Alec Hunter Academy
Academy sponsor led · 1,058 pupils
80% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.7
Academy sponsor led
Harwich and Dovercourt High School
- Pupils on roll
- 1,075of 1,300 places
- Free school meals
- 42.5%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 215
- Ofsted
- Report card, 6 January 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Needs attentionAchievement Urgent improvementAttendance and behaviour Needs attentionPersonal development and wellbeing Needs attentionInclusion Needs attentionLeadership and governance Needs attentionPost-16 provision Not applicableSafeguarding Met
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Harwich and Dovercourt High School (URN 137946, until 31 May 2017).
What the data says
Harwich and Dovercourt High School has no sixth form. Of the 213 pupils who finished Year 11 there in 2023, 11% moved to a sixth form college, 46% to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 39 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 15% went to university (Essex 35%, England 37%), and 0% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
A level grades average D, well below the England average of B-. The largest A level subjects are Art and Design, English Literature and Psychology.
GCSE results in 2025 were well below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 37.6 against 46.1 across England and 45.1 in Essex, with 28% 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 | This school | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 213 | 15,970 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 86% | 92% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 80% | 86% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 23% | 37% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 11% | 9% | 13% |
| — further education college | 46% | 38% | 37% |
| — other education | — | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 7% | 5% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 7% | 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 | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 39 | 13,240 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 54% | 81% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 15% | 35% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 0% | 15% | 19% |
| Further education | 0% | 4% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 8% | 7% |
| Employment | 33% | 33% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 46% | 14% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | This school | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 37.6 | 45.1 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 28% | 43% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 44% | 64% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 21% | 39% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.19 | 3.97 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 37% | 22% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 29.6 | 31.1 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 42.2 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Literature | 216 | 100% | 86% | 8% | 21% | 48% |
| Mathematics | 214 | 100% | 88% | 9% | 22% | 52% |
| English Language | 214 | 100% | 89% | 14% | 20% | 55% |
| Combined Science | 182 | 85% | 65% | 1% | 9% | 32% |
| History | 127 | 59% | 41% | 9% | 26% | 39% |
| Geography | 82 | 38% | 41% | 12% | 25% | 49% |
| Fine Art | 51 | 24% | 9% | 8% | 28% | 78% |
| French | 46 | 21% | 18% | 28% | 29% | 83% |
| Biology | 32 | 15% | 23% | 28% | 45% | 84% |
| Business Studies | 32 | 15% | 18% | 3% | 20% | 19% |
| Media Studies | 31 | 14% | 4% | 6% | 20% | 45% |
| Graphic Communication | 30 | 14% | 1% | 3% | 23% | 30% |
| Physics | 27 | 13% | 23% | 19% | 46% | 100% |
| Chemistry | 27 | 13% | 23% | 22% | 47% | 100% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 20 | 9% | 8% | 10% | 21% | 50% |
| Psychology | 15 | 7% | 3% | 33% | 22% | 67% |
| Computer Science | 14 | 7% | 13% | 21% | 30% | 36% |
| Religious Studies | 14 | 7% | 31% | 7% | 32% | 36% |
| Modern Greek | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 33% | — |
| Chinese | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Studies | 139 | 100% | — |
| Dance: General | 34 | 100% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 33 | 100% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 29 | 100% | — |
| Beauty Care / Services | 25 | 100% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 17 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 10 | 71% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 7 | 50% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | This school | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 18 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 14 | 6,944 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 20.00 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art and Design | 7 | 50% | 1% |
| English Literature | 6 | 43% | 11% |
| Psychology | 6 | 43% | 23% |
| Film Studies | — | — | 2% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 8 | 57% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Multimedia | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Music performance: Group | VRQ Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band 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.