Side by side
Heathcote School, Chingford and Highams Park School
The published facts for both schools, each with its source. Where a school or the government has not published something, the cell says so. We do not name a winner.
What differs
- Heathcote School, Chingford has 1,115 pupils; Highams Park School has 1,592.
- We hold a dated 2027 deadline for Highams Park School (31 October 2026) but none for Heathcote School, Chingford.
- The two schools are 1.3 miles apart in a straight line.
Facts side by side
| Fact | Heathcote School, Chingford | Highams Park School |
|---|---|---|
| The basics | ||
| Type | State-funded: Community school DfE register | State-funded: Academy converter DfE register |
| Ages | 11 to 18 DfE register | 11 to 18 DfE register |
| Gender | Mixed DfE register | Mixed DfE register |
| Pupils | 1,115 DfE register | 1,592 DfE register |
| Borough | Waltham Forest DfE register | Waltham Forest DfE register |
| Boarding | No DfE register | No DfE register |
| Admissions policy | Non-selective DfE register | Non-selective DfE register |
| Admissions for 2027 | ||
| Next deadline to apply or register | Not published | 31 October 2026 (closes in 21 days) school or council page |
| Applications and places, last round | 196 first preferences for 171 places DfE, September 2026 entry | 231 first preferences for 229 places DfE, September 2026 entry |
| Cost | ||
| Published day fees | No tuition fees (state-funded) | No tuition fees (state-funded) |
| Inspection | ||
| Latest inspection | Ofsted ungraded inspection, 29 February 2024: School remains Good Ofsted | Ofsted graded inspection, 22 May 2024: Good at that inspection Ofsted |
| Results | ||
| GCSE: Attainment 8 | 46.1 (2024/25) DfE | 47.5 (2024/25) DfE |
| GCSE: grade 5+ in English and maths | 44% (2024/25) DfE | 45% (2024/25) DfE |
| A level: average grade | B- (2024/25) DfE | B- (2024/25) DfE |
| A level: points per entry | 35.5 (2024/25) DfE | 36 (2024/25) DfE |
| Where leavers went | ||
| Stayed in education or work after GCSEs | 95% (left 2022/23) DfE | 94% (left 2022/23) DfE |
| Stayed in education or work after 16 to 18 | 92% (left 2022/23) DfE | 93% (left 2022/23) DfE |
| Pupils | ||
| Eligible for free school meals | 27.6% DfE register | 24.6% DfE register |
| English as an additional language | 33.3% school census 2024/25 | 38.3% school census 2024/25 |
| Receiving SEN support | 12.8% school census 2024/25 | 10.8% school census 2024/25 |
| Pupils per teacher | 14.5 DfE workforce census | 17.6 DfE workforce census |
| Overall absence | 7.7% DfE, 2024/25 | 8.1% DfE, 2024/25 |
DfE register: Get Information About Schools, daily extract as at 2026-10-07. Other sources are named in each cell; every figure links to its source on the school's own page.
Shaded cells differ between the two schools. A blank is not a weakness: it means the figure has not been published, or does not apply to that type of school. Fees and results are not comparable between state and independent schools.