Best secondary schools in Ealing
All of Ealing’s state secondary schools – or high schools, as they are often called in these parts – are comprehensives. There has not been a grammar school round this way since the 1970s but that does not mean there’s a lack of academic excellence. In fact, quite the contrary.
Secondary schools in Ealing
Most of Ealing’s secondary schools are good and many are oversubscribed, notably the four in Twyford Church of England Academies Trust – a multi-academy trust (MAT) with specialisms in music, science and languages. Each of these schools (three in Ealing – Twyford Church of England High School, Ealing Fields High School, Ada Lovelace Church of England High School and Greenford’s William Perkin Church of England High School) – produce exceptional GCSE and A levels results (Ealing Fields does not have a sixth form but pupils tend to move to other schools in the trust for the final two years). The three Ealing-based schools are among the top 100 schools in England in the Progress 8 measure. Twyford itself still stands out with the best A level results of all the borough’s state schools and also boasts a large sports centre and playing fields, plus excellent music. One parent told our reviewer that Twyford pupils are ‘inspired, challenged and happy’.
Drayton Manor High School is another effective state secondary, as is Elthorne Park High School, described in our review as ‘massively oversubscribed’. The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls is oversubscribed and a bit of an undiscovered gem. Two local Catholic secondaries stand out: Gunnersbury Catholic School for boys achieves excellent academic results and The Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School in Greenford has such a good reputation, it attracts pupils from much of the borough.
Grammar schools near Ealing
For parents in search of grammars there are some out of the borough – each necessitating rush-hour travel. Tiffin School (boys) and The Tiffin Girls’ School in Kingston are gold standard grammars and are reached by the 65 bus from central Ealing. Geography is a key consideration as to whether Ealing families should apply. The girls’ school admissions policy includes all Ealing postcodes in its ‘designated area’, although not in its ‘inner area’ from which the majority of successful applicants come. The boys’ grammar admits according to rank order in the 11-plus test within its 10 km priority area; an area which extends well into south Ealing. Asking either school for details on how places were allocated in previous years will help you assess your own child’s chances.
The same applies to the renowned grammar schools in Barnet. The Henrietta Barnett School for girls allocates around half of its places according to performance in the entrance test, but as a hugely popular school with relatively small intake, your daughter will need to be at the top of her game to win a place. Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet (boys), admits almost entirely based on performance in the 11-plus. These schools are some distance from Ealing but each year a small number of local families opt for the North Circular school run.
Competition is ferocious for all four of the above and, if applying from Ealing, thought should be given to commutes as well as social and extracurricular considerations later on when the children are in their teens with exam pressures and long days.
The ‘Slough Grammars’ ie Herschel Grammar School, Langley Grammar School, St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School and Upton Court Grammar School may just be within reach. Ealing children have been known to go there but, again, chances are slim.
State sixth forms in Ealing
All secondary schools in Ealing have sixth forms apart from Ealing Fields and so most children stay put for their final two years. However, many offer fresh intakes at sixth form with Twyford, Elthorne Park and Ada Lovelace popular choices for those who move at this point. There are also college options. West London College operates three sites: Ealing, Hammersmith and Southall and offers mostly vocational courses. West Thames College has campuses in Isleworth and Feltham and offers similar opportunities. A more popular alternative has long been Richmond-upon-Thames College which offers a full range of A levels as well as apprenticeships etc.
Secondary schools for children with Special Educational Needs
Some of the special schools in the primary section are all-through. In addition, for senior pupils there is Belvue School in Northolt to the west of the borough – an unusually large special school for those with complex learning needs. St Ann’s School in Hanwell, is a smaller school supporting those with profound learning difficulties. Of the mainstream senior schools, some have resourced provision eg Dormers Wells supports those with hearing impairments, Elthorne Park supports those with speech and language difficulties and Twyford and William Perkin also provide for speech and language difficulties and autism. A tube ride into NW London reaches St Marylebone CE Bridge School, a specialist free school run by the borough of Westminster for children with EHCP specifying language disorder; admission via local authority.
Neurodivergent pupils can choose Ambitious College, a specialist 16+ provision based on the campus of West Thames College, where they can learn skills for life, skills for work or follow more vocational courses.