Grays Convent High School, Grays

From the headteacher's welcome: "'By the time pupils leave your school, they are articulate, confident, kind and well-qualified young women, ready to make a successful start on their post-16 education' - Ofsted 2017. 'By the time pupils leave your school, they are articulate, confident, kind and well-qualified young women, ready to make a successful start on their post-16 education' - Ofsted 2017."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include choir and Duke of Edinburgh.

In 2026, pupils at Grays Convent High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Thurrock and 47 across England.

48% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 46% in Thurrock and 47% in England.

That is down from 55.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.76: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 46.5, against 52.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and French.

For September 2026 entry, 82 families put Grays Convent High School as their first choice and 241 named it as one of their preferences, for 137 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Grays Convent High School are The Hathaway Academy (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.5); Thames Park Secondary School (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.1); Orsett Heath Academy (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42); and William Edwards School (1.4 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.8).

Grays Convent High School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Of the 150 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 97% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 52% to a further education college and 1% to an apprenticeship.

In 2026, 57 pupils (8.7%) received SEN support and 6 (0.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Grays Rail Station, about 900 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bradleigh Avenue (e-bound), 240 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 429 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Thurrock (163), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Grays Convent High School issued 67 suspensions, 10.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Grays Convent High School are Quarry Hill Academy (under 0.1 miles), St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles), Little Thurrock Primary School (0.5 miles) and Thameside Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.