William Edwards School
Grays, RM16 3NJ · Thurrock · secondary school
Check the area around this school
12th of 13 secondary schools in Thurrock we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 915 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.6/10 among them, against 2.9/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 10 | 35% | 0.34 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 36.9 · 30 | 30% | 0.89 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.29 · 28 | 25% | 0.70 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 41.8 · 28 | 10% | 0.27 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
William Edwards School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 34.8% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 42.5, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 for 2023/24 was -0.29, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.3 out of 10 among them, against 2.8 out of 10 nationally. Ofsted inspected the school in March 2026 under the new report-card framework, which grades each area separately and gives no overall grade.
Getting in
The published school roll is 984 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,200. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to improve their Progress 8 scores? What specific areas did the March 2026 Ofsted inspection highlight for development?
What Ofsted said about William Edwards School
Overview
The report describes a school where leaders have established high expectations for behaviour, resulting in a calm environment where pupils feel safe and are treated with respect. While attendance is improving and support for disadvantaged and SEND pupils is effective, the quality of teaching remains variable, leading to inconsistent pupil attainment. Leaders are actively implementing changes to improve teaching consistency and curriculum delivery, though these efforts are still in their early stages.
Strengths
- Pupils behave well, are polite, and feel safe in a culture where bullying is rare and handled promptly.
- Systems for identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities work well, with effective individual adjustments.
- Leaders provide well-focused support for disadvantaged pupils, including enrichment activities and compulsory extra lessons to aid progress.
- The personal development programme helps pupils understand how to grow up safely and prepares them effectively for their next steps in education or employment.
Areas to improve
- Leaders should support teachers to use assessment information effectively to adapt lessons, ensuring pupils learn well in all subjects.
- Leaders should ensure all teachers consistently use agreed pedagogical approaches that fully engage pupils’ interest and aid retention.
- Leaders should ensure actions to improve the school are taken swiftly and their effectiveness is evaluated in a timely manner.
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an open culture where concerns are actively identified, acted upon, and managed to keep pupils safe.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 43.8 |
| 2024/25 | 42.5 |
| 2025/26 | 41.8 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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