The John Roan School Review 2026: Two-site Greenwich secondary with a growing sixth form

A school that wears its history lightly while putting a lot of practical emphasis on day-to-day routines. Founded through John Roan’s 1677 bequest to educate Greenwich children, it now operates as a mixed, state-funded secondary with sixth form, split across the Westcombe Park Road main site for Years 7 to 11 and the Maze Hill site for post-16.

The latest Ofsted inspection (10 to 11 October 2023) judged the school Good across every graded area, including sixth form provision.

Leadership is currently under Principal Dr Jennie Sanderson, with government records also listing her as headteacher. A United Learning news story published in August 2025 states she took up the post in the 2024 to 2025 academic year.

For families, the headline is balance. This is a comprehensive intake with strong work on behaviour routines and character, alongside academic outcomes that sit broadly in line with the middle of England’s distribution at GCSE and A-level. The challenge, as ever in this part of Greenwich, is admissions, plus making sure the school’s curriculum and support systems match your child’s learning profile and pace.

The school’s public language is clear about what it wants students to become. The PRIDE values shape that: Proud, Respect, Involved, Determined, Excellent. These are not presented as a slogan; they are used to describe expectations for conduct and participation, and they feed directly into behaviour systems and rewards.

Formal observations describe calm movement between lessons and an orderly atmosphere rooted in high expectations for behaviour. Students are also encouraged to raise concerns quickly, including via a QR-code reporting route referenced in the inspection report.

The setting itself matters here because provision is split. Years 7 to 11 are based at Westcombe Park Road, while the sixth form uses the Maze Hill site, which Ofsted highlights as offering strong facilities for post-16 students. The practical implication is that the sixth form can feel like a distinct phase, with its own spaces and identity, rather than an add-on.

The school is part of United Learning, and the inspection notes trust-wide subject support and training for staff as part of how subject expertise is developed. For parents, the point is not the brand name, but the operational benefit: access to shared curriculum expertise and professional development that smaller standalone schools can struggle to maintain year after year.

A final, distinctive element is how the school links “character” to concrete experiences. This is not limited to assemblies. It includes structured trips and enrichment, and it also includes an outdoor education base, the Memorial Trust Braithwaite Centre, used to widen experiences beyond London.

The picture at GCSE is broadly consistent with a comprehensive school serving a mixed ability intake, with some indicators that learning and outcomes are still uneven across subjects and cohorts.

Ranked 2,266th in England and 13th in Greenwich for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

In the most recent dataset, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 41.6. Progress 8 is -0.29, which indicates that, on average, pupils made below-average progress from their starting points compared with similar pupils nationally.

The Ebacc average point score is 3.96, slightly below the England average of 4.08. This is a useful indicator because it reflects the core academic suite across languages, humanities and sciences, and it suggests that middle-to-higher prior attainers may find the Ebacc pathway appropriately challenging, while the school still has work to do to drive consistency across departments and student groups.

One performance indicator that stands out is the percentage achieving grades 5 or above in Ebacc subjects, recorded here as 17.5. This is lower than many families expect when they hear “Ebacc”, so it is worth checking how languages entry and grades are developing, particularly as the inspection report states leaders have been pushing for more pupils to study a modern foreign language in Years 10 and 11.

At A-level, results are also positioned in the middle of England’s distribution, with some clear room to increase the proportion of top grades.

Ranked 1,505th in England and 7th in Greenwich for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance reflects solid outcomes in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

6.4% of entries achieved A*, 12.0% achieved A, and 41.0% achieved A* to B. Combining A* and A gives 18.4%, compared with an England average of 23.6% for A* to A. A* to B at 41.0% compares with an England average of 47.2%.

The implication is not that sixth form is weak, but that it is still building momentum. If your child is aiming for highly competitive courses, it is sensible to ask about subject-level performance and support for competitive applications, plus the extent to which smaller A-level sets and structured independent study time are used to move students from “good” to “very strong”.

