Alec Hunter Academy
Academy sponsor led · 1,058 pupils
80% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.7
Academy sponsor led
Lift New Rickstones
- Pupils on roll
- 1,221of 1,100 places
- Free school meals
- 28.4%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 176
- Ofsted
- School remains Good, 9 November 2023Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The Rickstones School (URN 115328).
What the data says
Of the 169 pupils who finished Year 11 at Lift New Rickstones in 2023, 25% stayed on in Lift New Rickstones’ own sixth form (Essex average 37%), 33% went to a further education college and 6% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 50 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 26% went to university (Essex 35%, England 37%), and 6% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Sociology is unusually popular at GCSE: 24% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 40.6 against 46.1 across England and 45.1 in Essex, with 35% 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 Essex and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Lift New Rickstones | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 169 | 15,970 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 88% | 92% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 77% | 86% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 25% | 37% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 19% | 9% | 13% |
| — further education college | 33% | 38% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 9% | 5% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 4% | 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 | Lift New Rickstones | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 50 | 13,240 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 84% | 81% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 26% | 35% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 6% | 15% | 19% |
| Further education | 0% | 4% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 8% | 8% | 7% |
| Employment | 46% | 33% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 10% | 14% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Lift New Rickstones | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 40.6 | 45.1 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 35% | 43% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 62% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 23% | 39% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.55 | 3.97 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 30% | 22% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 32.1 | 31.1 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 44.3 | 48.9 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 4% | 9% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 176 | 100% | 88% | 15% | 22% | 76% |
| English Language | 172 | 98% | 89% | 11% | 20% | 56% |
| English Literature | 170 | 97% | 86% | 4% | 21% | 61% |
| Combined Science | 143 | 81% | 65% | 6% | 9% | 62% |
| History | 113 | 64% | 41% | 19% | 26% | 58% |
| Business Studies | 46 | 26% | 18% | 28% | 20% | 57% |
| French | 45 | 26% | 18% | 7% | 29% | 64% |
| Sociology | 42 | 24% | 4% | 10% | 21% | 55% |
| Design and Technology | 39 | 22% | 11% | 8% | 23% | 38% |
| Fine Art | 38 | 22% | 9% | 16% | 28% | 50% |
| Geography | 28 | 16% | 41% | 11% | 25% | 61% |
| Physics | 26 | 15% | 23% | 35% | 46% | 96% |
| Chemistry | 25 | 14% | 23% | 40% | 47% | 100% |
| Biology | 25 | 14% | 23% | 24% | 45% | 100% |
| Statistics | 21 | 12% | 5% | 0% | 20% | 33% |
| Photography | 21 | 12% | 6% | 10% | 19% | 48% |
| Music | 19 | 11% | 5% | 5% | 33% | 53% |
| Computer Science | 1 | 1% | 13% | — | 30% | — |
| 3D Design | 1 | 1% | 2% | — | 16% | — |
| Portuguese | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
| Turkish | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 71% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports / Movement Science | 43 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 24 | 100% | — |
| Multimedia | 23 | 100% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 18 | 95% | — |
| Small Business Management | 16 | 84% | — |
| Beauty Care / Services | 16 | 84% | — |
| Tourism | 13 | 68% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 10 | 53% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 7 | 37% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Lift New Rickstones | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 124 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 19 | 6,944 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C- | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 26.82 | 34.68 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | — | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | — | 18% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | 8 | 42% | 13% |
| History | 7 | 37% | 13% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| Law | — | — | 4% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma at Level 3 | 16 | 84% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 15 | 79% | — |
| Finance / Accounting (General) | VRQ Level 3 | 13 | 68% | — |
| Psychology | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 12 | 63% | — |
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 12 | 63% | — |
| Biology | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 11 | 58% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | 9 | 47% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 7 | 37% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | — | — | — |
| Law | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Essex
Anglo European School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,533 pupils
96% stayed in education · Attainment 8 55.6
Beauchamps High School
Foundation school · sixth form · 1,486 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.1
Becket Keys Church of England Free School
Free schools · sixth form · 1,152 pupils
93% stayed in education · Attainment 8 56.0
Bmat Stem Academy
University technical college · sixth form · 240 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 28.1
Brentwood County High School
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,097 pupils
78% stayed in education · Attainment 8 43.2
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.