St Edward's Church of England Academy, Romford Review 2026: Values-led secondary with a strong wellbeing offer

Life in all its Fullness (John 10:10) is more than a slogan here; it shapes routines, relationships, and the way students are expected to grow up. Founded in 1710 as a charity school and now part of Unity Schools Partnership, the academy carries a long local story while operating as a modern 11–18 state secondary with a small sixth form.

The latest Ofsted inspection (May 2022) judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding for personal development.

Expect a school that takes safeguarding and family support seriously, makes its Christian character visible without narrowing its intake, and builds confidence through structured personal development as much as through exam preparation.

A consistent theme across official evidence and the school’s own language is community. Students describe the school as welcoming and close-knit, and the culture is framed explicitly through the HOPE values, Humanity, Optimism, Perseverance and Excellence. The result is a setting where expectations are clear, relationships are expected to be respectful, and difference is treated as normal rather than exceptional.

Faith is present, but not narrowly drawn. Collective worship and chaplaincy sit alongside a stated commitment to students of all faiths and none, with worship spaces and a multi-faith prayer room intended to support reflection as well as religious practice. The chaplaincy team is led by Reverend David Simpson.

Student voice shows up in practical ways. A small detail that matters is the school’s willingness to let students initiate activities; the Ofsted report notes that students who wanted a Manga club were able to set one up, a useful indicator that enrichment is not only top-down. In sixth form, students asked for competitive sport, and it was added into their timetable on a fortnightly basis, a good example of provision adapting to demand.

Leadership is stable and strongly identified with the current ethos. Ms Jodie Hassan has been headteacher since April 2018, the same year the academy joined Unity Schools Partnership and took its current name. In practice, that continuity tends to support consistent routines and a clearer long-term direction.

This is a secondary with sixth form, so it is best assessed on both GCSE and post-16 outcomes, and on whether progress looks consistent for the cohort it serves.

At GCSE, the school ranks 1852nd in England and 14th in Havering for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). That position reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Progress is slightly positive, with a Progress 8 score of 0.05. The Attainment 8 score is 46.1, and the average EBacc points score is 4.32.

These figures point to a school where attainment sits around the broad England middle, but where students, on average, make marginally better progress than expected from their starting points. That combination often suits families who want steady academic momentum paired with clear pastoral structures, rather than a highly selective, exam-only culture.

Post-16 outcomes are more challenging. For A-levels, the school ranks 2476th in England and 8th in Havering for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), placing it below the England average overall. Grade distribution is modest, with 15.84% at A*–B and 4.95% at A*,A. England averages are higher, at 47.2% A*–B and 23.6% A*,A.

For families weighing the sixth form, that gap matters. It does not automatically mean the sixth form is the wrong choice, but it does suggest that students aiming for the highest-tariff pathways should interrogate subject-by-subject fit, entry requirements, and the level of independent study expected.

Teaching and curriculum planning are described as ambitious and deliberately sequenced. Subject leaders are clear about what students should know, and in what order, and teaching is framed as helping students understand the next steps in their learning rather than simply completing tasks. The Ofsted report gives concrete examples, including geography content moving from the physical features of southern Africa to tourism in Kenya, and English reading that spans Chaucer, Shakespeare and Orwell alongside modern authors such as Malorie Blackman.

Reading is treated as a cross-school priority. Leaders have a strategy designed to build confident, fluent readers, including targeted support and a wider-reading push across subjects. The HOPE Literature Lounge adds a practical layer, encouraging students to engage with recommended reading lists and to contribute suggestions, which can be a helpful nudge for reluctant readers who respond to peer recommendation rather than adult instruction.

The main teaching caveat is consistency across subjects. The Ofsted report highlights that, because of the school’s size, some staff teach outside their subject specialism; where this happens, it can make it harder to identify misconceptions and keep engagement high. For parents, the implication is straightforward: ask how the school supports non-specialist teaching, and how it ensures that students who need more scaffolding, including those with SEND, receive it consistently.

For most families, destinations questions come in two forms: what happens at 16, and what happens at 18.

The sixth form position is pitched as “supported independence”, and there is clear investment in post-18 guidance. A member of the sixth form leadership team is available into the early evening, and the model expects students to build independent study habits through structured use of study rooms and a study skills space.

In the 2023/24 leavers cohort, 77% progressed to university, 4% moved into apprenticeships, and 8% went into employment. This is a small cohort (26 leavers), so individual choices can move the percentages substantially from year to year, but the direction is clear: university is the dominant pathway.

For academically ambitious students, there is at least a small Oxbridge pipeline in the measurement period, with two applications and one student securing a place. That is not a defining feature of the school, but it does indicate that high-end applications are supported when the right individual candidate emerges.

Widening participation activity is a more prominent thread than elite destinations branding. The sixth form curriculum information highlights participation in The Brilliant Club Scholars Programme, which is designed to widen access to highly selective universities for students in non-selective state settings.

Careers education is described as structured from early secondary, with guidance spanning university, apprenticeships and employment routes, and a mix of assemblies, guest speakers, mentoring, and one-to-one support through an external adviser. For families who value employability and informed choices as much as grades, that breadth is a practical advantage.

Year 7 entry is coordinated by Havering. The school’s Published Admission Number for Year 7 is 210, and the process is the standard secondary transfer route rather than a direct application to the school.

Faith is relevant to oversubscription, but it is handled through an additional step rather than a separate admissions route. Families who attend a place of worship regularly can complete a Supplementary Information Form, which the school asks to be returned by the same deadline as the local authority application.

