Elthorne Park High School

Expressive arts meet academic ambition in this Outstanding-rated Hanwell comprehensive. Set beside around 7.5 acres of green space, the school pairs room-to-breathe outdoor space with GCSE results described as genuinely strong, placing it in the top 15% nationally. Demand is intense — close to 1,000 applications for 240 Year 7 places each year — reflecting its reputation as the strongest-performing school serving South Ealing and Hanwell. With a Progress 8 score of +0.49, pupils here make significantly above-average progress from their starting points, regardless of where they begin.

Beyond the gates on Westlea Road, Elthorne Park presents itself as a school that values creativity without sacrificing academic rigour. At first glance, the maroon uniform can feel a touch severe, but the reality inside is vibrant and buzzy. Staff maintain firm expectations without being draconian; the philosophy centres on trust, example, and respect rather than heavy-handed discipline.

Steve Ward became Headteacher in September 2024, taking over from Eliot Wong. In his introduction to the school community, Ward describes Elthorne as a proud community school with the very highest aspirations for our young people. This ambition is borne out by the results and destinations that students achieve.

The school has a distinctive history. The site originally housed Bordeston Secondary Modern School, which opened for boys in 1932. That school merged with Walpole Grammar in 1974 to form Elthorne High School, which then closed in 1986 amid declining enrolment. Community campaigning led to the school reopening in September 1998 under its current name, taking its title from the adjacent Elthorne Park. The sixth form arrived in September 2009.

What makes Elthorne genuinely distinctive is its commitment to expressive arts alongside academic success. The 2025 Ofsted inspection highlighted the high quality of personal development provision, noting that over 160 pupils participated in the school's recent drama production. Annual whole-school musicals, including recent productions of Hairspray and Grease, involve students in every aspect from costumes to choreography. This is not a narrow exam factory but a school where creativity and academic achievement coexist.

GCSE Results

GCSE results place Elthorne Park firmly in the top tier of state schools. The school ranks 655th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it comfortably within the top 15% of schools in England. Locally, Elthorne ranks 8th among schools in Ealing.

In 2024, the school achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 57.4. The Progress 8 score of +0.49 indicates that pupils make substantially above-average progress compared to students with similar starting points elsewhere in England. This value-added measure matters particularly for families considering a comprehensive school: it demonstrates that Elthorne's teachers extract strong results from pupils regardless of their prior attainment.

Nearly 71% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and mathematics in 2024, compared to the England average of 45.9%. This gap of over 25% underscores the school's academic effectiveness.

Modern languages results are particularly notable. More than half of the year group takes at least one language, with French, Spanish and German all producing strong results. The school reports that its modern language outcomes place it in the top 5% in England. Language exchanges operate for French, Spanish, and German, with approximately 50 pupils travelling abroad each year.

A-Level Results

The sixth form shows solid performance, though not at the same elite level as the GCSE results. The school ranks 1,031st in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Locally, Elthorne ranks 9th among Ealing providers.

In 2024, 52.8% of A-level grades were A*-B, above the England average of 47.2%. At the top end, 25.2% achieved A*-A grades, slightly above the England average of 23.6%. On the ALPS value‑added measure, the sixth form is rated outstanding for teaching and learning.

The sixth form has expanded significantly since opening in 2009, now serving around 220 students. Over 70% of sixth formers study A-levels, with the remainder taking BTEC level 3 courses. This dual pathway approach means students can choose routes suited to their learning style while still achieving level 3 qualifications.

Teaching at Elthorne follows a structured approach with high expectations. The 2025 Ofsted inspection found that pupils' conduct is exemplary and that they thrive in their learning and behave well throughout the day. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and explain concepts clearly.

The school operates a two-week timetable with 60-minute lessons. Setting operates in mathematics from Year 7, with English, science, and modern languages also broadly set. This allows teaching to be targeted appropriately while maintaining high expectations across all groups.

