Helena Romanes School Review 2026: A growing all-through with an established secondary and sixth form

An all-through school needs two things to work well, shared expectations and genuine continuity. Helena Romanes School has been building both since it became all-through in September 2021, with the primary phase developing alongside a long-established secondary and sixth form.

Leadership is clearly positioned as a driver of improvement. Catherine Davis is listed as Headteacher on Get Information About Schools, and the most recent inspection report notes that the executive headteacher has been in post since September 2022.

Facilities and estate planning are also part of the near-term story. The school states it has been named by the Department for Education as one of 61 confirmed projects in the School Rebuilding Programme, with significant building works expected, and discussion of whether works sit on the current site or connect to a wider all-through rebuild plan.

For many families, the defining question is whether an all-through feels like one coherent school or two phases that simply share a name. Here, the intent is to make continuity practical. The inspection report describes deliberate cross-phase collaboration, including secondary teachers delivering subjects such as physical education and Spanish in the primary phase, plus primary staff supporting secondary practice in phonics, and sixth form students working with younger pupils as part of enrichment.

Day-to-day culture is described as structured and generally calm. Behaviour expectations are presented as consistent, and pupils are described as respectful to staff and each other. It is also acknowledged that bullying can occur, with the clear expectation that staff intervene to stop it, which is the type of plain, usable reassurance parents look for.

The school positions trips and wider experiences as part of the offer rather than an add-on. The inspection report references visits such as theatres, battlefields in Belgium, and the Millennium Seedbank as examples of broadening experience and interest in the wider world.

The latest Ofsted inspection (10 and 11 October 2023) graded the school Good overall, and also graded early years provision and sixth form provision as Good.

At GCSE, Helena Romanes School is ranked 2,586th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and ranks 1st locally within the Dunmow area. This reflects solid performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

Looking at the measures behind those rankings, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 42.1, and the Progress 8 score is -0.38, which indicates students make below-average progress from their starting points. Ebacc indicators include an average EBacc APS score of 3.64 and 12.4% achieving grades 5 or above across the EBacc.

A-level outcomes sit lower relative to other schools nationally. Helena Romanes School is ranked 2,038th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and ranks 2nd locally within the Dunmow area. This places outcomes below England average overall (bottom 40%). The A*-B rate is 34.91% versus an England average of 47.2%; A*/A is 8.87% versus an England average of 23.6% (calculated from the A* and A figures provided).

The strongest evidence here is around curriculum planning and consistency. The inspection report describes a curriculum that has been carefully sequenced so that knowledge builds over time, with key vocabulary and prior learning revisited regularly. Teachers are described as knowing pupils’ needs well and adapting teaching so that pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, can access learning.

Where the school is being pushed to improve is equally clear, and it is useful for parents because it points to what learning can feel like day to day. The inspection report notes that opportunities for discussion, debate, and spoken explanation are sometimes limited, and that reading widely for pleasure is an area where development work is still needed.

For families choosing an all-through, the practical implication is that the school’s best-established teaching routines are likely to be in the secondary and sixth form phases, while the primary phase continues to bed in systems and identity. The report explicitly describes the primary phase as growing, with pupils in primary up to Year 4 at the time of inspection, which is a reminder that the all-through model is still developing in real time.

The school’s careers model is described as planned and progressive, including work experience in Year 10 and university visits for sixth form students.

For the 2023/24 leavers cohort 35% progressed to university, 15% to apprenticeships, and 32% moved into employment. The cohort size is 60.

Oxbridge figures are not available and the school does not present a published Oxbridge or Russell Group percentage on the pages reviewed, so it is best to treat destinations here as broad and mixed, with meaningful apprenticeship and employment pathways alongside university progression.

Helena Romanes School is in Essex, and admissions follow Essex County Council’s coordinated process for Reception and Year 7, with separate sixth form arrangements.

Reception entry (September 2026)

Demand data indicates 61 applications for 20 offers for Reception, which equates to 3.05 applications per place, and the entry route is marked as oversubscribed. The school’s primary admissions page states that children born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 are eligible to start Reception in September 2026.

For Essex primary applications, the published national closing date is 15 January 2026 and offers are sent on 16 April 2026.

Because the primary phase is growing, families should also read the school’s admissions arrangements closely, especially if they are relying on a long-term all-through place.

Year 7 entry (September 2026)

Demand is also strong at secondary entry. The dataset shows 362 applications for 196 offers for Year 7, which equates to 1.85 applications per place, and the entry route is marked as oversubscribed.

The school’s published admissions policy for 2026 to 2027 states that Year 7 applications must be made to the Local Authority by 31 October 2025, with offer letters sent on 1 March 2026.

