Secondary school

Bow School

  • Community School
  • ages 11–18
  • Mixed
  • Tower Hamlets
  • E3 3QW
  • Sixth form

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 2,086 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 64%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 53%53%2016/17: top 66%2017/18: top 70%2018/19: top 73%2021/22: top 35%35% · 2021/222022/23: top 41%2023/24: top 62%2024/25: top 64%No exams

A-level results

#112 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 843.2 · London 50.12/10 Well below London−25.9 pts since 21/22
Grade 5+ English and maths33.2% · London 51.8%2/10 Well below London−25.1 pts since 21/22
EBacc point score3.79 · London 4.562/10 Well below London−17.9 pts since 21/22
Progress 8 · 2023/24-0.39 · London +0.321/10 Well below London−9.8 pts since 18/19
A level points per entry39.11 · London 34.79/10 Top 20%
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 49.8 · 103 pupils · London 522016/17: 43.3 · 94 pupils · London 49.32017/18: 42.3 · 100 pupils · London 492018/19: 42.1 · 156 pupils · London 49.52021/22: 51.6 · 224 pupils · London 52.82022/23: 47.7 · 223 pupils · London 50.552023/24: 43.4 · 233 pupils · London 50.62024/25: 43.2 · 220 pupils · London 50.1551.642.1No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 27% · 94 pupils · London 48%2017/18: 37% · 100 pupils · London 48%2018/19: 30% · 156 pupils · London 48%2021/22: 53% · 224 pupils · London 58%2022/23: 50% · 223 pupils · London 53.5%2023/24: 37.3% · 233 pupils · London 55.5%2024/25: 33.2% · 220 pupils · London 51.8%53%27%No exams
A level points per entry
2015/16: 28.42 · 21 pupils · London 29.292016/17: 26.31 · 35 pupils · London 30.582017/18: 23.78 · 34 pupils · London 30.892018/19: 23.68 · 16 pupils · London 31.532021/22: 39.18 · 28 pupils · London 36.842022/23: 24.46 · 21 pupils · London 33.82023/24: 31.05 · 65 pupils · London 33.672024/25: 39.11 · 42 pupils · London 34.739.1823.68No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in100.0%
72 of 72 who put it first2014 · 100.0%2026 · 100.0%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st7272
2nd7924
3rd492

No last distance offered published

Inspections · 2007–2023

  1. 2007Satisfactory
  2. 2011Satisfactory
  3. 2013Good
  4. 2016Ungraded visit
  5. 2018Good
  6. 2023Remains Good

4 strong areas

  • Outcomes for pupils
  • Effectiveness of leadership and management
  • 16 to 19 study programmes
  • Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

1 weak areas

  • Personal development, behaviour and welfare

5 areas graded · 3 points to improve

Read what Ofsted said (6)

From Ofsted report, inspected Sep 2023

Strengths

  • “Pupils enjoy coming to this ambitious, forward-looking school, where they become ‘worldready’ and ‘career-ready’.”
  • “Pupils embrace leaders’ high aspirations.”
  • “All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve very well.”

To improve

  • “In some lessons, staff do not provide pupils with sufficient opportunity to practise and extend their spoken language.”
  • “As a result, some pupils struggle to articulate their understanding.”
  • “The school should ensure that pupils have sufficient opportunity to practise speaking with accuracy and fluency.”

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

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 20261,126
Free school meals (past 6 years)57.5%
First language not English67.7%
SEN support15.3%
EHC plan3.3%
Absence (sessions missed)6.9%
Persistently absent pupils18.6%

Girls 35.8%Boys 64.2%

83.4% full · 1,350 places · 124 in sixth form

Parent View

Earlier survey (before Nov 2025) · as at 2 Sep 2024 · 23 responses (1.8% of pupils)

  • My child is happy at this school69.6% agree
  • My child feels safe at this school73.9% agree
  • The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved60.9% agree
  • My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively · 47.8% not applicable8.3% agree
  • The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year21.7% agree
  • When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly · 26.1% not applicable35.3% agree
  • My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed0% agree
  • The school has high expectations for my child69.6% agree
  • My child does well at this school73.9% agree
  • The school lets me know how my child is doing47.8% agree
  • There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school78.3% agree
  • My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school82.6% agree
  • The school supports my child's wider personal development47.8% agree
  • I would recommend this school to another parent56.5% yes

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher13.8
Pupils per adult8.9
  • Classroom teachers 72.5
  • Leadership 9
  • Teaching assistants 38.2
  • Other support 22.3

Teachers 81.5 FTE · Whole workforce 141.9 · 157 people

Financials · 2025/26

Income per pupil£12,252
Spend per pupil£12,784
Staff spend per pupil£9,806
Reserve per pupil£861
  • +£969,507revenue reserve
  • −£599,415in-year balance

Grants £12,208 · self-generated £302 · premises £649 per pupil

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

233 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained92.7%
  • Education91.8%
  • Apprenticeship0.4%
  • Employment0.4%
  • Not sustained3%
  • Unknown4.3%

After sixth form (16–18)

101 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained82.2%
  • Education76.2%
  • Higher education73.3%
  • Apprenticeship2%
  • Employment4%
  • Not sustained13.9%
  • Unknown4%