Innovation includes flip learning in the sixth form and some lower school classes. Students receive iPads and research topics before lessons, enabling more discursive, exploratory teaching. The curriculum includes enrichment lessons for Years 7 to 9, offering subjects beyond the EBacc such as Japanese and film, broadening horizons and allowing gifted students to extend their skills.

DT is a clear strength, with separate exam routes in resistant materials and graphic products as well as food technology and textiles. The department benefits from specialist facilities including four dedicated workshops. All three sciences are taught strongly, with chemistry results particularly notable.

The school became a Maths and Computing specialist school in September 2007, and this STEM heritage remains visible. Five or six pupils take further mathematics A-level each year. The school has achieved regional success in STEM challenges and runs the UK maths challenge.

According to DfE data, 70% of 2024 leavers progressed to university. The school reports that 90% of students reached their desired destinations, including courses in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, and places at Oxbridge and Russell Group universities.

Nineteen students applied to Oxbridge during the measurement period, with three receiving offers and one securing a place. While these numbers are modest, they represent genuine achievement for a comprehensive school serving a mixed-ability intake. The school runs an Early Entrant Programme offering tailored support for students aiming at highly competitive courses, helping them refine UCAS applications and prepare for aptitude tests and interviews.

Russell Group destinations feature prominently, with approximately 31% of university-bound leavers joining these institutions. Imperial College London, UCL, Warwick, and Edinburgh appear among the most popular choices. Approximately 20% of sixth form leavers pursue art school pathways, reflecting the school's creative strengths, and one or two students each year progress to the BRIT School.

The school's most famous alumna is Chloe Kelly, the England Lioness who scored the winning goal in the 2022 European Championship final against Germany. Kelly attended Elthorne Park and returned to speak to students about her journey, demonstrating that success takes many forms.

Admissions for Year 7 are coordinated through Ealing Council. The school is significantly oversubscribed, with approximately 923 applications for 240 places in the most recent admissions round. This represents a ratio of 3.85 applications per place.

The last distance offered was 0.772 miles in 2024. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. The catchment has tightened from about a 1.5‑mile radius to roughly a mile, largely because demand has risen.

After children in public care and those with exceptional medical or social circumstances, proximity to the school gate determines allocation. Siblings receive priority. Most intakes come from Fielding, Oaklands, St Mark’s and Little Ealing primaries, with Fielding usually contributing the largest cohort.

Application deadlines for September 2026 entry fall on Friday 31st October 2025, submitted through the council's e-admissions system. National Offer Day is Monday 2nd March 2026. The school runs an Induction Day on Friday 26th June 2026, when new Year 7 pupils spend the day following a sample timetable.

Sixth Form Entry

The sixth form welcomes both internal and external applicants. Entry requirements include a minimum of five GCSEs at grades 9-4 including English and mathematics, with at least a grade 6 in chosen A-level subjects.

For September 2026 entry, the Sixth Form Open Evening takes place on 21st October 2025 from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. External applications open on 22nd October 2025, with a deadline of Friday 5th December 2025. Conditional offers are issued at the end of February 2026.

Internal students apply from Monday 15th December 2025 following mock examinations, with a deadline of 13th February 2026. Approximately 78% of Year 12 students come from within the school, with the remainder joining from other Ealing schools including Drayton Manor and Ealing Fields.

The school presents its ethos as blending old‑fashioned expectations with a more relaxed set of values. Behaviour management operates through a tiered system of detentions, from 15-minute personal sessions with teachers through to headteacher detentions. A three-strikes policy and internal isolation system handle more serious matters. However, the emphasis falls on building trust through relationships rather than imposing control through fear.

That thinking is captured in what it calls the Elthorne Way: high achievement and excellence pursued through a genuine staff–pupil partnership. Students have a voice through the student council, which holds regular breakfasts and lunches with staff. An annual student survey ensures their views shape school development.