Essex County Council also states that applications received after 31 October 2025 are treated as late, and processed after on-time applications.

Sixth form entry (Year 12)

The school’s admissions policy states a Year 12 admission number of 270, and confirms that external applicants are welcome, with minimum academic entry requirements applying to both internal and external candidates.

For 2026 intake, the school’s sixth form prospectus page indicates an application deadline of Monday 15 December 2025. As of 25 January 2026, that is a past deadline, but it is a strong indicator that sixth form applications typically close around mid-December for the following September start.

Practical tip: if you are comparing alternatives, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and comparison tools can help you place the GCSE and A-level profile alongside nearby options using the same measures.

Pastoral effectiveness often shows up in the way behaviour, bullying, and support for vulnerable pupils are handled. The inspection report describes staff as skilled in providing support and guidance for pupils needing help with wellbeing or behaviour, and it also states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

For parents, the implication is that the school is aiming for a consistent, predictable culture rather than a high-drama approach. Where a child needs extra emotional support, it is still important to ask specific questions at open events, for example how early concerns are picked up, how families are kept informed, and what escalation looks like when issues repeat.

The most helpful way to judge extracurricular quality is specificity, and Helena Romanes School publishes detailed club lists.

Clubs with a clear academic or creative flavour

Autumn 2025 lunchtime and after-school provision includes Wordsmiths (Creative Writing), Latin Club, Military History Club, Warhammer Club, and a Calm Club, plus targeted support such as GCSE level-up sessions and subject clinics including Chemistry Clinic for older students.

Those kinds of clubs matter because they create low-stakes routes into confidence, particularly for students who are not defined by sport or performance.

Music that runs through the week

right across the year groups, the school lists Pop Choir and Samba, plus a Friday Glee Choir, and GCSE Composition support for Years 10 and 11.

That mix suits both beginners who want a regular, social ensemble, and exam students who need structured help to finish composition work well.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award with real expedition routes

The Bronze programme is described as starting in September of Year 9, with Silver enrolment in Year 10 and a Gold offer available. Recent expeditions listed include Thetford Forest (Bronze), New Forest and White Peak (Silver), and Brecon Beacons and Dark Peak (Gold).

The implication is straightforward, students who want a structured challenge and a practical way to show commitment beyond grades have a clear pathway.

Sport, facilities, and breadth

Published sports clubs include options such as trampolining, netball, table tennis, and football training, including use of an Astro for football sessions.

For families prioritising sport, it is worth asking how fixtures are organised, how inclusive the programme is for late starters, and how the school balances enrichment with workload.

School day timings

Primary phase classrooms open at 8:50am with the day beginning at 9:00am; collection is at 3:40pm. Secondary and sixth form registration runs 8:40am to 8:55am, with lessons finishing at 3:20pm; the secondary site is stated as opening for students at 8:15am.

Wraparound care for primary pupils

Breakfast Club is offered daily from 8:00am. After School Club is offered Monday to Thursday until 5:40pm. The school publishes session pricing, with Breakfast Club at £4 per session and After School Club at £10 per session.

(As with any wraparound provision, availability can vary by day and year group, so families should confirm arrangements directly via the school’s published information.)

Facilities and access

Community-facing facilities listed for hire include a gymnasium, dance studio, and grass pitches, with free on-site parking noted on the facilities pages.

With building works planned under the School Rebuilding Programme, it is sensible to ask how construction will be phased and how learning spaces and movement around site will be managed.

• Competition at key entry points: Reception demand equates to 3.05 applications per place, and Year 7 to 1.85 applications per place. If you are relying on a place, treat it as competitive and keep realistic alternatives in view.

• A-level outcomes are a weaker point: A*-B is 34.91% versus an England average of 47.2%. For sixth form applicants, it is worth asking about subject-level outcomes and support structures, especially in the first term of Year 12.

• Reading culture is a stated improvement priority: the inspection report indicates that reading for pleasure and wider reading habits are still developing for many pupils. If this matters to your child, ask what structured reading routines and library access look like at each phase.

• Rebuilding work can bring disruption even when outcomes are positive: confirmed capital investment is good news long term, but families should be ready for short-term changes to access routes, rooming, and facilities while works progress.

Helena Romanes School offers a clear all-through proposition, with a growing primary phase and an established secondary and sixth form structure. The school’s strengths are in consistent expectations, detailed enrichment, and practical cross-phase continuity, which can be a genuine advantage for families seeking one setting from Reception through to sixth form.

It suits families who want a large, mixed all-through with structured routines, broad clubs, and a sixth form that offers a supportive culture. Those placing the highest priority on top-end A-level outcomes, or who need strong evidence of rapid academic progress from the secondary phase, should ask sharper questions and compare options carefully.