Contents

Education

For 2022/23,Bexley had the highest percentage in London, and higher than England, of young people aged 16 to 18 in an apprenticeship

education

Special Educational Needs (SEN) – Pupils in Bexley Schools

Pupils receiving SEN support

In 2023/24:

  • 11.1% (4,901) of pupils were identified as having SEN support; higher than the previous four years but lower than the four years prior to that [1]
  • this is lower than the percentages for London and England [1]
  • 65% of pupils receiving SEN support were boys and 35% were girls [2]
  • 33% were eligible for free school meals, 67% were not [3]
  • 85% spoke English as a first language, 14% spoke a first language other than English [3] 
  • in 2023, 95% of 16/17 year olds with SEN support were participating in education, employment, or training, this is higher than the London and national figures of 94% and 91% [4]
  • the primary need type was autistic spectrum disorder (47%), followed by speech, language, and communication (20%) [5]
     

Pupils with an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) statement

In 2023/24:

  • 4.7% (2,094) of pupils had an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP). This has increased in recent years from 2.6% in 2015/16 to 3.1% in 2019/20 [1]
  • This increase is seen across the rest of the country and Bexley has remained similar but lower than the percentages for London and England [1]
  • 72% of pupils with an EHCP were boys and 28% were girls [2]
  • 37% were eligible for free school meals, 63% were not [3]
  • 85% spoke English as a first language and 15% spoke a first language other than English [3]
  • in 2023, 94% of 16/17 year olds with an ECHP were participating in education or training and 6% were not their activity not known [4]
  • the primary need type was speech, language, and communication (35%), followed by social, emotional, and mental health (23%) and autistic spectrum disorder (12.8%) [5]

Learn more about the SEND local offer in Bexley.

Bexley Information Advice Support Service (IASS)

Bexley IASS is a service provided by the council to offer information to parents and carers of children and young people with SEND.

The service provides support and advice on:

  • EHC needs assessments and plans
  • resolving disagreements, including mediation and tribunals
  • personal budgets
  • exclusions
  • educational procedures
  • SEND transport and assistance
  • individual casework, representation, and support in preparing for and attending meetings

Learn more about Bexley IASS.

In 2021

42% of working-age residents (16 to 64) have an NVQ level 4 or higher (degree level or above)

  • 18% have an NVQ level 3 only (2+ A-levels or equivalent)
  • 17% have NVQ level 2 only (5+ GCSEs or equivalent)
  • 10% have NVQ level 1 only (1 to 4 GCSEs or equivalent)
  • 5% have other qualifications
  • Less than 1% have trade apprenticeships
  • 7% have no qualifications [6]

Early Years (children under the age of five)

  • 97% childcare providers were judged as 'Good' or 'Outstanding' by Ofsted (March 2024) [7]
  • in 2024, 71% of eligible two-year-old children, 88% of eligible three year old children and 95% of eligible four year old children were registered with an early years provider [8]

Children receiving funded entitlement for early education (government-funded early education or childcare for 15 hours per week) in 2024:

  • 438 two year olds and 5,586 three and four year olds were registered to receive funded entitlement for early education [8]
  • of children receiving funded entitlement, 56% were White, 14% were Black, 11% were Asian, 10% were Mixed, 1.5% were Other and 6% had an unknown ethnic group
  • 6.2% of children on funded entitlement had SEN provision (SEN support or EHCP) [9]

Children receiving extended entitlement for early education (government-funded early education or childcare for 30 hours per week) in 2024:

  • 1,658 three and four year olds were registered to receive extended entitlement for early education
  • of children receiving extended entitlement, 60% were White, 12% were Black, 9% were Mixed, 8% were Asian, 1% were Other and 10% had an unknown ethnic group
  • 2.3% of children on extended entitlement had SEN provision (SEN support or EHCP) [9]

Learn more about funded childcare

Early Years Development in 2022/23:

  • 72% of children achieved a Good Level of Development (GLD) at the end of Reception (age 4/5), 66% of boys and 78% of girls
  • 70% of children achieved expected level across all early learning goals, 64% of boys and 76% of girls
  • 73% of children achieved at least expected level in Communication & Language and Literacy areas of learning, 67% of boys and 79% of girls
  • These are better than the percentages for children across London and England [10]

Learn more about early years education

Primary Schools

In March 2024:

  • there are 60 primary schools in the borough [11]
  • primary schools perform well, with 92% judged as ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’ by Ofsted [7]
  • there were 3,305 reception places in primary schools, with 2,915 Bexley residents applying for places [7]
  • the majority of children applying to primary schools in Bexley are offered their first preference. 93% of Bexley residents specifically were offered their first preferences. There are generally more places in primary schools than applications each year [13]

In 2023/24:

  • there were 22,381 children in Bexley primary schools, 51% were boys and 49% were girls [14]
  • 74% of children in Bexley primary schools spoke English as their first language, 25% of children spoke a first language other than English [15]
  • 4,115 children were eligible for free school meals [16]

In 2023:

  • 66% of children were achieving their expected level of development in reading, writing and maths, with 63% of boys and 69% of girls meeting expected standard at the end of key stage 2
  • 12% pupils were achieving at a higher standard in reading, writing and maths, with 10% of boys and 15% of girls achieving at a higher standard at the end of key stage 2 [17]

Learn more about Bexley primary schools and admissions.

Secondary Schools

In September 2023:

  • there are 16 secondary schools including four selective schools and one all-through school in the borough [11]
  • there were 3,490 places in secondary schools, with 3,097 Bexley residents applying for places [18]
  • the majority of children applying to secondary schools in Bexley are offered their first preference, with 68% of Bexley residents specifically offered their first preferences. There are generally more places in secondary schools than applications each year [13]

In 2023/24:

  • there were 20,111 children in Bexley secondary schools, 52% were boys and 48% were girls [14]
  • 82% of children in Bexley secondary schools spoke English as their first language, 17% of children spoke a first language other than English [15] 3,751 children were eligible for free school meals [16]

In 2022/23:

  • the average ‘Attainment 8’ score for pupils was 49.7, with 48.4 for boys and 51 for girls
  • 97.7% of pupils achieved any passes at GCSE or equivalent, with 97.9% for boys and 97.4% for girls
  • 69% of pupils achieved grades 4 or above in English and Mathematics GCSEs, and 52% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above
  • 68% of boys achieved grades 4 or above in English and Mathematics GCSEs and 51% achieved grades 5 or above
  • 71% of girls achieved grades 4 or above in English and Mathematics GCSEs, and 52% achieved grades 5 or above
  • the average ‘Progress 8’ score for pupils was -0.06, lower than the average national ‘Progress 8’ score of -0.03. This indicates pupils are making less than expected progress than their peers with the same starting point [19]

Learn more about Bexley secondary schools and admissions.

Special Schools

In 2023/24:

  • there were seven state-maintained special schools in Bexley [11]
  • there were 826 pupils attending special schools, an increase from 469 in 2015/16 [11]
  • 74% of pupils are boys and 26% are girls [14]
  • 88% of pupils spoke English as a first language, 12% spoke a first language other than English [15]
  • 44% of pupils were eligible for free school meals [16]

Ethnicity of pupils in Bexley schools 2020/21

Percentage of the ethnicity of pupils in Bexley schools 2020/21 [20] [21]
Ethnicity% of pupils in primary schools% of pupils in secondary schools% of pupils in special schools% of pupils receiving SEN support% of pupils with an EHCP
Any other Ethnic group1.51.40.71.30.8
Bangladeshi0.910.50.70.7
Indian5.53.91.41.83.2
Pakistani0.70.70.30.50.6
Any other Asian background2.93.83.81.53
Black African1317.6161.215.1
Black Caribbean1.11.319.71.3
Any other Black background1.424.11.42.8
Chinese1.61.310.70.9
Mixed - any other Mixed background3.62.43.12.72.8
Mixed - White and Asian1.91.51.51.41.2
Mixed - White and Black African1.81.42.11.61.3

