Rokeby School, London Review 2026: Boys’ secondary with standout behaviour and personal development

Purpose-built in 2010, this is a boys’ 11–16 secondary serving Canning Town and the wider Newham area, with modern facilities that support both learning and enrichment, including a performance theatre, dance studio, technology and music suites, and an Olympic-standard six-court indoor sports hall.

Leadership is organised at trust and school level, with Ms Sarah Morgan as Executive Headteacher and Mr Bhavesh Galoria as Head of School, a structure that is common in multi-academy trusts and can bring added capacity for curriculum, attendance, and pastoral systems.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (1 and 2 April 2025) graded Quality of Education as Good, Behaviour and Attitudes as Outstanding, Personal Development as Outstanding, and Leadership and Management as Good.

Expectations are explicit and consistently reinforced. Pupils are expected to commit to learning, take pride in their work, and live up to the school’s values, with a strong emphasis on respect and positive attitudes.

Relationships between staff and pupils are positioned as a defining feature. The practical implication for families is that routines, boundaries, and day-to-day support appear to be well established, which often matters as much as subject choice at Key Stage 4.

Personal development is not treated as an add-on. Leadership roles such as mentoring, ambassador work, and student council participation are presented as part of how pupils build confidence and contribute to the wider community.

For GCSE outcomes, the school is ranked 1,887th in England and 17th in Newham (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), which is a broadly solid profile rather than an ultra-selective outlier.

In the most recent published dataset here, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 48.9, with Progress 8 at 0.05, indicating progress that is close to the national benchmark. EBacc average point score is 4.2, and 11% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc measure.

Parents comparing local options should use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these measures side by side with nearby Newham secondaries, because relative fit often depends on how a child learns rather than headline impressions.

The curriculum is designed to keep breadth at Key Stage 3, then move into a clear options process at Key Stage 4. A three-year Key Stage 3 model is intended to secure foundations before GCSE study, with English, maths, and science taught in ability sets.

Languages feature strongly at Key Stage 3 through French or Spanish, and pupils who are literate in a community language are encouraged to take a GCSE in that language before the end of Key Stage 3. For bilingual families, that can be a meaningful advantage, as it can validate home-language literacy and free up capacity later in the timetable.

At Key Stage 4, pupils take a core suite alongside option subjects that include, among others, Computer Science, Drama, Sociology, Textiles, and Food Preparation and Nutrition. Further Maths and Statistics are also available as additional qualifications for those who want an extra stretch.

Day-to-day practice places weight on knowledge recall and lesson structure, including recapping learning at the start of lessons. One development area highlighted in formal review is consistency in checking understanding and addressing misconceptions across all subjects, alongside ensuring curriculum adaptation for some pupils with SEND is consistently strong.

As an 11–16 school, the main transition point is post-16. The school signposts a full range of local post-16 pathways, including sixth forms, colleges, and apprenticeships, and provides guidance materials for Year 11 students making those choices.

Careers education is framed as long-range rather than last-minute. A careers programme starting from Year 7 is described as comprehensive, with structured guidance on different routes, which can be particularly valuable for families new to the English system or weighing technical and academic pathways.

Admissions are coordinated through the relevant local authority application route, with the school’s trust adopting the borough’s determined arrangements. If you live in Newham, you apply through the borough process; if you live outside Newham, you apply via your home local authority while naming the school as a preference.

For Year 7 entry in September 2026, the published national closing date for on-time applications is Friday 31 October 2025 (23:59), with offers released on Monday 02 March 2026.

The school also published open events for the September 2026 admissions cycle, including an open day on 19 September and guided visits running from early September into mid October. Dates can change year to year, so treat these as indicative and check the school’s admissions page for the current schedule before booking time off work.

If you are assessing realistic entry prospects, the FindMySchoolMap Search is the most practical way to check distance-based priority accurately, because small changes in measurement can affect outcomes in London borough admissions.

Pastoral work is positioned as a central pillar, with pupils expected to know who they can speak to if they have concerns, and with disruption in lessons described as rare. The implication is a learning environment that prioritises calm routines, consistent standards, and clear adult authority.

Attendance is treated as a major priority, and pupils who struggle to attend are supported through dedicated intervention and follow-up.

Ofsted also confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Enrichment is closely linked to personal development. Activities referenced in formal review and school messaging include gardening, music, dance, competitive sport, and structured leadership roles such as mentoring and ambassador responsibilities.

Facilities support breadth. The school describes a performance theatre, dance studio, music and technology suites, and an Olympic-standard six-court sports hall with a gym, which makes it easier to run both participation sport and performance-based activities without competing for limited space.

Academic habits are reinforced outside lessons too. Homework is set with clear time expectations by key stage, delivered through online platforms, and supported by a Homework Club, which can be particularly helpful for families balancing home responsibilities or limited quiet study space.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the normal costs associated with secondary school, such as uniform and optional trips.

The school day is structured around an 8:25am arrival expectation, 8:30am registration, and a 3:00pm finish. A free Breakfast Club runs from 7:30am each morning.

Travel-wise, the school notes strong local links across tube, overground, DLR, and bus routes. For many families, the most actionable detail is bus access, with TfL listing multiple routes serving the Rokeby School stops, including 5, 115, 276, 300, 330, and N15.

• No sixth form. The school ends at Year 11, so every pupil will need a planned post-16 move. Start exploring Newham and neighbouring sixth form and college routes early, ideally before Year 11.

• Boys-only setting. This suits some learners well, particularly those who benefit from a clear, consistent culture, but it is not everyone’s preference for social mix and learning dynamics.

• Consistency work still matters. External review highlights that checking misconceptions and adapting learning for some pupils with SEND is not consistently strong across all subjects, which is worth probing if your child relies on specific classroom adjustments.

• Open day dates change. Specific open events were published for the September 2026 cycle, but families should confirm the current year’s schedule before assuming the same timings.

For families seeking a structured boys’ secondary where routines, behaviour, and personal development are treated as core business, this is a credible option in Newham. Modern facilities and an ambitious curriculum design support breadth at Key Stage 3 and clarity at Key Stage 4. It suits pupils who respond well to high expectations and benefit from strong pastoral systems, with families ready to plan early for the post-16 transition.