WOODFORD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
Woodford is a selective girls' grammar school of 1155 pupils, including 318 in the Sixth Form. Our catchment area includes the entire London Borough of Redbridge (LBR) as well as part of neighbouring areas. There are two single sex grammar schools in the Borough, the boys' school being in Ilford. All the other state funded secondary schools are comprehensive. From September 2016, both grammar schools have increased from four forms of entry to six (6fe).
We moved into our new teaching block associated with the school’s expansion in September 2017 – one of many exciting developments in the run up to the school’s centenary (2019). The new facilities include 13 science laboratories, 11 classrooms, computing facilities, an additional changing room for P.E, a staff room and study facilities for sixth form students. Refurbishment in the main school building has significantly upgraded accommodation for Food & Nutrition and Computing as well as rationalising the accommodation of all subject departments as they expand.
Entry to Woodford is via a selection test, administered by the LA. Each September about 1000 girls take the 11+ on the school site. Most girls stay with us for seven years, and we have a flourishing Sixth Form, all following A-level courses. We encourage girls to follow a broad curriculum and to keep opportunities open for as long as possible. Girls start two languages in Year 7 (French and either German or Latin) and continue with at least one language at GCSE. Three separate sciences are studied at GCSE. We have strong A-level groups in all areas of the curriculum and encourage uptake of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). All girls undertake work experience at the end of Year 11 and commit to 25 hours of Voluntary Service in Year 12 as part of an enrichment programme.
Our school has a great deal to offer. Academic results are excellent and the vast majority of girls choose to go on to Higher Education. We encourage participation and personal achievement, whether academic, creative or sporting. We have many extra-curricular activities - choirs, orchestras, instrumental groups, sports teams, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, drama and debating societies - just to mention a few. An after school club (running from 3.30pm – 5.00pm daily) makes available
a range of six week activity courses in everything from martial arts to cookery, archery to jewellery design, dance to chess. Our House system offers opportunities for every kind of inspiration and enthusiasm – Drama and Dance Festivals, Charity events, Sports Day, House Quiz. A current focus is to increase the leadership opportunities available in Key Stage 3 and 4. (The sixth form offer is already extensive.) Another is to increase uptake of the numerous opportunities available to engage girls in STEM. We hope that all staff and students will enjoy playing a full and active part in the life of the school.
Our student community is multi-ethnic, multi-faith and multi-lingual. School life here blends the very new with the very traditional. The atmosphere is vibrant, purposeful and very friendly and the school community is strong, cohesive and valued by its members. We were delighted that OFSTED judged us to be ‘an outstanding school, which offers its students an excellent all-round education’ and recognised the strong ethos of the school. More recently, we have been celebrating our designation, by the Sunday Times, as “London State Secondary School of the Year (2019)” – and perhaps particularly the coincidence of this accolade with the School’s Centenary Year.
Woodford is an energising and rewarding school in which to work. If it sounds to you from all the above that your profile and ours might be a good match for one another, we should be delighted to receive an application from you. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to ring or e-mail us with any further questions you might have. You can be sure of a prompt and friendly response.
London Borough of REDBRIDGE
