Buxton School
Foundation school · 1,065 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.2
Community school
Heathcote School & Science College
- Pupils on roll
- 1,115of 1,260 places
- Free school meals
- 27.6%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 162
- Ofsted
- School remains Good, 29 February 2024Read the Ofsted report
What the data says
Of the 183 pupils who finished Year 11 at Heathcote School & Science College in 2023, 50% stayed on in Heathcote School & Science College’s own sixth form (Waltham Forest average 35%), 29% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 110 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 58% went to university (Waltham Forest 42%, England 37%), and 14% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Sociology is unusually popular at GCSE: 33% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were in line with the national picture: Attainment 8 of 46.1 against 46.1 across England and 45.3 in Waltham Forest, with 44% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Waltham Forest and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Waltham Forest | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 183 | 2,805 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 95% | 93% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 90% | 92% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 50% | 35% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 11% | 28% | 13% |
| — further education college | 29% | 26% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 1% | 3% |
| Employment | 2% | 1% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 4% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 1% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | This school | Waltham Forest | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 110 | 3,460 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 92% | 73% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 58% | 42% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 14% | 10% | 19% |
| Further education | 5% | 6% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 3% | 7% |
| Employment | 25% | 20% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 7% | 19% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Waltham Forest | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 46.1 | 45.3 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 44% | 46% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 62% | 63% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 39% | 43% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.10 | 4.04 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 35% | 33% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 31.6 | 38.4 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 53.7 | 48.7 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 31% | 39% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 157 | 97% | 89% | 23% | 20% | 70% |
| Mathematics | 156 | 96% | 88% | 19% | 22% | 66% |
| English Literature | 156 | 96% | 86% | 24% | 21% | 75% |
| Combined Science | 109 | 67% | 65% | 3% | 9% | 49% |
| History | 80 | 49% | 41% | 36% | 26% | 74% |
| Geography | 76 | 47% | 41% | 20% | 25% | 59% |
| Sociology | 53 | 33% | 4% | 28% | 21% | 66% |
| Chemistry | 46 | 28% | 23% | 35% | 47% | 91% |
| Biology | 46 | 28% | 23% | 35% | 45% | 91% |
| Physics | 46 | 28% | 23% | 22% | 46% | 85% |
| Design and Technology | 44 | 27% | 11% | 30% | 23% | 73% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 44 | 27% | 8% | 5% | 21% | 43% |
| French | 34 | 21% | 18% | 29% | 29% | 79% |
| Physical Education | 30 | 19% | 11% | 7% | 24% | 60% |
| Art and Design | 28 | 17% | 7% | 14% | 24% | 75% |
| Computer Science | 26 | 16% | 13% | 46% | 30% | 92% |
| Spanish | 23 | 14% | 19% | 22% | 27% | 61% |
| Drama | 16 | 10% | 7% | 13% | 27% | 56% |
| Turkish | 13 | 8% | 0% | 85% | 71% | 100% |
| Dance | 12 | 7% | 1% | 0% | 27% | 17% |
| Polish | 3 | 2% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Russian | 3 | 2% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
| Chinese | 3 | 2% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
| Portuguese | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
| Italian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | 26 | 30% | — |
| Personal Health | 21 | 24% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 16 | 18% | — |
| Health Studies | 16 | 18% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Waltham Forest | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 227 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 87 | 1,313 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | B- | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 35.52 | 31.81 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 15% | 9% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 35 | 40% | 23% |
| Biology | 26 | 30% | 20% |
| Chemistry | 15 | 17% | 17% |
| Mathematics | 15 | 17% | 31% |
| History | 13 | 15% | 13% |
| Economics | 13 | 15% | 13% |
| Business Studies | 11 | 13% | 13% |
| English Literature | 10 | 11% | 11% |
| Geography | 10 | 11% | 10% |
| Sociology | 10 | 11% | 13% |
| Product Design | 9 | 10% | 2% |
| English Language | 9 | 10% | 4% |
| Physics | 7 | 8% | 12% |
| Turkish | 7 | 8% | 0% |
| Computer Science | 6 | 7% | 5% |
| Physical Education | — | — | 3% |
| Art and Design | — | — | 1% |
| Politics | — | — | 6% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | 18 | 21% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 16 | 18% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 14 | 16% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 12 | 14% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 7% | — |
| Politics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Economics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Politics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Economics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Waltham Forest
Chingford Foundation School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,363 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.1
Connaught School for Girls
Academy converter · 550 pupils
96% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.6
Eden Girls' School, Waltham Forest
Free schools · 617 pupils
98% stayed in education · Attainment 8 63.5
Frederick Bremer School
Community school · 888 pupils
90% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.7
George Mitchell School
Academy converter · 973 pupils
93% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.0
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.