Further and Higher Education

  • London South East Colleges are the main provider of further education in Bexley and across South East London. They have two campuses located in the borough - one in Erith and a specialist construction campus at Holly Hill in Belvedere
  • For students who left 16 to 18 study in 2019/20: two years later, 78% of pupils had participated in a higher education level (73% at degree level) for over 6 months (at state-funded mainstream schools & colleges). This has increased from 72% in 2015/16 but remains lower than London [22]
  • the Learning & Enterprise College Bexley is the main adult education institution in the borough

Learn more about the Learning & Enterprise College Bexley.

Learn more about London South East Colleges.

Young People (16/17 year olds)

In 2022/23:

  • 95% were in full-time education and training
  • 5.5% were in an apprenticeship, this is the highest figure in London and higher than the national figure
  • 1.2% were in work-based learning
  • 0.4% were in employment combined with study [23]

16/17 year olds participating in education and training:

  • 97% 16 year olds
  • 93% 17 year olds
  • 93% White 16/17 year olds
  • 96% Mixed race 16/17 year olds
  • 99% Black or Black British 16/17 year olds
  • 100% Asian or Asian British 16/17 year olds
  • 100% Chinese 16/17 year olds
  • 94% 16/17 year olds with an Other ethnic background [24]

NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training):

  • 2.0% of 16/17 year olds were known to be NEET, lower than 3.4% for London and 5.2% for England
  • 0.4% of 16/17 year olds activity was not known, lower than 1.8% for London and 2.4% for England
  • 2.9% of males and 1.8% of females were NEET or not known
  • 1.8% of 16 year olds and 3.0% of 17 year olds were NEET or not known
  • 3.2% White, 1.3% Mixed Race, 0.5% Black or Black British, 0.1% Asian or Asian British, 0% Chinese, and 4.0% with an Other ethnic background were NEET or not known [25]

Learn more about post-16 education

Sources

  1. Pupils in all schools, by type of SEN provision, Explore Education Statistics, DfE - 2023/24
  2. Age and Gender, by type of SEN provision and type of need, Explore Education Statistics, DfE - 2023/24
  3. Free School Meals, Ethnicity and Language, by type of SEN provision and type of need, Explore Education Statistics, DfE - 2023/24
  4. NEET and participation: local authority figures, DfE - 2022/23
  5. Primary need, by type of SEN provision and type of need, Explore Education Statistics, DfE - 2023/24
  6. Qualifications of Working Age population, ONS - 2021
  7. Performance indicators, London Borough of Bexley & Ofsted inspection report
  8. Children registered for childcare funded entitlement and take-up rates, Explore Education Statistics - 2024
  9. Children registered for childcare funded entitlement by ethnicity and SEN provision, Explore Education Statistics - 2024
  10. Headline measures by deprivation for Boys and Girls, Explore Education Statistics, DfE - 2022/23
  11. Number of Schools & headcount, DfE - 2023/24
  12. Internal
  13. Primary and Secondary applications and offers, Explore Education Statistics, DfE - 2024/25
  14. Pupil characteristics - Number of pupils by age and gender, DfE - 2023/24
  15. Pupil characteristics - Number of pupils by Ethnic group and Language, DfE – 2023/24
  16. Pupil characteristics - Number of pupils by Free School Meal eligibility, DfE – 2023/24
  17. Primary performance, Compare School Performance Service - 2023
  18. Internal
  19. Key Stage 4 performance, DfE - 2022/23
  20. Pupils ethnic group by School Type, DfE - 2023/24
  21. Pupils ethnic group by SEN, DfE - 2023/24
  22. Progression to higher education or training, DfE, 2019/20
  23. Young people (aged 16 to 18) by education and training type, DfE - 2022/23
  24. Ethnic group of Young people in education or training, DfE - 2022/23
  25. Characteristics of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), DfE – 2022/23