City Heights E-ACT Academy Review 2026: A calm, structured 11 to 18 academy in Tulse Hill

This is a state secondary and sixth form serving the Tulse Hill area of Lambeth, with a strong emphasis on behaviour, routines, and personal development. Since taking up the headship at the start of the 2023 to 2024 academic year, Marvin Charles has set a clear direction that links day to day standards with longer term destinations.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (29 to 30 September 2021, published 14 December 2021) judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding judgements for Behaviour and attitudes and for Personal development.

Academically, the published GCSE picture is mixed. The school’s GCSE outcomes rank 3,244th in England and 16th in Lambeth (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). Progress 8 sits at -0.37, indicating that, on average, pupils made less progress than similar pupils nationally from their starting points.

The school’s strongest public signal is its focus on calm, respectful conduct and consistent adult expectations. Formal assessment evidence describes a purposeful learning climate, where pupils understand behaviour systems and staff apply them consistently, which in turn supports settled classrooms and predictable corridors.

A second thread is character formation through structured opportunities beyond lessons. The school has framed its values as a practical daily language, expressed in the acronym C.H.E.A (Courageous, Helpful, Excellence, Ambassadors), and it has linked this to an enrichment programme designed to broaden horizons and build confidence.

Partnership work is unusually prominent for a local comprehensive intake. The long running link with Dulwich College has included subject and mentoring activity for younger year groups, alongside projects connected to Science CREST Award work. For families, this matters less as a badge and more as a mechanism, it brings external expertise, exposure, and expectation-setting into the weekly rhythm of school life.

City Heights opened in September 2013, and the academy’s identity is closely tied to trust infrastructure and external partnerships rather than a long established single site tradition.

GCSE performance measures suggest a school that still has work to do on headline outcomes, even while its conduct and personal development story is stronger.

GCSE outcomes (most recent dataset figures available)

• Attainment 8: 36.7

• Progress 8: -0.37

• EBacc average point score: 3.38

• Percentage achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc: 8.6%

Those numbers point to a cohort that, on average, has not yet converted improved learning conditions into consistently stronger grades at scale. The Progress 8 figure is especially important for parents because it adjusts for starting points. A negative score indicates that outcomes, overall, are below what would be expected for pupils with similar prior attainment.

Ranking context (FindMySchool ranking based on official data)

Ranked 3,244th in England and 16th in Lambeth for GCSE outcomes, which places the school below the England average overall when viewed through the school’s percentile banding.

For sixth form, the dataset does not provide an A-level grade breakdown for this school, so the most reliable way to judge post 16 outcomes is to ask for the school’s latest published results and retention information at open events or meetings.

Parents comparing nearby schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these GCSE measures side by side, rather than relying on general reputation.

Evidence points to a curriculum designed around sequencing and careful knowledge building, with frequent checking for recall and misconceptions. In practice, that typically means lessons that revisit prior content, explicit teaching of vocabulary, and structured assessment cycles that feed into reteaching.

Reading has been positioned as a whole school priority, supported by library based activity for Years 7 to 9 and deliberate support for reading confidence and wider reading choices.

At subject level, published curriculum intent material in English shows a deliberately wide set of texts across centuries and continents, and a strong emphasis on writing and oracy. Enrichment examples connected to English include theatre trips, author talks, a writing club, and Debate Mate sessions.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities has been described as effective, with pupils learning the same planned knowledge as peers, supported by lesson structures that help pupils with different needs access the curriculum.

Where Students Go Next

The school does not publish destination numbers in the provided dataset, and it does not include an Oxbridge or general destinations breakdown for this school. As a result, the most responsible approach is to focus on the structures that shape progression rather than claiming percentages.

Careers education appears to be planned across year groups, with pupils meeting employers and post 16 providers. The stated aim is to help pupils make informed choices about next steps rather than leaving decision-making to the end of Year 11.

Practical employability elements show up in published curriculum information, including Futures Week, CV training, and mock interviews. For families, the implication is straightforward, students who engage early with these activities tend to make more confident post 16 choices and are better prepared for competitive applications.

Within the sixth form, entry is available to internal and external students who meet minimum requirements, and enrolment for sixth form courses begins on GCSE results day.

Year 7 admissions route

Year 7 entry is coordinated through the Pan-London and Lambeth admissions process, using the Common Application Form submitted to a child’s home local authority.

For September 2026 entry, the published local authority deadline is 31 October 2025, with late applications processed after offers have been generated on 02 March 2026.

The school’s published admission number is 120 for Year 7.

