St Paul's Way Trust School
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St Paul's Way Trust School is a converter academy in London for boys and girls aged 4 to 18. It has 1,866 pupils, 246 more than it has places for. About 51 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 82 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 68% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.
125 St Paul's Way, London, E3 4FT020 7987 1883spwt.netMrs Cath Smith headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 29 September 2022, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
236 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Tower Hamlets | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 236 | 235 | 235 | 236 | 232 | 231 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 51.8 | 55.4 | 55.5 | 55.0 | 50.9 | 49.0 | 46.5 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.54 | +0.50 | +0.34 | +0.37 | +0.29 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 56% | 69% | 65% | 61% | 50% | 53% | 46% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 77% | 80% | 79% | 78% | 72% | 71% | 66% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 4.45 | 4.88 | 4.87 | 4.86 | 4.44 | 4.58 | 4.18 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 39% | 46% | 55% | 39% | 61% | 72% | 51% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 49.5 | 53.9 | 52.7 | 51.1 | 49.4 | 47.9 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 55.4 | 57.0 | 58.4 | 59.1 | 53.7 | 50.9 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 33.0 | 33.6 | 38.2 | 32.0 | 26.8 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 68.0 | 69.8 | 69.4 | 59.0 | 61.9 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 21 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Strongest subjects
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Business (33% here, 51% across England), Physical Education (46% here, 56% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 235 | 27% | 65% | 82% | 53% | 655 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 235 | 22% | 57% | 72% | 54% | 1,227 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 225 | 32% | 68% | 85% | 58% | 735 of 3,202 |
| Religious Studies | 215 | 42% | 73% | 85% | 60% | 552 of 1,825 |
| Combined Science | 175 | 7% | 45% | 66% | 36% | 801 of 3,084 |
| Geography | 98 | 13% | 47% | 61% | 51% | 1,613 of 3,116 |
| History | 78 | 45% | 69% | 78% | 52% | 515 of 3,126 |
| Chemistry | 59 | 58% | 92% | 98% | 81% | 1,013 of 2,537 |
| Physics | 59 | 56% | 86% | 93% | 82% | 1,296 of 2,546 |
| Biology | 59 | 39% | 83% | 95% | 82% | 1,500 of 2,570 |
| Art and Design | 59 | 19% | 78% | 95% | 58% | 540 of 2,818 |
| Business | 54 | 2% | 33% | 52% | 51% | 1,393 of 1,806 |
| French | 50 | 32% | 74% | 90% | 60% | 579 of 1,974 |
| Computer Science | 48 | 42% | 79% | 92% | 56% | 309 of 1,861 |
| Spanish | 47 | 17% | 62% | 75% | 54% | 728 of 1,941 |
| Physical Education | 22 | 9% | 46% | 68% | 56% | 1,050 of 1,559 |
| Design & Technology | 21 | 33% | 38% | 52% | 50% | 962 of 1,478 |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | 20 | 10% | 55% | 60% | 52% | 490 of 1,098 |
| Latin | 14 | 14% | 50% | 71% | 82% | – |
| Social Studies | 12 | 0% | 17% | 17% | 54% | – |
| Music | 10 | 50% | 70% | 80% | 61% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
58 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | Tower Hamlets | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 58 | 55 | 58 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 66% | 64% | 66% | 71% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 9% | 11% | 9% | 12% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 106.0 | 104.0 | 105.0 | 107.0 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 106.0 | 103.0 | 104.0 | 106.9 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 107.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 107.4 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 72% | 73% | 78% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 79% | 67% | 79% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 79% | 82% | 81% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -0.8 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -0.7 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 48% | 68% | 57% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 85% | 53% | 81% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
A level and sixth-form results, 2025
117 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 117 | 125 | 103 | 104 | 178 | 130 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | 37.35 | 35.57 | 37.86 | 39.54 | 34.95 | 37.18 |
| Average A level grade | B- | B- | B- | B | C+ | B- |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | 37.31 | 35.56 | 37.87 | 39.63 | 36.98 | 41.59 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | 12% | 14% | 19% | 13% | 13% | 35% |
| A level progressA level value added | -0.22 | +0.08 | – | – | -0.04 | +0.43 |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | – | 97% | 97% | 97% | 95% | 95% |
A level subjects
13 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.
Strongest A levels
Every A level subject against England, 2025
A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 3 of the 7 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At GCSE, 2025
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Open to all. There is no entrance test.
