The Palmer Catholic Academy

At a glance

Type

Academy converter (state-funded)

Phase

Secondary

Ages

11 to 18

Gender

Mixed

Religious character

Roman Catholic

Pupils

1,132 census January 2026

Capacity

1,174

Admissions policy

Non-selective

Sixth form

Yes

Headteacher

Mr Paul Downey

Trust

THE GOOD SHEPHERD CATHOLIC TRUST

Address

Aldborough Road South, Seven Kings, Ilford, IG3 8EU

Borough

Redbridge

Telephone

02085903808

DfE reference (URN)

137088

Website

tpc.academy

Source: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools · daily extract as at 7 October 2026 · last checked 9 October 2026

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Key dates for 2027 entry

Year 7 (11+)

1. Application deadlineSaturday 31 October 2026Closes in 20 days

   National closing date for Year 7 applications: Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply through your home borough's coordinated scheme (eAdmissions), not directly to the school.

   Source: GOV.UK · checked 9 Oct 2026

2. National offer dayMonday 1 March 2027Upcoming

   Secondary National Offer Day: Monday 1 March 2027. Offers are released by your home borough.

   Source: Your borough's admissions page · checked 9 Oct 2026

3. Accept your offerMonday 15 March 2027Open

   Deadline to accept your secondary offer: Monday 15 March 2027.

   Source: GOV.UK · checked 9 Oct 2026

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A status ("Closes in 12 days") is shown only for a closing date we have checked, worked out from today's date, 11 October 2026. Other dates are printed as the school published them, with its own wording beside them. Dates given only as "early January" are shown as approximate and never counted down. Always confirm with the school or council.

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Admissions

You apply through the council where you live, not to the school, naming up to six schools in order on one form. Every applicant on time hears on the same national offer day. Schools with a religious character often ask for a supplementary information form as well, returned to the school by the same deadline.

120 first-preference applications and 362 applications naming it at any preference for 186 places offered (September 2026 entry, DfE)

These are counts of applications and offers on national offer day. They are not a chance of getting in: places are allocated by the school's published admissions criteria, such as siblings, distance or faith.

Source: Department for Education, Secondary and primary school applications and offers · entry years up to 2026/27 · last checked 9 October 2026

Redbridge: Year 7 offers, September 2026 entry

Across the borough, 68.4% of applicants were offered their first preference and 93.3% were offered one of their preferences (3,422 applications). These are borough-wide figures, not a forecast for any school or child.

Source: Department for Education, Secondary and primary schools applications and offers 2026 · entry years 2014/15 to 2026/27 (release published 18 June 2026) · last checked 9 October 2026

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Inspection

Source: Ofsted, Management information - state-funded schools - latest inspections as at 31 August 2026 · latest inspections as at 31 August 2026 · last checked 9 October 2026

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Results

GCSE (key stage 4), 2024/25

• Attainment 8 score2022/23: 54.8 · 2023/24: 50.4
  48.8This school53.9Redbridge46.1England, state-funded
• % achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs2022/23: 72% · 2023/24: 54%
  47%This school60%Redbridge45%England, state-funded
• % achieving grade 4 or above in English and maths GCSEs2022/23: 82% · 2023/24: 76%
  74%This school77%Redbridge65%England, state-funded
• % entering the English Baccalaureate2022/23: 47% · 2023/24: 41%
  40%This school58%Redbridge40%England, state-funded
• EBacc average point score2022/23: 4.88 · 2023/24: 4.46
  4.39This school4.95Redbridge4.09England, state-funded

Source: Department for Education, Compare school and college performance · 2024/25 · last checked 9 October 2026 · academic year 2024/25 · 192 pupils in the cohort

A level (16 to 18), 2024/25

• A level average result, expressed as a grade2022/23: C · 2023/24: C
  CThis schoolC+RedbridgeB-England, state-funded
• A level average point score per entry2022/23: 28.9 · 2023/24: 31.1
  30.9This school34.4Redbridge35England, state-funded
• Average point score for a student's best 3 A levels2022/23: 28.7 · 2023/24: 30.8
  30.4This school34.9Redbridge35.8England, state-funded
• % of A level students achieving AAB or higher including at least 2 facilitating subjects2022/23: 9% · 2023/24: 11%
  9%This school15%Redbridge18%England, state-funded
• A level value added score2023/24: 0.23
  -0.11This school-0.03England, state-funded

Source: Department for Education, Compare school and college performance · 2024/25 · last checked 9 October 2026 · academic year 2024/25 · 106 pupils in the cohort

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Pupils and context

Eligible for free school meals

33.3% January 2026

English as an additional language

37.8%

Receiving SEN support

7.9%

With an Education, Health and Care Plan

1.7%

Girls / boys

43% / 57%

Source: Department for Education, Compare school and college performance · 2024/25 · last checked 9 October 2026 · school census 2024/25

Attendance and staffing

Overall absence

7.3% 2024/25

Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)

24.1%

Pupils per teacher

15.7 2025/26

Source: Department for Education, Absence rates by school level · 2024/25 · last checked 9 October 2026

Places

Places

1,324

Pupils on roll

1,150

Source: Department for Education, Capacity - school / Sixth form capacity - school · 2024/25 · last checked 9 October 2026 · position at 1 May, 2024/25

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Nearby schools

Schools covering the same ages within about a mile, by straight-line distance (not walking or travel time).

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Compare with similar schools

Side-by-side comparisons with the nearest schools of the same type. Sourced facts only; no winner is declared.

• The Palmer Catholic Academy and Oaks Park High School1 mile apart
• The Palmer Catholic Academy and Mayfield School1.1 miles apart
• The Palmer Catholic Academy and Chadwell Heath Academy1.1 miles apart
• The Palmer Catholic Academy and Valentines High School1.4 miles apart

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