If applications exceed places, the published oversubscription priorities include, in order, children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, looked after and previously looked after children, exceptional medical or social need (supported via a supplementary form), siblings, eligibility for Pupil Premium or Service Pupil Premium (supported via a supplementary form), children of qualifying staff, then distance from the school.

If you are trying to judge how realistic entry is from your address, the FindMySchoolMap Search is the practical step, it helps families check distances accurately and compare with any published local authority allocation information when available.

Sixth form admissions route

The sixth form published admission number is 120 for Year 12, with places offered first to eligible internal students, then to external applicants who meet entry requirements.

Applications are stated to close by the second Friday in December each year. Minimum entry requirements are a minimum of three GCSE grades at 5 and two GCSE grades at 4 (or equivalents), with some subjects requiring a grade 6 in that subject to proceed.

Daily wellbeing is closely tied to routines and predictable adult responses. When behaviour systems are clear and consistently applied, pupils spend less energy managing uncertainty and more energy on learning. The school’s documented approach emphasises responsibility, respect, and calm learning spaces, with pupils reporting that they can raise concerns with staff.

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

SEND support is positioned as access to the same curriculum, rather than a separate track. The inspection evidence describes pupils with SEND receiving effective support so they learn the same planned content as peers, which is a strong marker for inclusion when it is done well.

Extracurricular and enrichment are presented as a core part of the offer rather than a bolt on. For Year 7, published examples include Math Club, Textiles, Robotics, Science Club, Film Club, STEM Club, and International Food Cuisine, giving pupils multiple entry points whether they prefer problem solving, making, or creative media.

There is also evidence of a broader enrichment menu over time, with activities cited in policy documentation including chess club, boxing, pottery, street dancing, a newspaper club, gardening club, maths challenge, science club, and debating. For families, the practical value here is social belonging, pupils who find “their thing” in Year 7 or Year 8 often show better attendance, higher engagement, and improved confidence in class.

Academic enrichment is not limited to generic “revision sessions”. Published materials reference structured maths support such as “Problem of the week” activities and booster sessions, plus puzzle and Mastermind style clubs. In English, Debate Mate sessions and writing opportunities extend the curriculum beyond exam technique.

Partnership work adds additional texture. The Dulwich College link has included mentoring for younger pupils and Science CREST Award related projects, and Ofsted evidence references initiatives with Manchester United that sit alongside careers planning and participation tracking.

Trips and experiences appear to be used deliberately as well. The summer 2025 newsletter references visits such as Google headquarters tours, and cultural trips including museums and galleries, which suggests a strategy focused on widening horizons rather than relying on local familiarity alone.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

Published opening times show a start at 08:20, with finish times of 15:00 on Monday and Friday and 15:50 Tuesday to Thursday.

For transport, published visitor information identifies Tulse Hill as the nearest train station and notes direct trains from London Bridge and London Blackfriars, with Brixton as the nearest Tube station for the Victoria line plus onward bus connections.

Term dates are published, including half term and INSET patterns, which is useful for families coordinating childcare and work schedules across multiple schools.

Wraparound care is not clearly published in the sources accessed for this review. Families who need breakfast or after school provision should ask the school directly about current availability and times.

• GCSE outcomes remain a challenge. Progress 8 at -0.37 suggests pupils have not yet made the progress expected from their starting points. For families prioritising exam results above all else, it is sensible to ask what has changed since the last published outcomes and how improvement is being tracked.

• Sixth form evidence needs checking. The dataset does not provide an A-level grade breakdown here. If post 16 is a key factor, ask for the latest results, subject uptake, and retention from Year 12 into Year 13.

• Subject breadth question from the last inspection. The 2021 inspection identified limited access to design and technology for some year groups at that time, with plans to expand. Families should ask how design and technology is delivered now, and whether access is weekly or via collapsed timetable days.

• Admissions deadlines are fixed and early. For September 2026 entry, the key deadline is 31 October 2025, which arrives quickly once Year 6 begins. Late applications are treated differently, so families should plan paperwork well ahead.

City Heights offers a structured, calm learning environment with strong behaviour and personal development markers, and a clear attempt to broaden horizons through partnerships and enrichment. Academic outcomes at GCSE level still sit below where most families would want them, so the key question is trajectory and how consistently improved routines are translating into better grades.

Who it suits: families in Lambeth seeking an inclusive local secondary with a strong focus on conduct, safety, and character, and who value enrichment and partnerships as part of a wider personal development plan. For families whose priority is the strongest exam outcomes available locally, it is worth comparing options carefully and asking detailed questions about recent improvement impact.