Roding Valley High School, Loughton

From the headteacher's welcome: "I consider it an immense privilege to be part of a community as strong and collegiate as ours. Roding Valley High School is an exciting and vibrant place, full of individuals who come together to ensure our students are ready to grasp the opportunities that await them in their futures."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, tennis, basketball, badminton, dance, drama, choir and chess.

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 3 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Roding Valley High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.5 in Essex and 47 across England.

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

That is down from 47.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.21: pupils made below 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 33, against 47.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.3 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 222 families put Roding Valley High School as their first choice and 637 named it as one of their preferences, for 244 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 15 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Roding Valley High School are Debden Park High School (1.6 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 47.4); Davenant Foundation School (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.9); West Hatch High School (2.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 51); and Heathcote School & Science College (2.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44).

Roding Valley High School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Roding Valley High School is one of 11 schools run by The Chelmsford Learning Partnership, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.3 in 2024/25.

Of the 224 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 84% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 133 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 44% went on to university or other higher education, 11% to apprenticeships and 22% into work. 24% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 202 pupils (13.7%) received SEN support and 34 (2.3%) 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 Underground station is Loughton Underground Station, about 200 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Loughton Station, 150 metres away.

In 2024/25, Roding Valley High School issued 278 suspensions, 19.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Roding Valley High School are The Alderton Infant School and Nursery (0.5 miles), The Alderton Junior School (0.5 miles), Staples Road Primary School (0.6 miles) and White Bridge Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.