Haberdashers' Borough Academy Review 2026: Central London secondary with a strong community culture

For families looking for a state secondary in SE1 with a clear set of values and a growing sixth form, Haberdashers' Borough Academy presents a straightforward proposition. The academy opened to pupils in September 2019, and is now building a full 11 to 18 experience in the heart of Southwark.

The most recent graded inspection (March 2024) gives a useful snapshot of the school’s current strengths. Leadership and management was judged Outstanding, with Good judgements across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development. Safeguarding was confirmed as effective.

Admissions pressure is real. The latest demand indicators show 606 applications for 174 offers at the main Year 7 entry point, which equates to 3.48 applications per place, and the academy is described as oversubscribed. For families, that means the education may be appealing, but the limiting factor is securing a place.

The academy’s identity is strongly framed around four values, community, kindness, aspiration and resilience. Those are not presented as abstract marketing language. The most recent official assessment describes them as lived out by pupils and staff, with staff taking time to know pupils well and relationships described as positive.

There is also a “growing school” feel to the way the academy describes itself, which matters in practice. A newer institution can adapt quickly, refine systems, and create a culture without years of legacy constraints. At the same time, newer schools often have to do the hard operational work in public, embedding routines, developing subject teams, and maturing curriculum sequencing while cohorts move through. The inspection narrative reflects that dynamic, praising ambition and strong subject knowledge, while noting that curriculum is at an earlier stage of development in some subjects and is still being embedded.

Leadership is a defining feature here. The Principal is Tom Howells, and the academy sits within Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South. The current picture is of a school with active trust involvement and governance structures that prioritise staff and pupil welfare in decision making.

This review uses FindMySchool rankings and official outcomes data for performance statements. On that basis, the academy is ranked 1,197th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), and 14th within Southwark. This places performance broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

On the core headline measures available Attainment 8 is 48.6 and Progress 8 is -0.23. The Progress 8 figure indicates that, overall, pupils make slightly below average progress from their starting points across eight subjects. The EBACC average point score is 4.6, and 29.1% of pupils achieve grades 5 or above across EBACC subjects.

It is also worth interpreting these numbers in context of school age and trajectory. The academy opened in 2019, which means published GCSE performance reflects a relatively early stage in cohort maturity and staffing stability compared with long established secondaries.

Curriculum design is presented as structured and deliberately sequenced. The academy sets by ability in core subjects at Key Stage 3, and uses termly assessment to inform teaching and curriculum adjustments.

The most recent inspection evidence points to strong subject knowledge among teachers, and routine classroom habits that help students make connections between earlier and current content. Examples given include English curriculum work structured around big themes such as power, relationships and conflict, and a history sequence that builds depth of knowledge about migration and its impact on Britain past and present.

Behaviour systems are also a meaningful part of teaching and learning in practice. The inspection report describes decisive actions to embed a newer behaviour system, alongside a calm and purposeful atmosphere in lessons and around the school. That matters for families deciding whether their child will learn best in a school that prioritises routines and clarity.

For pupils finishing Year 11, one of the most important strategic questions is whether a school offers a credible in house sixth form route, and what that route looks like for both internal and external applicants. Southwark’s secondary admissions material notes that the sixth form opened in September 2024, which frames expectations about how established post 16 outcomes can be at this stage.

The academy places a visible emphasis on careers education and employability from early secondary years, which can be particularly valuable in a central London setting. The careers programme names external partners and structured activities, including a Scholars Programme launch that took 56 students to the University of Cambridge for university style lectures and a college visit.

For students aiming for sixth form, the process is described as multi step, beginning with an expression of interest, followed by a full application, an informal discussion about course choices, and transition events later in the year. Enrolment is linked to GCSE results day.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through the local authority common application process. For September 2026 entry, the academy’s published deadline for applications was 31 October 2025, with National Offer Day shown as 02 March 2026 in the school’s Year 7 admissions information.

