Wanstead High School, London

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted to be the Headteacher of Wanstead High and am committed to ensuring that the school continues to build on all its phenomenal qualities, continues to go from strength to strength and provides the very best education for our young people."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, badminton, dance, drama, choir, chess, robotics, STEM and homework club.

In 2026, pupils at Wanstead High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 56.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 55.7 in Redbridge and 47 across England.

68% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 63% in Redbridge and 47% in England.

That is up from 54.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.28: 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 36.6, against 59.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 23.2 points.

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

For September 2026 entry, 228 families put Wanstead High School as their first choice and 765 named it as one of their preferences, for 232 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 60 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Wanstead High School are Beal High School (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 54.8); Leytonstone School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.7); Valentines High School (1.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 57.3); and Connaught School for Girls (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.4).

Wanstead High School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

283 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Wanstead High School (as of September 2025): 70% would recommend the school, 78% say their child is happy there and 53% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (83%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (53%).

Of the 235 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 28% to a further education college, 0% to an apprenticeship and 0% into work.

Of the 146 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 71% went on to university or other higher education and 12% into work. 28% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

The nearest Underground station is Wanstead Underground Station, about 500 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Nutter Lane, 220 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Wanstead High School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Wanstead High School issued 101 suspensions, 7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Wanstead High School are Wanstead Church School (0.5 miles), Nightingale Primary School (0.6 miles), Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School (0.7 miles) and Redbridge Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.