Jo Richardson Community School, Dagenham

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From the headteacher's welcome: "JRCS was opened as a brand new school in 2002. JRCS was opened as a brand new school in 2002. Our motto “ Success for All ” underpins everything that we do at the school and puts the students’ achievements at the centre of our vision."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance, drama, chess and Duke of Edinburgh.

In 2026, pupils at Jo Richardson Community School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.4 in Barking and Dagenham and 47 across England.

45% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Barking and Dagenham and 47% in England.

That is down from 50.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.2: pupils made 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 41.9, against 50.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 296 families put Jo Richardson Community School as their first choice and 864 named it as one of their preferences, for 299 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 44 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Jo Richardson Community School are Goresbrook School (0.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 56.6); Riverside School (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 57.9); The Sydney Russell School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.9); and Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College (1.2 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 48.7).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Jo Richardson Community School.

Of the 286 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 36% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 91 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 69% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 12% into work. 20% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

35.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 32% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (32%), Black (20%) and Asian (16%).

In 2026, 149 pupils (8.8%) received SEN support and 61 (3.6%) 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 autism.

Jo Richardson Community School has a SEN unit for autism: 26 places, 26 pupils on roll.

Jo Richardson Community School had 125 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest Underground station is Becontree Underground Station, about 780 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gale Street / Goresbrook Road (->w), 110 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Jo Richardson Community School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Jo Richardson Community School issued 129 suspensions, 7.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Jo Richardson Community School are The James Cambell Primary School (0.2 miles), Monteagle Primary School (0.5 miles), Godwin Primary School (0.6 miles) and Roding Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.