Bacon’s College Review 2026: Church of England secondary with a clear character focus and a growing sixth form

A London secondary where faith, personal development and academic ambition sit side by side. Bacon’s College is a Church of England academy in Rotherhithe, part of United Learning, with students aged 11 to 19 and a published capacity of 1,200.

The latest Ofsted inspection (8 and 9 June 2022) judged the school Good across all areas, including sixth form provision. That overall picture matters for parents, but the details matter more: the report highlights a strong sense of community, calm routines and a curriculum built to help pupils achieve well across a wide subject range.

Leadership is stable. The current principal is Mr James Wilson; local reporting indicates he was appointed when the school joined United Learning in 2018. For families weighing fit, the distinctive ingredient is “Education With Character”, a defined programme of enrichment, service and leadership, not just a list of clubs.

The school is explicit about its Church of England identity, but it positions itself as inclusive of students of all faiths and none. Daily collective worship and chaplaincy are presented as a practical part of school life rather than an add-on, with pastoral support framed around moral and spiritual development as well as academic progress.

A notable feature is the emphasis on relationships and conflict resolution. Student mediation is not described as symbolic leadership; it is presented as a real mechanism for helping pupils manage fall-outs before they escalate. This is reinforced by external evidence that behaviour expectations are clear and consistently applied, which supports a calmer day for pupils who learn best in structured environments.

The “character” lens also shapes how enrichment is organised. Rather than relying solely on weekly clubs, the school runs an Enrichment Fortnight in July for Year 7 to Year 10 and Year 12, combining personal, social and health education, careers activity, cultural experiences across London, community engagement and rewards trips. The implication for families is that personal development is planned into the calendar, not left to those who self-select into extracurriculars.

Historically, the school’s roots are unusually clear for a modern London academy. The school sets out its founding as 1703, established through the legacy of Josiah Bacon to educate local children, with the early curriculum aimed at practical literacy and numeracy. That origin story is used to connect current purpose to community service and aspiration.

The school’s GCSE outcomes sit broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), based on the available England ranking band. In practice, that indicates solid performance with room for meaningful upward movement rather than either consistent underperformance or elite selectivity.

Ranked 1,297th in England and 16th in Southwark for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data)

On key measures, the picture is mixed in a way parents can use for decision-making:

• Attainment 8: 51.5.

• Progress 8: +0.4, indicating students make above-average progress from their starting points.

• EBacc: 20% achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc measure; EBacc average point score is 4.58, compared with an England reference of 4.08.

The implication is that the school is not defined by narrow entry requirements or a selective intake, but it does appear to add value across the cohort. For families, that typically translates into stronger outcomes for students who respond well to consistent expectations and structured teaching.

A-level results sit in a similar “solid middle” band nationally in the available ranking, again suggesting reliability rather than extreme outcomes at either end.

Ranked 1,066th in England and 12th in Southwark for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data)

For grade distribution, 57.06% of entries were A* to B, compared with an England reference of 47.2%. A* to A totals 20.85% (A* 2.45% plus A 18.4%), compared with an England reference of 23.6%.

Used carefully, this suggests a sixth form where a broad group can secure strong grades, while the very top end is present but not the dominant story.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these measures alongside nearby schools in Southwark, especially if you are weighing Progress 8 versus raw attainment.

The curriculum is designed to build knowledge in sequence and to help pupils apply what they already know to more complex material over time. External evidence describes subject leaders defining key knowledge carefully, with repetition and increasing complexity, and highlights the use of regular checking for recall, particularly in older year groups.

The most useful nuance for parents is where development work is focused. The same evidence base indicates that recall and secure retrieval are less consistent in Years 7 to 9 than they are in Years 10 and 11 and the sixth form. The implication is straightforward: younger pupils who need more frequent checking and practice may benefit from strong family routines around independent study and homework, while the school’s internal systems appear strongest later on.

Reading is treated as a cross-curricular priority rather than a single-department initiative. A structured reading programme includes tutors reading quality literature regularly, with the stated aim of widening vocabulary and exposure to a broad range of authors.

For high-attaining pupils and those who benefit from academic stretch, there are named programmes rather than generic “extension”. The King’s Scholars partnership connects Key Stage 3 pupils with university-focused learning and practical knowledge about student life and finance, while the Brilliant Club involves university-style tutorials led by PhD tutors, plus trips to competitive universities and a substantial written assignment.

Where Students Go Next

For most families, destinations data is most meaningful when it links to real preparation, not just aspiration. The school’s sixth form enrichment offer explicitly includes Oxbridge mentoring, university-facing talks and structured leadership roles, and external evidence notes university visits including Oxford and Cambridge colleges.

The available destination outcomes for the most recent cohort (2023/24 leavers) show:

• 62% progressed to university

• 3% progressed to further education

• 4% started apprenticeships

• 13% entered employment

Oxbridge outcomes in the same measurement period show 5 applications, 1 offer and 1 acceptance.

The implication is that the sixth form is building credible routes across different pathways. University is the main route for the majority, but apprenticeships and employment are present in the data, which matters for students seeking a more technical or work-based step after Year 13.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Southwark’s admissions process, using the common application timetable. For September 2026 entry, Southwark’s published window runs from 01 September 2025 to Friday 31 October 2025 (11.59pm), with offers released on 02 March 2026 (after 5pm).

