attainers. Recent evidence points to times when pupils could move sooner to deeper and more complex tasks. Families of very high prior attainers should ask how challenge is structured, especially in GCSE and A-level classes.

• Admissions timings are fixed. Year 7 entry follows the statutory timetable, with a 31 October deadline and early March offers for September 2026 entry. If you move address or change plans late, you may be relying on late or in-year processes.

• A structured culture may not suit every teenager. Calm routines and clear expectations support learning for many students, but those who thrive on a more informal, highly flexible environment may take time to adjust, particularly in the early months of Year 7.

Kingsley Academy offers a calm, inclusive secondary experience with clear routines, a visible commitment to reading and character, and a well-signposted enrichment programme. It is a sensible option for families seeking a state-funded school with consistent behaviour norms and a structured approach to support and guidance. Best suited to students who benefit from clarity, strong pastoral systems, and enrichment that feels planned and purposeful. The main question mark is sixth form performance relative to England benchmarks, so families considering staying on for Year 12 should explore subject offer, teaching style, and how independent learning is built.