The inspection report describes a curriculum designed so pupils can continue subjects through to Year 13, with new courses added as sixth form expands, including economics introduced in September 2023. The broader intent is coherence, with clear sequencing of knowledge and an effort to make learning cumulative rather than topic-by-topic.

A concrete example from the inspection is English, where ambitious texts are used to build deeper conceptual understanding over time, including themes such as conflict and equality. That matters for students who thrive on structured discussion and extended writing, and it is also relevant for families considering whether the curriculum will stretch higher prior attainers.

Teaching quality is described as generally strong in subject knowledge and explanation, supported by subject training, including input from trust advisers. The implication for parents is straightforward: lessons are likely to feel purposeful and well-organised. Where the school is still refining practice is in precise checking of understanding, especially in some sixth form teaching, so students do not move on too quickly before key concepts are secure.

Reading is treated as a strategic priority, with leaders identifying weaker readers and introducing daily phonics sessions for some pupils, while the inspection also highlights the need to develop wider staff expertise so reading fluency improves more quickly. This matters most for students whose attainment is limited by literacy rather than subject understanding, including some students with SEND.

The school’s own sixth form messaging references progression to Oxford and Cambridge and a range of universities, including Edinburgh, York, Warwick and King’s College London, but it does not publish a numerical breakdown of destinations.

In the most recent Oxbridge dataset, 11 students applied across Oxford and Cambridge, 3 received offers, and 1 ultimately accepted a place. Cambridge accounts for the offers and the acceptance in this period. The scale matters: this is a small, meaningful pipeline rather than a defining feature of the sixth form. For the right student, it signals that Oxbridge applications are supported and taken seriously, but it is not a sixth form where Oxbridge dominates the culture.

For broader pathways, the 2023 to 2024 leavers dataset records a cohort size of 85, with 52% progressing to university. Employment is recorded at 24%, further education at 8%, and apprenticeships at 1%. The practical reading is that this is a sixth form serving a genuinely mixed set of ambitions, which can be reassuring for students who want to keep options open across university, employment and vocational routes.

For families focused on post-16 progression, the most useful next step is to ask for examples: which universities or apprenticeship routes are common for similar students, how careers guidance is structured, and what support exists for personal statements, interviews, and work experience. The inspection report states careers guidance is effective and covers higher education and apprenticeships, which aligns well with the diversity of destinations recorded in the leavers data.

Year 7 admission is coordinated by the Royal Borough of Greenwich through the standard Common Application Form. The published admission number is 180 for Year 7.

Oversubscription criteria follow the familiar pattern for a non-faith, non-selective academy: priority for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, then looked-after and previously looked-after children, then other criteria including siblings, children of staff in specific circumstances, and finally distance. Distance is measured as a straight line from the home address to the Westcombe Park site.

For September 2026 entry, the school published a timeline showing applications opening 1 September 2025 and closing 31 October 2025, with outcomes released 2 March 2026 and acceptance deadline 16 March 2026. The same page also gives an appeals timetable and an induction day date of 2 July 2026.

Open events are typically concentrated in September and early October for Year 6 families, with multiple morning slots and an evening event listed for 2025. While those dates have passed, the pattern is useful for planning ahead.

The most recent distance data available here indicates that in 2024, the last distance offered was 1.195 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

This is a point where FindMySchool’s Map Search is genuinely useful. Families often underestimate how quickly the final allocation line moves year to year, so it is worth checking your exact distance against the last offered distance before you rely on this option.

Sixth form admissions

Sixth form applications are handled directly by the school rather than via the local authority. The admissions policy states Year 12 has capacity for 150 places, with a published admission number of 30 spaces for external applicants, though the actual external intake may be higher depending on internal progression from Year 11.

Entry requirements published by the school are clear. For A-level pathways, applicants need at least five GCSEs at grade 5 or above including English and Mathematics, while BTEC pathways require at least five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English and Mathematics. Subject-specific requirements also apply.

If your child is applying externally, it is worth asking how course allocations work when subjects are oversubscribed, and how the school handles bridging work after GCSEs, particularly for students moving across from different exam boards or option structures.

