Welcome from the Headteacher

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to our website and our school.

William Edwards is a large, successful, harmonious and thriving mixed 11-16 comprehensive school. Pupil outcomes across the school are historically strong. However, attending William Edwards is about so much more than just GCSE outcomes. We firmly believe that your school days should be the best days of your life and that schools have a moral purpose to extend the life experiences of their pupils. That is why we boast the largest Duke of Edinburgh cohort of any school in the East of England and are one of only a very small number of secondary schools nationally to hold both the Artsmark Platinum Award and the Youth Sports Trust Gold Award for our work in these diverse fields.

We were delighted that our last inspection report noted that “pupils who spoke to inspectors were effusive about their experience in school” and that “the breadth of curriculum opportunities available at the school is a real ‘gem’ in the school’s offer to its pupils”.

The school is a proud founding member of the South West Essex Community Education Trust which runs three secondary schools and three primary schools across Thurrock and the London Borough of Havering.

We were delighted that our last Ofsted inspection captured our considerable strengths in teaching, pastoral care, behaviour, pupil support and curriculum. We are pleased that these ‘cornerstones’ of high quality education remain strong at the school.

Simon Bell, Headteacher