The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls

Description

The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, situated at the address W3 0HW in London's borough of Ealing, is a comprehensive foundation secondary school dedicated to the education of approximately 1,400 girls between the ages of 11 and 19 years. Named after Ellen Wilkinson, a historical figure who served as an MP and the first female Minister for Education in Britain, the school combines a rich heritage as the former Ealing Grammar School for Girls with a focus on offering all students, regardless of academic ability, a well-rounded education within a nurturing environment.

Established in 1974, the school derived from four former schools: St Ann's Secondary Modern, Wood End, and The Grange. It became a grant-maintained institution in April 1992 and was awarded special government recognition in 1999, making it a foundation school. The school is known for its academic prowess, maintaining consistently high standards and becoming the go-to non-selective school in Ealing, according to The Good Schools Guide. In 2010, the GCSE results outshone national averages, and A Level results demonstrated the fourth-highest average points score for Ealing schools that year. In recognition of its academic excellence, the school was awarded beacon status in the past and has been recognized as a specialist school for Science and Mathematics. Moreover, the school has been awarded the SSAT Gold Award for Cultural Diversity and has been identified as one of the 'top 100 schools in the country' according to the Department for Education.

The school's campus, found in close proximity to North Ealing and West Acton tube stations, also features notable former pupils such as journalists Tina Daheley, Dame Wendy Hall, and Maxine Nightingale, as well as police officer Shirley Becke and philosophers Sylvia Tait and Jacqueline Rose. Currently, the school is led by Headteacher Ms R Kruger, who began her tenure in 2014, succeeding Ms C Sydenham. However, in 2023, news emerged of the school indicating structural concerns, as it was one of those affected due to the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in construction.