On serious matters, the line remains absolute. Drug and weapon offences result in exclusion without exception. The 2025 Ofsted inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The SENCO leads a team of 10 supporting approximately 17% of pupils with special educational needs. A 2017 expansion project delivered the Additionally Resourced Provision, a hub supporting children with speech, language and wider communication needs needs difficulties as well as specific learning needs. This facility also houses a life skills room and additional ICT suites. Between 2% and 3% of pupils have Education, Health and Care Plans.

The school describes expressive arts as central to its community life, and the breadth of provision is positioned to back that up. Drama students can perform Shakespeare extracts at the annual Shakespeare Schools Festival. The whole-school musical involves students in production, stage management, choreography, and performance. Recent productions including Hairspray saw cast and crew bring the house down every night.

Music provision includes numerous ensembles: brass, guitar, chamber orchestra, and whole-school orchestra. Gifted musicians receive identification and opportunities to compete and perform through concerts, recitals, a classical music competition, and an annual rock concert. Music composition teaching uses dedicated Mac suites.

Sport benefits from the school's unusual asset: sole daytime use of extensive playing fields at the rear of the campus, plus the adjacent Elthorne Park where students can spend supervised lunch breaks. Facilities include a large sports hall, separate school hall, and multi-use games area with all-weather courts.

The U13 girls' football team has achieved national championship status, while the Year 11 girls' netball team went unbeaten for four consecutive years.

The enrichment programme runs after school Monday to Thursday, with options including debating, film club, and community volunteering. Duke of Edinburgh expeditions run to Gold level. Elthorne Wider Opportunities Days provide timetable-free experiences including career conferences, university taster days, theatre visits, BFI trips, and art gallery excursions.

STEM

The school's specialist status in mathematics and computing continues to shape provision. The STEM challenge has produced regional winners, and pupils compete annually in the UK maths challenge. Facilities include 11 modern science laboratories, 12 dedicated ICT rooms, and exceptional technology resources across multiple disciplines.

The school day runs from 8:40am to 3:10pm for Years 7-11, totalling 32.5 hours weekly. Each lesson lasts 60 minutes, and the school operates a two-week rotating timetable. All year groups have one assembly per week in the main hall.

A study club runs after school with computer access to help students with homework. The school does not publish details of breakfast club provision; families requiring wraparound care should contact the school directly.

Transport links are excellent. Boston Manor station on the Piccadilly line sits a five-minute walk away. Bus routes E8 and 195 stop directly outside the school gates. Hanwell station on the Elizabeth line is a seven-minute walk.

Tight catchment: With 923 applications for 240 places and a last distance offered of 0.772 miles, securing a place requires living close to the school. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. Families should check their distance carefully before relying on admission.

Sixth form progression: While the school achieves outstanding GCSE results, placing it in the top 15% nationally, A-level performance sits in the middle band. Some higher-attaining students opt to move elsewhere for sixth form. Families should consider whether the broader sixth form offer, including BTECs and the creative arts focus, suits their child's ambitions.

Creative emphasis: The school's genuine commitment to expressive arts, while a strength for many, means the culture differs from narrowly academic environments. Pupils who want an intensive exam-focused atmosphere may find the breadth of provision distracting rather than enriching.

Building stock: The campus comprises a mixture of buildings from different eras, including some single-storey temporary structures alongside the modern sixth form centre and 2017 Additionally Resourced Provision. The physical environment is functional rather than architecturally distinguished.

Elthorne Park High School delivers genuinely strong GCSE results from a comprehensive intake, achieving outcomes that place it among the top-performing state schools in England. The Progress 8 score of +0.49 confirms that pupils make exceptional progress here regardless of their starting points.

What distinguishes Elthorne from similar high-achieving comprehensives is its authentic commitment to creative arts alongside academic success. This is not a bolt-on enrichment programme but a genuine cultural commitment, evidenced by the scale of drama productions, the strength of music provision, and the proportion of leavers pursuing art school pathways.

Best suited to families within the tight catchment seeking a community school that combines academic rigour with genuine breadth. Children who engage with drama, music, or creative subjects will find particular opportunities here. The main challenge is securing admission; once enrolled, students benefit from a school that expects high achievement while respecting the whole child.