William Edwards School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | Stifford Clays Road Stifford Clays Grays Essex RM16 3NJ |
| Phone | 01375486000 |
| Reference Number | 137214 |
William Edwards School is currently rated as requiring improvement overall, with particular challenges in the quality of education and student behavior. While the leadership and management of the school demonstrate effectiveness and ambition, the implementation of the curriculum lacks the necessary rigor to ensure that all pupils achieve their full potential. Notably, the school has successfully fostered a positive community atmosphere and shows commendable attendance rates among its students. However, behavioral issues in classrooms hinder the learning environment for some students, and these concerns need to be addressed consistently across the school. The inspection highlights both the current difficulties and the ongoing efforts by the leadership team aimed at improving educational outcomes.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1105 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 55.93%
Girls: 44.07% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 20.6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 8.5% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 23.2 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 118 | 76 | 194 |
| 8 | 127 | 89 | 216 |
| 9 | 125 | 108 | 233 |
| 10 | 117 | 112 | 229 |
| 11 | 131 | 102 | 233 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 58.4% |
| White, Other | 11% |
| African | 8.4% |
| Indian | 4.5% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 3.8% |
| Unclassified | 1.8% |
| Caribbean | 1.7% |
| White & Asian | 1.6% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.6% |
| Asian, Other | 1.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.5% |
| Pakistani | 0.8% |
| Chinese | 0.7% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Requires Improvement |
| > Quality of education | Requires Improvement |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Requires Improvement |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Good |
| Last Report Date | 07 Nov 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 30 Apr 2025 | Monitoring visit |
| 07 Nov 2023 | School inspection: |
| 01 May 2019 | Full inspection: |
| 01 Mar 2017 | Monitoring visit |
| 14 Feb 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 08 Dec 2010 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as William Edwards School and Sports College | |
| 08 Dec 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 26 Jan 2009 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 26 Jan 2009 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 21 Feb 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 21 Feb 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 26 Nov 2001 | Full inspection |
| 26 Nov 2001 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Strong leadership and management.
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- High attendance rates above the national average.
- A variety of extracurricular activities and opportunities for student leadership.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent implementation of behavior policy leading to classroom disruptions.
- Curriculum lacks ambition and rigor, resulting in insufficient challenge for pupils.
- Assessment practices are ineffective, failing to address misconceptions.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 42.5 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 34.8% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 49.4% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
UnlockUnlock Premium
Get percentile rankings, historic result charts, admissions data, and post-GCSE destinations for every school.
£9.99 one-off payment. Lifetime access, no subscription.
Unlock for £9.992025 Admissions
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 118 | 24 |
| Third Preference | 88 | 8 |
| From another Local Authority | 2 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Stifford Clays Primary School
Whitmore Avenue, Stifford Clays, Grays, Essex, RM16 2ST |
0.37 miles |
|
Deneholm Primary School
Culford Road, Little Thurrock, Grays, Essex, RM16 2SS |
0.69 miles |
|
Tudor Court Primary School
Bark Burr Road, Chafford Hundred, Grays, Essex, RM16 6PL |
1.11 miles |
|
Little Thurrock Primary School
Rectory Road, Grays, Essex, RM17 5SW |
1.19 miles |
|
St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School
Ward Avenue, Grays, Essex, RM17 5RW |
1.19 miles |
|
Woodside Academy
Grangewood Avenue, Grays, Essex, RM16 2GJ |
1.43 miles |
|
Orsett Church of England Primary School
School Lane, Orsett, Grays, Essex, RM16 3JR |
1.49 miles |
|
Quarry Hill Academy
Bradleigh Avenue, Grays, Essex, RM17 5UT |
1.5 miles |
|
The Light Christian School
Suite 1, Queensgate Centre, Orsett Road, Grays, RM17 5DF |
1.79 miles |
|
Belmont Castle Academy
Parker Road, Grays, Essex, RM17 5YN |
1.9 miles |
|
Warren Primary School
Gilbert Road, Chafford Hundred, Grays, Essex, RM16 6NB |
1.95 miles |
|
Shaw Primary Academy
Avon Green, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 5QJ |
2 miles |
|
Thameside Primary School
Manor Road, Grays, Essex, RM17 6EF |
2.02 miles |
|
Bonnygate Primary School
Arisdale Avenue, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 5BA |
2.06 miles |
|
Herringham Primary Academy
St Mary's Road, Chadwell St Mary, Grays, Essex, RM16 4JX |
2.11 miles |
|
Chadwell St Mary Primary School
River View, Chadwell St Mary, Grays, Essex, RM16 4DH |
2.12 miles |
|
Benyon Primary School
Tyssen Place, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 6PG |
2.16 miles |
|
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
Daiglen Drive, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 5RP |
2.17 miles |
|
Harris Primary Academy Mayflower
Mayflower Road, Chafford Hundred, Essex, RM16 6SA |
2.26 miles |
|
Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred
Mayflower Road, Chafford Hundred, Grays, Essex, RM16 6SA |
2.28 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Hathaway Academy
Hathaway Road, Grays, Essex, RM17 5LL |
1 miles |
|
Orsett Heath Academy
Stanford Road, Grays, RM16 4DG |
1.01 miles |
|
Treetops School
Treetops Approach Road, Grays, Essex, RM16 2WU |
1.24 miles |
|
Treetops Free School
Treetops Approach, Grays, Essex, RM16 2WU |
1.28 miles |
|
Grays Convent High School
College Avenue, Grays, Essex, RM17 5UX |
1.43 miles |
|
Thames Park Secondary School
Chadwell Road, Grays, RM17 5FP |
2.07 miles |
|
Harris Academy Chafford Hundred
Mayflower Road, Chafford Hundred, Grays, Essex, RM16 6SA |
2.28 miles |
|
The Gateway Academy
Marshfoot Road, Grays, Essex, RM16 4LU |
2.31 miles |
|
Beacon Hill Academy
Erriff Drive, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 5AY |
2.45 miles |
|
Harris Academy Ockendon
Erriff Drive, South Ockendon, RM15 5AY |
2.47 miles |
|
Ormiston Park Academy
Belhus Park Lane, Aveley, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 4RU |
3.37 miles |
|
St Clere's School
Butts Lane, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, SS17 0NW |
3.76 miles |
|
Harris Academy Riverside
London Road, Purfleet, Essex, RM19 1QY |
4.34 miles |
|
Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet
Southfleet Road, Swanscombe, Kent, DA10 0BZ |
4.38 miles |
|
Corbets Tey School
Harwood Hall Lane, Upminster, Essex, RM14 2YQ |
4.49 miles |
|
Mossbourne Port Side Academy
Hassenbrook Road, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, SS17 0NS |
4.51 miles |
|
Gaynes School
Brackendale Gardens, Upminster, Essex, RM14 3UX |
4.55 miles |
|
Pier View Academy
42-44 Harmer Street, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 2AX |
4.6 miles |
|
Alkerden Church of England Academy
Colyer Drive, Ebbsfleet Valley, DA10 1HN |
4.69 miles |
|
Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend
Pelham Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 0JE |
4.76 miles |