William Edwards School
Stifford Clays Road, Grays, RM16 3NJ
984 pupils · 82% of 1,200 capacity
- Phase
- Secondary
- Type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 11–16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Trust
- SOUTH WEST ESSEX COMMUNITY EDUCATION TRUST LIMITED
- Local authority
- Thurrock
- Free school meals
- 22.4%
Ofsted
Needs attention (2026) — Report card — the most common grade across the inspected areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
| Safeguarding | Met |
Inspected 10 March 2026, published 9 June 2026. Read the full Ofsted report
England has three coexisting inspection systems — how we translate them into one signal.
Exam results
| Measure | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 42.5 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 34.8% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 54.9% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 42.1% |
Progress 8 is not published nationally for 2024/25 and 2025/26 while KS2 baselines are missing (no SATs in 2020/21). It returns from 2026/27.
“Not published (small cohort)” means the DfE suppressed the figure to protect small cohorts — it is not a zero.
Will my child get in?
Usually has places available — 0.57 first-choice applications per place (Sept 2026 entry)
| Entry | Places | 1st preferences | Total preferences | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 entry | 159 | 90 | 429 | 130 |
| Sept 2025 entry | 201 | 93 | 427 | 132 |
| Sept 2024 entry | 206 | 158 | 548 | 198 |
| Sept 2023 entry | 210 | 221 | 680 | 210 |
| Sept 2022 entry | 250 | 176 | 572 | 250 |
| Sept 2021 entry | 248 | 174 | 627 | 245 |
| Sept 2020 entry | 250 | 290 | 825 | 250 |
| Sept 2019 entry | 245 | 394 | 969 | 245 |
First-choice demand varies year to year, and the school’s admission criteria — not demand — decide who is offered a place. Use this as a rough signal, never a prediction.
Nearby alternatives
- The Hathaway Academy 1.6 km · Good — confirmed 2024 · previous system
- Orsett Heath Academy 1.6 km · Good (2023) · previous system
- Grays Convent High School 2.3 km · Good — confirmed 2023 · previous system
- Thames Park Secondary School 3.3 km · Good (2023) · previous system
- Harris Academy Chafford Hundred 3.7 km · Outstanding (2024) · previous system
- The Gateway Academy 3.7 km · Standards maintained (2024)
Straight-line distance — not travel time, and not a catchment. Same phase, open schools only.
Data from DfE and Ofsted open data (OGL v3) — sources. School record updated 10 July 2026. Report incorrect data.