The London Screen Academy Review 2026: A specialist sixth form built around Film and TV careers

This is a state-funded sixth form academy for students aged 16 to 19, designed around the realities of screen industry work rather than a traditional A-level-only model. Founded with backing from leading UK film and TV figures, it positions practical production, professional behaviours, and industry networks as core curriculum, not optional enrichment.

The headline external judgement is clear. The May 2023 Ofsted inspection graded the provider Outstanding across all areas, including education programmes for young people.

Results data available for A-level grades indicates a mid-pack national position for outcomes compared with other 16 to 19 providers. The bigger story, and the deciding factor for many families, is fit: this setting suits students who want a structured route into film and television, and who are ready for a heavy project load, tight deadlines, and frequent critique, as part of their education.

The academy’s identity is unusually explicit: it is meant to diversify the screen industries, and to widen access to roles that have historically been hard to enter without networks. That aim shows up not just in marketing language but in the way the provider describes its partnerships, its outreach, and its inclusion work.

Leadership is split between school-level and trust-level roles. Sam Summerson is listed as the current Principal, and is also shown as an ex officio member of the local governing body. The academy sits within the Day One Trust, and governance features recognisable industry names, including Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, David Heyman and Barbara Broccoli. For students, that is not a celebrity roll call, it is a practical indicator that industry credibility is baked into oversight and strategy.

What the day-to-day experience tends to feel like, based on formal reports and the academy’s own descriptions, is purposeful and professionally oriented. Students are expected to behave like crew members as well as learners: punctuality, collaboration, and responsibility for kit and workflow are not treated as “nice to haves”, they are essential.

This is a post-16 provider, so the most relevant published attainment indicators are the 16 to 19 measures rather than GCSE performance. On A-level grade distribution, the available figures show:

• 5.15% of grades at A*

• 8.25% of grades at A

• 29.9% of grades at B

• 43.3% of grades at A* to B

For context, the England average share of A* to A is 23.6%, and A* to B is 47.2%.

Rankings data places the provider at 1,566th in England and 8th locally (Islington) for A-level outcomes, a proprietary FindMySchool ranking based on official data. In plain English, this sits in line with the middle 35% of providers in England (25th to 60th percentile). This is not a red flag in itself for a specialist creative provider, but it does matter for students aiming for highly academic university routes where top grade profiles are the primary currency.

The implication for families is straightforward. Students for whom the specialist diploma and industry route is the priority may accept a more “typical” A-level ranking as an acceptable trade-off. Students targeting highly selective academic degrees should look closely at subject availability, teaching time, and the balance between production commitments and exam preparation.

The curriculum is designed backwards from industry tasks. The academy describes building its curriculum with industry to identify the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for screen work, with concrete examples such as operating a radio microphone or editing a montage.

At Level 3, the admissions policy sets out a UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication, described as equivalent to three A-levels, alongside the opportunity to study English or Maths up to A-level depending on starting points. This matters because it signals a programme that is both large in volume and integrated by design. A student who prefers clear separation between “academic study” and “creative work” may find the blending challenging. A student who learns best through making, iterating, and presenting can find it a strong match.

External review evidence also highlights the academy’s use of regular industry masterclasses, mentoring, and work experience opportunities that include on-set and post-production contexts, with explicit attention to professional etiquette. The educational implication is that learning is framed as a progression towards employability, not just qualification completion, and that feedback loops look more like industry dailies than classroom marking in many parts of the programme.

Where Students Go Next

For many families, “next steps” here are not limited to university. The stated intent is progression to either employment or higher education, with an emphasis on being “industry ready” by programme end.

On destination outcomes for the 2023/24 cohort, 28% progressed to university, 4% to further education, and 26% to employment. Apprenticeships are recorded at 0% for that cohort. These figures do not capture the full nuance of creative progression, where short courses, freelance entry routes, and portfolio-led opportunities can sit outside standard categories, but they do provide a grounded baseline for parent expectations.

At Level 4, the academy describes two free one-year routes for 18-year-olds as an alternative to university, with Film Production focused on joining a working crew and creating a fully funded short film, and Creative Enterprise focused on campaigns and pitching ideas to industry professionals. The implication is that a student can plan a structured two-step pathway: Level 3 for broad craft and production foundations, then Level 4 for a more intensive bridge into work, if they meet eligibility requirements and secure a place.

Admissions are direct rather than local-authority coordinated in the way Year 7 is. The process published on the academy’s admissions page sets out an online application, followed by interview stages, conditional offers, and then final confirmation after results and enrolment checks.