The school is full, with 20 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have grown by 4% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Tower Hamlets council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 19 pupils, for hearing impairment.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Tower Hamlets with hearing impairment provision.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 26.3 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.9 (England 28.2).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (110), emotional and mental health (71), Autistic spectrum disorder (69), Hearing impairment (26), Specific learning difficulty (16), Other difficulty or disability (11).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 1,866 | 1,884 | 1,877 | 1,868 | 1,805 | 1,791 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 51% | 48% | 43% | 45% | 43% | 43% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 59% | 57% | 58% | 63% | 64% | 68% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 7% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 10% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 9% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 7% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 5.4% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 4.6% | 3.5% | 4.5% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 2.4% | 3.3% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.0% | 1.6% | 1.1% | 1.3% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 11.0% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 9.4% | 6.4% | 10.0% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 6.1 | 7.2 | 8.4 | 9.3 | 7.7 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 235 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 97%, compared with 98% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 98% | 95% | 95% | 95% |
| Education | 96% | 95% | 93% | 95% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Work | – | 1% | 2% | 0% |
| Not in education, work or training | 2% | 5% | 4% | 3% |
After sixth form
Where the 101 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 89%, compared with 97% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Among students from low-income families, 85% went on to degree-level study or training and 38% to a top-third university.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 93% | 88% | 97% | – |
| Education | 77% | 72% | 87% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 6% | 2% | 1% |
| Work | 14% | 10% | 7% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 6% | 10% | 2% | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stebon Primary School | Academy | 220 m | 695 | Outstanding 2023 | 97 | Compare |
| St Paul With St Luke CofE Primary Federation | Church of England | 280 m | 180 | Not inspected | 35 | Compare |
| The Clara Grant Primary School | Academy | 490 m | 389 | Good 2022 | 80 | Compare |
| St Saviour's Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 570 m | 198 | Not inspected | 39 | Compare |
| Onelab College | Special post 16 institution | 590 m | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Beatrice Tate School | Council | 700 m | 134 | Report card 2025 | – | Compare |
| Stepney Greencoat Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 730 m | 189 | Good 2023 | 42 | Compare |
| Lansbury Lawrence Primary School | Council | 780 m | 451 | Outstanding 2024 | 89 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares St Paul's Way Trust School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Paul's Way Trust School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy | Academy | 1.6 miles | 838 | Outstanding 2023 | 100 | Compare |
| Mossbourne Community Academy | Academy | 2.8 miles | 1,432 | Report card 2026 | 99 | Compare |
| Forest Gate Community School | Academy | 3.0 miles | 1,343 | Outstanding 2021 | 97 | Compare |
| Ark Isaac Newton Academy | Academy | 5.8 miles | 1,777 | Not inspected | 95 | Compare |
| Ark King Solomon Academy | Academy | 6.2 miles | 1,319 | Outstanding 2023 | 91 | Compare |
| Paddington Academy | Academy | 7.2 miles | 1,256 | Outstanding 2023 | 97 | Compare |
| The Compton School | Academy | 8.7 miles | 1,381 | Outstanding 2024 | 92 | Compare |
| Ashcroft Technology Academy | Academy | 9.0 miles | 1,524 | Report card 2025 | 100 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 82 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 82% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 77 to 86. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | above | +0.14 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 236 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.02 | Ofsted grade, 4.0 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | above | +0.22 | DfE progress measure; 236 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | in line | +0.01 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well above | +0.13 | 2024/25; 1,589 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | above | +0.04 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 236 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | well above | +0.06 | 235 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is St Paul's Way Trust School a good school?
Yes, going by the figures. St Paul's Way Trust School scores 82 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 68% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 77 to 86, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is St Paul's Way Trust School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated St Paul's Way Trust School good at its last full inspection on 29 September 2022.
How good are St Paul's Way Trust School's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 56% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 51.8, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are St Paul's Way Trust School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 66% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 9% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does St Paul's Way Trust School have?
1,866 pupils aged 4 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,620 places, so it is 115% full.
Is St Paul's Way Trust School oversubscribed?
Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 20 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.
What is attendance like at St Paul's Way Trust School?
Pupils were in school 94.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 11% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at St Paul's Way Trust School?
The average class had 22.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. No class had more than 30 pupils.
Does St Paul's Way Trust School have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for hearing impairment. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
Does St Paul's Way Trust School have a sixth form?
Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was B-. 13 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- 125 St Paul's Way, London, E3 4FT
- Telephone
- 020 7987 1883
- Website
- www.spwt.net
- Headteacher
- Mrs Cath Smith
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 4-18, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- None
- Multi-academy trust
- University Schools Trust, East London (7 schools)
- Local authority
- Tower Hamlets
- Ward
- Mile End
- Constituency
- Poplar and Limehouse
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2016 (academy converter)
- URN
- 143379 · LAESTAB 2114277 · UKPRN 10057652
- Formerly
- St Paul's Way Trust School
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- A level subjects: DfE A level and other 16 to 18 results, subject entries and grades, 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.