The school’s wellbeing approach is closely tied to routines and behaviour expectations. There is a strong emphasis on orderly movement, calm learning environments, and consistent classroom standards, framed as supporting disruption-free learning.

Targeted support for SEND is a visible strength. The school has a resourced provision for autism, the Centre for Autism, with specialist learning coaches supporting literacy and specific needs and helping identify underlying additional needs as pupils join. The admissions policy adds practical clarity on how this route works, including that applications are made via the local authority SEN process and that the provision is designed for students able to access around half of the mainstream curriculum with the right support.

Attendance is treated as a priority area, with additional staffing described in the inspection report to monitor and respond quickly to dips. For families, this matters because persistent absence is one of the strongest predictors of underachievement at secondary level, and proactive tracking can make a meaningful difference for students who are drifting.

The second explicit point from Ofsted worth retaining is safeguarding: the inspection states safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The school positions enrichment as part of its “Education with Character” approach, and the strongest examples are the ones with defined structures and clear outcomes.

Outdoor education via the Braithwaite Centre is unusually distinctive for a state secondary. The school describes it as set within 40 acres and used as a base for activities including rock climbing, hill walking, orienteering, canoeing, swimming and ghyll scrambling. The educational implication is confidence-building through managed challenge, plus a break from London routines that can reset motivation, particularly for students who are more practically engaged than classroom-focused.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is another structured strand, framed around skills, volunteering, physical activity and expedition. As with most schools, the value is less in the badge and more in the discipline: planning, teamwork and follow-through across months rather than days.

Sixth form sport pathway through the Basketball Academy is a genuine differentiator. The school describes a partnership with the Greenwich Titans Basketball Team, offering elite coaching, mentoring, access to leagues, and a stated 27 on-court practice hours with a professional coach, plus gym access and personalised plans. For students with the ability and commitment, the implication is an integrated timetable where sport is serious, not an afterthought, while still keeping academic progression central.

Beyond these headline programmes, there are smaller, character-linked roles such as Community Librarians referenced on the enrichment page, plus a wider enrichment offer presented for September 2025. Where this is useful for parents is in fit: students who want a busy week and clear expectations tend to do well, while students who need more downtime may need help planning a realistic mix of clubs and study.

The official school day runs from 8.25am to 3.10pm. Breakfast is available from 8.00am to 8.20am at Westcombe Park and is open to all students.

For transport, the school itself highlights Westcombe Park and Maze Hill rail stations as the nearest, and references bus routes 386 and 55.

Because sixth form uses the Maze Hill site, families should plan for how their child will travel as they move into Year 12. Even when both sites are close on a map, the day-to-day reality of commute time affects punctuality, after-school participation and study habits.

• Admissions are distance-sensitive. In 2024, the last distance offered was 1.195 miles. Distances vary annually based on applicant distribution; proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place. If you are outside that radius, treat this as a reach option and keep alternative schools active in your shortlist.

• Progress 8 is below average in the most recent dataset. A Progress 8 score of -0.29 suggests outcomes are not yet consistently strong for all starting points. For some families, this is a prompt to ask sharper questions about intervention, homework routines, and how quickly students catch up if they fall behind.

• Reading fluency is an identified improvement area. The inspection describes daily phonics support for weaker readers, but also states that wider staff expertise needs strengthening so pupils catch up faster. If your child is a reluctant reader or has literacy-related SEND, ask what screening looks like in Year 7 and what support timetable is used.

• Two-site sixth form changes the experience. Many students will enjoy the sense of a fresh start at post-16, but the practicalities of travel and timetabling between sites can be a factor for those who struggle with organisation.

The John Roan School is a serious, structured comprehensive with clear behavioural routines, a strong character framework, and a sixth form that is still growing its academic profile while offering distinctive pathways such as the Basketball Academy and outdoor education through the Braithwaite Centre. Best suited to families who want a calm, expectations-led environment and who value a school that treats enrichment as part of education rather than a bolt-on. The main hurdle is admission, so families should plan pragmatically and use tools like Saved Schools to keep a realistic shortlist while results and sixth form momentum continue to develop.