Entry requirements are explicit on the application guidance. For Level 3, students need at least four GCSEs at grades 4 to 9, including English and or Maths, and the academy states that students will not be able to enrol without passing both English and Maths. For Level 4, the admissions policy states a minimum of grade 4 in English and Maths GCSE, plus a Merit or above at Level 3 (or equivalent).

Oversubscription is a real consideration and is handled in a structured way. For September 2026 entry, the admissions policy states 374 Year 12 places, split across pathways: 132 Technical, 88 Post Production, 88 Craft, and 66 Production Management. Applicants are asked to choose two pathways, and if a pathway is oversubscribed, a second choice may be offered. Priority criteria include eligible Education, Health and Care Plans, looked-after children, children in need, free school meals, refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds, and an applicant score from assessment stages; ties can be broken by distance and then by random ballot.

Open events are a practical part of the admissions journey because they help students understand whether the culture of critique and production work suits them. The academy lists a February open event on 10 February 2026 (evening session). Families should use the FindMySchool Saved Schools feature to track open event attendance, portfolio milestones, and application tasks across multiple sixth form options.

The strongest evidence here points to a setting that takes inclusion and student safety seriously, with students reporting confidence in staff support and access to wellbeing interventions such as talking or art therapy signposting. Ofsted also reported that safeguarding culture is strong, with students clear on who to speak to and staff acting promptly when concerns arise.

A specialist creative environment can be emotionally demanding. Students are producing public-facing work, receiving frequent feedback, and often collaborating in teams where reliability matters. The pastoral challenge is to maintain high professional expectations without letting pressure drift into avoidable anxiety. The published materials suggest the academy is alert to that balance, but families should still ask direct questions at open events about workload peaks, deadline management support, and how staff respond when a student’s confidence dips after critique.

Here, “extracurricular” often blends into core experience. The academy’s model relies on external-facing opportunities that many sixth forms would classify as enrichment. Formal reporting highlights weekly masterclasses with high-profile industry professionals, mentoring relationships, and work experience opportunities that include on-set and post-production contexts.

Specific named activities and community structures add texture. Equality groups, including a Pride group, are referenced in formal inspection evidence as part of student-led inclusion work, including events and screenings. The events schedule also shows youth-facing programming beyond admissions, such as KLERB, a recurring film and TV social club aimed at younger teens, which signals a broader outreach identity and a culture that expects students to talk about screen work critically and socially, not only produce it.

The key implication for students is that participation is not about padding a personal statement, it is about building confidence, networks, and habits that translate directly into creative work. Students who prefer quieter, individually paced study should consider whether this level of outward-facing activity feels energising or draining.

Term dates are published, with the academic year 2025/26 starting in early September 2025 and Year 12 finishing in mid-July 2026, while Year 13 and Level 4 finish in late May 2026. The website does not clearly publish a standard daily start and finish time for student timetables in the pages reviewed, so families should confirm the daily schedule directly during an open event.

For travel, local authority guidance references nearby stations including Highbury and Islington, Drayton Park, Canonbury, and Holloway Road, with bus routes including 4, 19, 36, and 263. Families comparing commuting feasibility can use the FindMySchool Map Search to test realistic door-to-door travel times at peak hours.

• Creative specialism is a commitment. The programme is designed around production and professional practice. Students who primarily want a conventional academic sixth form experience may find the balance of project work and industry framing less comfortable.

• Entry is conditional and competitive. Places for September 2026 are capped and split by pathway, and applicants can be moved to second choice pathways if first choices fill. If a student is set on one discipline, it is important to understand the flexibility expected.

• English and Maths requirements are strict. The academy states that students cannot enrol without passing both English and Maths at GCSE, which can be a deal-breaker for students expecting to retake while starting full-time study elsewhere.

• EHCP progress tracking was identified as a development point. Formal reporting indicates that staff do not always track effectively how much progress students make towards achieving Education, Health and Care Plan outcomes. Families of students with EHCPs should ask specific questions about monitoring, review points, and adjustments.

The London Screen Academy is a distinctive, state-funded option for students who want a serious route into film and television, and who will thrive with frequent feedback, team production, and industry-facing expectations. Outcomes on A-level measures sit around the middle of providers in England, so the value proposition is less about pure grade dominance and more about specialist preparation, networks, and a curriculum built around screen work. Best suited to students who are motivated by making, collaborating, and iterating under deadline, and who want their sixth form years to resemble professional creative practice as much as formal study.