Greenford High School
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Greenford High School is a mixed 11-18 secondary school located in the London Borough of Ealing.
When it was built, in 1939, Greenford County School was a grammar school for boys and girls. It served the needs of the rapidly growing population of the western edge of the Borough of Ealing. It remained a selective county school until 1974, when Ealing reorganised to a comprehensive system and the school undertook expansion to cope with greater numbers of pupils. In 1992, Greenford High School became a grant maintained school in order to keep its sixth form which was threatened by proposed reorganisation of post-16 education. The following year, the roll increased when Year 7 students were admitted to the school for the first time since 1974. Greenford High School now has over 1600 students on roll, with over 550 in the sixth form.
The head teacher since 1991 is Kate Griffin, who is a former President of the Association of School and College Leaders and currently President of the International Confederation of Principals, the first British head elected to lead the worldwide organisation representing headteachers. (She is also an additional member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), a board member of the Catholic Education Service and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts).
Greenford High School currently has three blocks of buildings housing the main subject areas, together with a sports hall. However, a new school is being built on an area which previously served as a sports field. Construction on this new school began in the summer of 2005 and is due to be completed towards the end of the 2006-2007 school year. The old buildings will then be demolished to provide sports facilities.
[edit] Education
Greenford High School is dedicated to providing the very best for all the students in its care. It combines an excellent and innovative pastoral system with very high academic standards in order to provide a supportive, purposeful and stimulating learning environment.
The 2006 examination results were the best ever achieved. 99% of students were awarded 5 or more A* - G grades and 68% of students achieved 5+A* - C. It is notable that 80% of students were awarded grade C or better in English, and 71% received C or above in Mathematics. (See DFES Performance Tables)
The school is a Specialist Language College a Training School and Leading Edge School and has held Investors in People status since 1995 which has enabled all the students, from the most to the least able, to benefit from innovative programmes designed to build their confidence and expertise. Its success has been recognised by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust through inclusion in the list of high performing specialist schools. In recognition of these outstanding achievements the headteacher has been elected an additional member of HMC (The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference).
The school has an extremely strong commitment to the equality of opportunity for all its students and seeks to use the school’s cultural diversity in a positive way through initiatives such as Student Voice. It was the first school to have a non-teacher as the head of social inclusion, and the school has effectively brought in house a multi-agency team of professionals – many of whom had not worked in schools before – led by the non-teaching social inclusion manager who is part of the senior leadership team.
Language College
As a Specialist Language College, students have benefited from such things as classes with British Airways (where wee regularly use their training centre), visits to the Japanese Embassy, visits to the French Theatre and articipation in Language Study Conferences.
Outside, the school provides French teaching in eight Primary Schools and is currently working with the London Borough of Ealing to increase this provision. It provides after school classes, free of charge, in Gujarati and Punjabi for school-aged children in the Borough. The adult evening Spanish classes are always popular and very successful. A variety of languages are offered within the school: Spanish, French, German, Punjabi, Japanese, Gujarati (after school) and are hoping to begin Chinese within the next couple of years. There are a variety of assessment and accreditation opportunities, not just GCSE. The “Certificate in Business Language Competence” has proved very successful amongst Advanced Vocational Business students in the Sixth Form. Being a Language College allows the school to further develop an awareness of the “world” and celebrate the cultural and linguistic differences in all countries.
Sixth Form
Greenford High School has a large and flourishing Sixth Form offering a wide variety of courses and has an excellent “track record” in obtaining University places for its students. 97% of 2006’s A level students have now progressed to Higher Education. (See school website)
Greenford High school is justly proud of the quality of its teachers. They are a team of dedicated professionals who have proved time and again that they are prepared to work exceptionally hard to help students achieve their best. For them the welfare and progress of their students are paramount.
The most recent Ofsted Inspection team were very impressed by the harmonious and welcoming ethos within the school and said:
“Greenford High School is a very effective school. There is a good, inclusive ethos in which staff and pupils work well together. The positive attitude of the pupils enhances their learning and the behaviour of the pupils is very good” (see OFSTED report)
School Uniform
• Black school blazer with Greenford High School badge. • Greenford High School tie • White collared shirt or blouse • Black school knee-length skirt or trousers • Plain black school shoes • Plain black V neck pullover • Plain socks • Plain outdoor coat • No caps • No hooded tops • No make-up • One pair of stud ear rings only
PE Uniform
• White collared PE shirt • Black shorts • White socks • Training shoes • Towel • Greenford High School sweatshirt • Football socks • Black socks • Training shoes • Towel
[edit] Former pupils
Paul Merson the former Arsenal, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough footballer attended the Greenford High School between 1980-1984 where he liked the school dinners, allegedly his favourite meal was the quiche.
Michael Elliott, former MEP (London West, 1984-1999).
