Goresbrook School

Goresbrook School is an all-through academy within United Learning Trust, inspected in October 2024. It was previously judged Good and this was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspectors found an exceptionally strong school: pupils achieve very well, behaviour and attendance are excellent, and personal development and preparation for life after school are particularly notable. The curriculum is ambitious and broad from early years to sixth form, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are quickly identified and well supported to access the same curriculum. The report highlights high-quality reading and phonics provision, strong subject expertise, effective checking of pupils' understanding, and a wide extra-curricular and cultural literacy offer. Pupils are safe, courteous and engaged, and staff, governors and trustees work effectively together. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. No areas for improvement were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Ambitious and broad curriculum from early years through sixth form
• Strong SEND identification and timely support so pupils access the same ambitious curriculum
• High-quality reading and phonics provision with focused catch-up support
• Teachers check understanding adeptly and address misconceptions quickly
• Pupils' behaviour, attendance and commitment to learning are excellent
• Exceptional personal development and preparation for life after school
• Wide extra-curricular, leadership and cultural literacy opportunities
• Effective leadership, trust support and sensible workload management
• Strong safeguarding culture and effective safeguarding arrangements

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Goresbrook School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 13.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 7.3% of pupils at Goresbrook School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Goresbrook School had 16.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 8.9% of pupils at Goresbrook School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Goresbrook School received £8,965 and spent £8,941 for each of its 1,036 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £925,000 (£894 per pupil).

Across all 93 schools of United Learning Trust, income was £8,687 and spending £8,616 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Barking And Dagenham · Barking and Dagenham local authority: places and applications

Goresbrook School is part of United Learning Trust, which runs 98 schools. The nearest others:

• Winston Way Academy Ilford
• The John Roan School London
• Bacon's College London
• Walthamstow Primary Academy London
• Walthamstow Academy London
• Longshaw Primary Academy London
• Whittingham Primary Academy London
• Salisbury Manor Primary School London
• Conisborough College London
• Sedgehill Academy London

What is Goresbrook School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Goresbrook School is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Goresbrook School last inspected by Ofsted?

Goresbrook School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Goresbrook School have?

Goresbrook School has 1,089 pupils on roll.

What age range does Goresbrook School cover?

Goresbrook School for pupils aged 2 to 18.

What are Goresbrook School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 56.6, and 63% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Goresbrook School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Goresbrook School?

Goresbrook School is at Cook Road, Dagenham, Essex, RM9 6XW.