Bacon’s College does not require a supplementary information form for this entry route, despite being a Church of England school. That tends to simplify the process for families who value a faith-informed ethos but do not want admissions to hinge on church attendance documentation.

Oversubscription is resolved through published priorities. After looked-after and previously looked-after children, siblings, and children of qualifying staff, priority is given by proximity for applicants living south of the River Thames with SE or SW postcodes, followed by proximity for all other postal areas. This is not a tight “catchment” in the classic primary-school sense, but it is still a geography-driven admissions approach. In the Southwark secondary admissions brochure for 2026/27, Bacon’s College shows 459 applications against a published admissions number of 195, which indicates competition for places.

For families considering sixth form entry from outside the school, the school publishes a deadline for external applications for September 2026 as Monday 02 February 2026.

Open events are a key part of decision-making for a large secondary. The school’s pattern suggests autumn open evenings, with additional open mornings in October, with booking required. Dates vary year to year, so families should rely on the school’s open events page for the live schedule.

Parents who are relying on distance as a likely tie-breaker should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their home-to-school distance precisely, then compare it to the most recent admissions patterns published by Southwark.

Pastoral support is described as layered: daily routines, trained staff, and specialist support where needed. Formal evidence indicates a “strong team” that includes pastoral leaders, counsellors and therapists, alongside staff training to identify risk and respond quickly to concerns. The practical implication for parents is that support is not confined to one role or one office; it is distributed across the staff structure.

The school’s Church of England character is also presented as part of wellbeing. Chaplaincy is positioned alongside counselling and mediation, linking personal development, community conduct and service. For students who value moral framing and reflective practice, that can be a strong fit. For families who prefer a strictly secular approach, it is worth checking how daily worship and Christian language sits within the wider student body, particularly for students who may feel self-conscious about standing out.

Safeguarding is a critical baseline. The 2022 Ofsted inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The school’s enrichment model is unusually structured. The headline is Enrichment Fortnight, a timetabled end-of-year programme for Year 7 to Year 10 and Year 12 that includes careers activity (including work experience and mock interviews), cultural activity (museums and theatre), and community engagement, alongside rewards trips tied to conduct and attitude. The implication is that enrichment reaches students who might not automatically join a club after school, and it links experiences directly to employability and personal development.

For leadership and service, there are named mechanisms. Sixth form initiatives include a College Leadership Team, Bacon’s Service (mentoring, tutoring and supporting younger students and activities), and a Student Mediation Team trained through Calm Mediation. This matters because it shows the school expects older students to contribute to the running culture of the community, not just their own CVs.

Sport is backed by real facilities. The sixth form information highlights access to a community sports centre, including a fitness suite and a 3G astroturf football pitch, plus organised Wednesday sports afternoons with options such as badminton, basketball and football. That is likely to suit students who benefit from physical activity as part of their weekly rhythm, particularly in sixth form when independent study can otherwise become sedentary.

Performing arts is presented as both curriculum and co-curricular. Dance is described as beginning within Key Stage 3 physical education and extending to BTEC Performing Arts (Dance), while drama is framed around confidence, critical thinking and teamwork. Music includes instrumental tuition with published termly fees, which is a practical detail for families budgeting for extras.

The official school day runs from 8.25am to 3.05pm, with Independent Study Time extending the day to 3.50pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Families should factor this into childcare arrangements and travel routines, especially for younger pupils who may find late finishes tiring.

For transport, Southwark’s 2026/27 secondary admissions brochure lists the nearest station as Canada Water and bus routes including 1, 47, 188, 199, 225 and 381.

As a state school, there are no tuition fees. However, families should budget for common extras such as uniform, trips, and optional activities. Examples of published optional costs include Duke of Edinburgh’s Award participant fees (£60 for Bronze, £80 for Silver, £100 for Gold) and instrumental tuition fees per term (£100 for eligible free school meal students, £125 for others), noting that these figures can change and are best confirmed directly with the school.

• Competition for Year 7 places. Southwark’s published data shows 459 applications for 195 places for the 2026/27 intake cycle. If you are outside the higher-priority postcode group, you should plan with realistic alternatives in mind.

• Geography still matters. Priority includes proximity for SE and SW postcodes south of the Thames, then proximity for all other areas. Families living further away should not assume that strong motivation alone will secure a place.

• Key Stage 3 consistency is a stated improvement area. Evidence indicates that checking and securing recall in Years 7 to 9 is less consistent than it is later on. This is worth probing at open events if your child benefits from very tight learning routines.

• Longer days twice a week. Independent Study Time extends the day to 3.50pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For some families this is helpful; for others it complicates travel and after-school commitments.

Bacon’s College offers a clearly defined Church of England ethos, a structured character and enrichment programme, and outcomes that look solid nationally with above-average progress. The sixth form has credible academic stretch through programmes such as King’s Scholars and the Brilliant Club, and it also signals practical routes through careers and mentoring.

Best suited to families who want a mainstream, mixed secondary with a faith-informed culture, strong routines, and planned opportunities for leadership and service. The main challenge is securing Year 7 entry in a competitive local market.