The Sydney Russell School, Dagenham

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades The Sydney Russell School on 8 areas: 1 exceptional, 6 strong standard and 1 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Exceptional. "Pupils access a comprehensive and deep set of personal development experiences."

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve highly and make progress across the school from the beginning of the early years."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders closely analyse pupils' attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have a highly accurate understanding of the strengths across the curriculum."

Early years - Strong standard. "Leaders have designed a curriculum that prioritises children's communication skills and language development alongside all key areas for learning."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have a clear oversight of the school's work to overcome pupils' barriers to learning and/or wellbeing."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas of improvement across the school."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders offer an academic and aspirational curriculum for students."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should embed recent improvements to the teaching of students in post-16 provision to ensure that all students, including those with higher prior attainment, make excellent progress and attain highly".

In its own words: "Sydney Russell is a special place and staff and students alike are extremely proud of what we have created together over the years and continue to build as team."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, cricket, athletics, basketball, dance, drama, choir and orchestra.

Coming up: an open evening on Thursday 5 November 2026 and an open evening on Wednesday 11 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Sydney Russell School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 48.4 in Barking and Dagenham and 47 across England.

55% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Barking and Dagenham and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 51.2.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.72: 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 43.4, against 54.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 28 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Spanish and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 361 families put The Sydney Russell School as their first choice and 1061 named it as one of their preferences, for 357 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 107 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Sydney Russell School are Jo Richardson Community School (1.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 47.4); Goresbrook School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 56.6); Mayfield School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46); and All Saints Catholic School and Technology College (1.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 53.8).

The Sydney Russell School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

The Sydney Russell School is one of 20 schools run by Partnership Learning, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.4 in 2024/25.

Of the 336 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 95% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 43% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 0% into work.

Of the 89 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 60% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 14% into work. 30% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

33.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (33%), White British (22%) and Black (17%).

In 2026, 282 pupils (11%) received SEN support and 70 (2.7%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The Sydney Russell School has a resourced provision for autism: 8 places, 8 pupils on roll.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Becontree, about 990 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Sydney Russell School, 80 metres away.

In 2024/25, The Sydney Russell School issued 40 suspensions, 1.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Sydney Russell School are Southwood Primary School (0.2 miles), The St Teresa Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles), St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles) and Parsloes Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.