Secondary school

Sydenham School

  • Community School
  • ages 11–18
  • Girls · mixed sixth form
  • Lewisham
  • SE26 4RD

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 845 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 26%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 22%22%2016/17: top 21%21% · 2016/172017/18: top 24%2018/19: top 26%2021/22: top 23%2022/23: top 24%2023/24: top 31%2024/25: top 26%No exams

A-level results

#107 of 438 London sixth forms, state and independent, 2024/25

Independent and selective (grammar) schools choose their pupils, so high results partly reflect who gets in, not only teaching. Some independent schools don't publish results.

Against London

Attainment 850.8 · London 50.16/10 Middle−5.4 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths48.6% · London 51.8%5/10 Middle−7.3 pts since 21/22
EBacc point score4.64 · London 4.566/10 Middle−9.4 pts since 21/22
Progress 8 · 2023/24+0.10 · London +0.324/10 Below−13.6 pts since 18/19
A level points per entry39.29 · London 34.79/10 Top 20%+19.9 pts since 21/22
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 54.6 · 213 pupils · London 522016/17: 51.7 · 191 pupils · London 49.32017/18: 51.6 · 186 pupils · London 492018/19: 51.1 · 222 pupils · London 49.52021/22: 54.6 · 226 pupils · London 52.82022/23: 51.6 · 234 pupils · London 50.552023/24: 49.7 · 231 pupils · London 50.62024/25: 50.8 · 218 pupils · London 50.1554.649.7No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 49% · 191 pupils · London 48%2017/18: 56% · 186 pupils · London 48%2018/19: 47% · 222 pupils · London 48%2021/22: 58% · 226 pupils · London 58%2022/23: 53% · 234 pupils · London 53.5%2023/24: 48.1% · 231 pupils · London 55.5%2024/25: 48.6% · 218 pupils · London 51.8%58%47%No exams
A level points per entry
2015/16: 31.08 · 106 pupils · London 29.292016/17: 33.85 · 82 pupils · London 30.582017/18: 32.18 · 98 pupils · London 30.892018/19: 32.34 · 126 pupils · London 31.532021/22: 39.23 · 105 pupils · London 36.842022/23: 37.59 · 110 pupils · London 33.82023/24: 36.87 · 77 pupils · London 33.672024/25: 39.29 · 116 pupils · London 34.739.2931.08No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in82.5%
179 of 217 who put it first2014 · 96.1%2026 · 82.5%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st217179
2nd17440
3rd11713
Last distance offered
  • 2026/272.1 km
  • 2025/262.2 km
  • 2024/252.3 km
  • 2023/241.8 km
  • 2022/232.6 km
  • 2021/222.2 km
  • 2020/212.6 km
  • 2019/201.7 km

Inspections · 2007–2026

  • InclusionStrong
  • AchievementExpected
  • Curriculum and teachingExpected
  • Attendance and behaviourStrong
  • Leadership and governanceStrong
  • Personal development and wellbeingStrong
  • Post-16 provisionStrong
  • SafeguardingMet
  1. 2007Outstanding
  2. 2010Good
  3. 2013Good
  4. 2017Ungraded visit
  5. 2022Remains Good
  6. 2026Lowest Expected

1 point to improve

Read what Ofsted said (3)

From Ofsted report, inspected May 2026

Strengths

  • “Pupils are proud to be at Sydenham School.”
  • “They enjoy attending school and make positive contributions to their learning and to the wider school community.”
  • “Pupils benefit from positive relationships with staff and with their peers.”

Ofsted inspection report extracts, Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 20261,467
Free school meals (past 6 years)29.0%
First language not English18.9%
SEN support13.9%
EHC plan1.7%
Absence (sessions missed)8.2%
Persistently absent pupils26.4%

Girls 99.2%Boys 0.8%

all pupils, incl. sixth form

92.8% full · 1,580 places · 330 in sixth form

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher17.4
Pupils per adult13.8
  • Classroom teachers 76.2
  • Leadership 8
  • Teaching assistants 8
  • Other support 36.4

Teachers 84.2 FTE · Whole workforce 128.5 · 145 people

Financials · 2025/26

Income per pupil£9,271
Spend per pupil£9,047
Staff spend per pupil£7,048
Reserve per pupil£1,154
  • +£1,694,736revenue reserve
  • +£327,839in-year balance

Grants £9,110 · self-generated £233 · premises £570 per pupil

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

231 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained94.8%
  • Education92.6%
  • Apprenticeship1.3%
  • Employment0.9%
  • Not sustained2.6%
  • Unknown2.6%