The Ongar Academy

About The Ongar Academy

The Ongar Academy is a free school in Ongar, Essex, England, for pupils aged 11–18. It has 511 pupils on roll. It is part of BRIDGE ACADEMY TRUST. At GCSE, pupils achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 40 (2025/26). 27.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.6% have English as an additional language.

School Information

Local Authority

Essex →

School Type

Free schools

Phase

Secondary

Age Range

Ages 11–18

Gender

Mixed

Pupils / Capacity

511 / 800 (64%)

Sixth Form

Has a sixth form

Nursery

No Nursery Classes

Religious Character

None

Who attends this school — useful context if you’re considering teaching here.

Source: DfE School Census, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Official Department for Education results, pupil destinations and attendance.

Progress 8 isn’t published for this year group: their Key Stage 2 baseline (2021 SATs) was cancelled during the pandemic, so a progress measure can’t be calculated. GCSE figures are provisional and may be revised.

Source: Department for Education performance tables, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Some independent schools’ qualifications (e.g. IGCSEs) are not all reflected in these figures.

Staffing at this school, with the trend over recent years — useful if you’re considering working here.

Data for the 2024/25 academic year (trend lines show 3 years). Source: DfE School Workforce Census, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. State-funded schools only.

How this school is funded and where the money goes — per pupil.

Source: DfE school finance returns (CFR for council-maintained schools, AAR for academies), 2024-25, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Per-pupil figures are calculated from total income/expenditure.

Contact Details

Address

Ongar, Essex, CM5 0AN

Phone

01277500990

Headteacher

Jonathan Sands

Website

www.theongaracademy.org

Academy Trust

Frequently asked questions

What type of school is The Ongar Academy?

The Ongar Academy is a free school in Ongar, Essex, England, for pupils aged 11–18.

How many pupils does The Ongar Academy have?

The Ongar Academy has 511 pupils on roll, according to Department for Education data.

How does The Ongar Academy perform at GCSE?

Pupils at The Ongar Academy achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 40 in 2025/26.

Is The Ongar Academy part of an academy trust?

Yes — The Ongar Academy is part of BRIDGE ACADEMY TRUST.

Where is The Ongar Academy?

The Ongar Academy is located at Ongar, Essex, CM5 0AN.