Timing matters. For the September 2026 intake, Havering’s published open events list shows a Year 6 open evening on Thursday 11 September 2025 (4.00pm to 7.00pm), plus tours on Mondays and Wednesdays between 8 September and 15 October 2025. These dates have now passed, but they provide a reliable pattern: open evenings tend to run in early September, with tours through September into mid-October. Families planning ahead should monitor Havering’s annual admissions publications and the school’s updates so they do not miss booking windows.

The local authority application deadline referenced by the school is 31 October, with offers released on 1 March. For families shortlisting multiple Havering schools, it is worth using the FindMySchoolMap Search to check home-to-gate distance and compare likely travel routes, then keep your shortlist organised using Saved Schools so deadlines do not slip.

Sixth form entry is a separate process. Applications for the current cycle opened on 13 November 2025, using an online application route linked from the school’s sixth form admissions page.

Personal development is a clear strength here, and it is not presented as a bolt-on. The school runs a planned personal development curriculum that revisits key issues in an age-appropriate way, including consent and online behaviour. The HOPE framework runs through daily form time and the wider curriculum, and there is an emphasis on students feeling able to speak up and be listened to.

Safeguarding is treated as a culture, not a policy file. The school describes early intervention through mentoring, a structured approach to staff training, and the use of safeguarding systems for recording and follow-up. The safeguarding team structure is published, including a named designated safeguarding lead and deputy leads, which signals clarity of accountability.

The wellbeing offer is unusually detailed for a mainstream secondary, and it blends in-school help with signposting and referral routes. There is a weekly wellbeing focus in form time, a stated wellbeing contact, and an anonymous reporting route via Whisper. Support includes young carers referral routes, school nurse access for healthcare plans, and links to bereavement support. Two allocated CAMHS STAR workers offer confidential monthly virtual sessions for students who are anxious, stressed, or who want to speak to an independent person.

Practical support is also part of the picture. The school references partnerships with charities to support vulnerable families and includes a period poverty offer through “Red Box” collection points. In a borough where families’ circumstances vary widely, those measures can be the difference between a student being present and ready to learn, or distracted by unmet basic needs.

Enrichment is framed in two layers, extra-curricular clubs and what the school calls supra-curricular development. The clearest marker of how this works in real life is that students are able to propose clubs and see them take shape, such as the student-led Manga club referenced in official inspection evidence. The implication is that students who are willing to take initiative can build leadership experience in a low-risk way.

For structured activities, the school points families towards a broad out-of-hours programme spanning ICT, music, art and drama, and an extensive list of sports clubs. Sports named include football, basketball, cricket, trampolining, tennis, badminton, table tennis, netball, volleyball, athletics, rugby and handball. The breadth matters because it increases the likelihood that a student finds a niche, which can in turn improve attendance and belonging, particularly for Year 7 students settling in.

Academic enrichment is more explicit in the sixth form. The sixth form offer references a timetabled supra-curricular programme across Unity Schools Partnership, and The Brilliant Club Scholars Programme is cited as a vehicle for stretching high-potential students and widening access to selective universities. For students who need structured challenge rather than optional lunchtime clubs, the timetabled approach can be a better fit.

There is also a quieter enrichment strand that signals cultural intent. The HOPE Literature Lounge, with reading lists and student contributions, is a simple mechanism that can raise reading volume over time, especially when combined with cross-curricular wider reading expectations. That is not glamorous, but it is often what shifts vocabulary, writing fluency, and confidence across the timetable.

The school day structure is published in detail. Students in Years 7–11 have form time from 8.30am, with lessons running through to 3.00pm most days, and an additional Period 6 on Mondays ending at 4.00pm. The sixth form day is framed as 8.30am to 3.00pm, with encouragement to stay longer for study and support, and on-site sixth form leadership availability into the evening.

Term dates for 2025–26 are also published, including staff development days and half-term windows. This is useful for families coordinating childcare, travel, and part-time work for older students.

Transport-wise, the academy is served by TfL bus routes with stops named for the school, including routes 86 and 686 (and the night route N86). For many families, that makes commuting practical without relying on a single rail line.

• Sixth form outcomes. A-level results sit below England averages, and the school’s A-level ranking is in the bottom 40% of schools in England. Families considering sixth form should ask about subject-level performance, class sizes, and how independent study is monitored.

• Consistency across subjects. Official evidence notes that some teaching is delivered outside subject specialism due to school size, which can reduce consistency in checking understanding. Ask how training and curriculum support is organised so students do not experience uneven teaching quality across the timetable.

• Faith practice is visible. As a Church of England academy, collective worship and chaplaincy are part of normal school life, and the Christian vision is explicit. Many families welcome this, but those looking for a fully secular experience should read the school’s faith life information carefully.

• Admissions admin matters. Year 7 entry is coordinated by the local authority, but the supplementary form for worship attendance adds an extra step for some families. Missing deadlines can remove a route to priority in oversubscription situations.

St Edward’s is at its strongest when judged as a community school with a clear moral framework and a well-developed personal development and wellbeing offer. The culture is structured, values-led, and unusually detailed on family support, which will suit students who benefit from predictable routines and a strong sense of belonging.

Best suited to families in Havering who want a faith-informed secondary experience that welcomes a broad mix of backgrounds, and who value wellbeing, safeguarding culture, and character development alongside steady academic progress. For sixth form, it can work well for students who will use the supported independence model actively, but those targeting the most academically competitive post-16 pathways should compare options carefully.