Because the current date is 25 January 2026, those Year 7 application dates are now in the past for the September 2026 cohort. For families planning ahead for later entry years, the pattern is still useful. The academy’s open events for the September 2026 cohort were concentrated in September and early October, with multiple scheduled viewing days and an early October open evening. The practical implication is that families should plan to engage in early autumn, rather than waiting until late in the calendar year.

Demand indicators suggest strong competition. At the main Year 7 entry point, the academy is described as oversubscribed, with 606 applications and 174 offers, which equates to 3.48 applications per place. The proportion of first preference applications relative to offers is 1.22, suggesting that many applicants are actively choosing the school rather than listing it as a lower preference.

For parents comparing options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool are useful for viewing GCSE measures and demand indicators side by side with nearby secondaries, particularly in a dense part of London where travel patterns and school cultures vary street by street.

The most recent inspection evidence places significant emphasis on relationships and support. Pupils are described as safe, with trust that adults will take care of them, and staff are described as taking time to understand pupils well.

Pupil voice also appears to be part of the school’s day to day approach. The inspection report references an active pupil council that can enact changes and lead events, including a Culture Day. For many families, that is a signal that personal development is treated as a real strand of school life rather than a bolt on.

Attendance and targeted support is another important practical marker. The inspection describes strong systems to support attendance, including targeted support for pupils and families where needed.

The academy’s enrichment model is designed to be routine rather than occasional. Lunchtime activities run 12:45 to 13:15, and after school activities run 15:15 to 16:30, with the programme refreshed each term.

Specific examples help clarify what “enrichment” looks like on the ground. A Crochet and Knitting Club runs on Fridays at lunchtime in the Grotto Library for Years 7 to 9, with a capped group size of 15 and sign up required. That suits pupils who want something calm, creative, and social without a competitive edge.

On the performing arts side, the academy hosts a Drama and LAMDA after school club for Years 7 to 13, delivered by an external provider and aligned to LAMDA exam syllabuses such as Acting or Musical Theatre. For students interested in confidence, communication and performance, that creates a structured route rather than an occasional school production model.

Enrichment is not limited to clubs. Central London access is used as an educational asset, with regular visitors referenced in the inspection report, including artists, scientists and historians, and opportunities around music, including instrument learning and performance.

STEM

Careers education provides some of the strongest evidence of STEM adjacent enrichment and aspiration building. The academy’s Scholars Programme, delivered with external academic input, is an eight week model linked to PhD students, and has included a large group visit to Cambridge. For families whose child benefits from structured exposure to higher education early, that is a practical differentiator.

The learning day runs from 08:30 to 15:15, with the site open from 08:15.

Transport links are a realistic advantage for many families. Southwark’s admissions material lists nearby stations as Borough, Southwark, Waterloo East and London Bridge, with bus routes including 344, 381, 343, 35, 133, 21 and C10.

• High demand for Year 7 places. The latest demand indicators show 606 applications for 174 offers, which equates to 3.48 applications per place. Families should plan a broad set of preferences rather than relying on one outcome.

• Curriculum still embedding in some subjects. Official assessment notes that while the curriculum is ambitious and strong in most areas, some subjects are still embedding and refining content. This can be positive if you value a school that reviews and improves quickly, but it may matter if you prefer long established subject departments.

• Sixth form is new. With the sixth form opening in September 2024, the post 16 offer is still in an early growth phase. This may appeal to students who want to help shape a new community, but families should look carefully at subject breadth, enrichment, and how guidance is delivered for university and apprenticeships.

Haberdashers' Borough Academy is a values led, fast developing state secondary in central Southwark, with leadership that has been judged as a clear strength and a culture described as safe and community focused. The academic picture is broadly in line with the middle of England schools on GCSE outcomes, with some measures suggesting that embedding and improvement work remains important. The real constraint for many families is admission rather than school quality.

Who it suits: families seeking a structured, community oriented secondary with strong careers exposure and a growing sixth form, who can manage the realities of oversubscription and will engage early in the admissions timeline.