Valentines High School, Ilford

Outstanding
Secondary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.2km)Possible (~1.7km)Unlikely (~2.2km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Richard Laws
Pupils:1,357 / 1,288 capacity
LA:Redbridge
Phone:02085543608
Address:Cranbrook Road, Ilford, IG2 6HX
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Outstanding

Overall

URN:102857
UKPRN:10007204
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Ilford North
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Valentines High School is an exceptional school where your child will achieve excellent grades and thrive personally. The school places real focus on inclusion, ensuring every pupil - whether disadvantaged, with additional needs, or learning English as an additional language - receives personalised support to succeed. Beyond academics, the school offers a vast range of clubs, trips and enrichment activities, removes financial barriers so all pupils can participate, and creates a calm, respectful community where pupils feel known and valued.

Key Strengths

  • Exceptional academic achievement with GCSE results significantly above national averages, particularly in English and mathematics
  • Outstanding behaviour and attendance, with calm, collaborative classrooms and a strong school culture
  • Highly effective inclusion and support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, enabling them to exceed national progress expectations
  • Exceptional leadership that prioritises vulnerable pupils and invests heavily in staff professional development
  • Extensive extra-curricular offer and enrichment activities that remove financial barriers for all pupils

Areas for Improvement

  • Further strengthening pupils' oracy skills to help them explain their reasoning with even greater precision

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Self-defence classes, Aspire programme for girls, overseas trips to Switzerland and Barcelona, mentoring programmes, PSHE lessons (SPHERE), Thoughtful Thursdays, Mindfulness Monday, form-time activities, guest speakers, school clubs, Future Fridays careers provision, Friday enrichment activities, Year 12 tutoring of GCSE pupils

Valentines High School is an exceptional school where pupils achieve remarkably well across the curriculum with attainment significantly above national averages. The school places inclusion at its core, creating a safe, supportive community where all pupils thrive.

At a Glance

29.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

25.7

Avg class size

40

Total classes

7 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Gants Hill Station
222m · 4 min walk
Gants Hill Underground Station
257m · 4 min walk

Bus Stops

Gants Hill Station / Cranbrook Road (Stop CH)
157m · 3 min walk
Beehive Lane (Stop CM)
197m · 3 min walk
Gants Hill Station (Stop ET)
236m · 4 min walk
Parham Drive (Stop EC)
248m · 4 min walk
Clarence Avenue Gants Hill (Stop EV)
274m · 4 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

105%

Over capacity

1,357 pupils

1,288 capacity

69 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Ilford

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,227
Projected new pupils:221

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Ilford

Admissions Demand - Redbridge

Low demand0.93x oversubscription

Places available

3,709

Applications

3,444

Got 1st preference

67.6%

Got preferred school

93.1%

Secondary admissions across Redbridge (2025/26)

Inspection History(15)

Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

6.0702%

Overall absence

16.53888%

Persistent absence

913

Enrolments

Authorised5.13391%
Unauthorised0.93629%
Persistent (10%+)16.53888%
Severe (50%+)0.87623%

Absence trend

3.84673%
18/19
6.37204%
20/21
7.07725%
21/22
7.31791%
22/23
5.62691%
23/24
6.0702%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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