Greenford High School
Encyclopedia
Greenford High School is a mixed 11-19 secondary school with a comprehensive intake located in the London Borough of Ealing
.
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 Municipal Borough of Ealing
and was provided by Middlesex County Council
. It remained a selective county school until 1974, when the new London Borough of Ealing
reorganised to a comprehensive system
, and the school undertook expansion to cope with greater numbers of pupils and the raising of the school leaving age. In 1992, Greenford High School became a grant maintained school; the change was made in order to keep its sixth form
, which was threatened by proposed reorganisation of post-16 education. The following year, the roll increased again when Year 7 students were admitted to the school for the first time since 1974. Greenford High School is now a foundation school, which has over 1600 students on roll, with over 550 in the new sixth form.
In addition to this there is a School Governing Body made up of 16 members. Consisting of staff, parents, LEA
and community School Governors. The chair of Governors is Scott Packman (parent) and the vice chair of Governors is Andrew Whitfield (parent).
The head teacher (since 1991) was 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
). Kate Griffin retired on the 31st December 2008 and was replaced by Mathew Cramer, who was formerly a deputy head teacher at Greenford High School.
Greenford High School now occupies a new suite of buildings completed September in 2007 in mini-campus style whilst the former buildings are to be demolished to provide up to date sports facilities. The new school's ICT resources boasts state of the art and latest technologies. School's ICT case study appears on website of its ICT partner, Dell
Corp. Ltd.
The school is one of the most ethnically mixed in Ealing, and includes students from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds; Bangladesh
i, Somali
, India
n, Afro-Caribbean
, English
and Irish
, including students from many faiths, such as Sikh
s, Hindu
s, Muslim
s, and Christian
s.
The school is designated as a Specialist Language College
, a Training school
, a Leading Edge School and a hub for Student Voice
and Deep Learning, and has held Investors in People
status since 1995. The school received the national 'School Achievement Award' on all three possible occasions. All of this 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 a 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
. The Junior Leadership Team, established to mirror the school's Senior Leadership Team and make a real contribution to student-focussed education, won the national competition organised by the SSAT in 2007 for outstanding practice in Student Voice.
Greenford 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 – 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.
In addition 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 Chinese. 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.
. The school's achievements in developing the aspirations of pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds were recognised by the 2007 London Education Partnership Awards, when Greenford received the award for the most outstanding individual institution in developing access to Higher Education
.
Inspection team were very impressed by the harmonious and welcoming ethos within the school and said:
• Black tie with badge. ( You can find it at Kevin's at Greenford Broadway)
• Girls-
• Shirt/Blouse, tie, black/white socks, trouser/ knee length skirt, No make-up allowed.
Uniform is not required for 6th formers.
London Borough of Ealing
The London Borough of Ealing is a borough in west London.-Location:The London Borough of Ealing borders the London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Brent to the north, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the east and the London...
.
History
When it was built, in 1939, the then GreenfordGreenford
Greenford is a large suburb in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, UK. It was historically an ancient parish in the former county of Middlesex. The most prominent landmarks in the suburb are the A40, a major dual-carriageway; Horsenden Hill, above sea level; the small Parish Church of...
County School was a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
for boys and girls. It served the needs of the rapidly growing population of the western edge of the Municipal Borough of Ealing
Municipal Borough of Ealing
Ealing was a local government district from 1863 to 1965 around the town of Ealing.A local board of health was formed for the southern part of the parish of Ealing, Middlesex, in 1863. In 1873 the board's area was extended to the rest of the parish....
and was provided by Middlesex County Council
Middlesex County Council
Middlesex County Council was the principal local government body in the administrative county of Middlesex from 1889 to 1965.The county council was created by the Local Government Act 1888, which also removed the most populous part of the county to constitute the County of London...
. It remained a selective county school until 1974, when the new London Borough of Ealing
London Borough of Ealing
The London Borough of Ealing is a borough in west London.-Location:The London Borough of Ealing borders the London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Brent to the north, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the east and the London...
reorganised to a comprehensive system
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, and the school undertook expansion to cope with greater numbers of pupils and the raising of the school leaving age. In 1992, Greenford High School became a grant maintained school; the change was made in order to keep its sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
, which was threatened by proposed reorganisation of post-16 education. The following year, the roll increased again when Year 7 students were admitted to the school for the first time since 1974. Greenford High School is now a foundation school, which has over 1600 students on roll, with over 550 in the new sixth form.
In addition to this there is a School Governing Body made up of 16 members. Consisting of staff, parents, LEA
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
and community School Governors. The chair of Governors is Scott Packman (parent) and the vice chair of Governors is Andrew Whitfield (parent).
The head teacher (since 1991) was Kate Griffin
Kathleen Griffin
Kate Griffin MEd, BSc, FRSA was the President of the International Confederation of Principals 2006-2008 , and was the first British holder of the office.-Biography:Kate Griffin was educated at South Shields Grammar-Technical School for Girls Kate Griffin MEd, BSc, FRSA (born as Kathleen Fenwick,...
, who is a former President of the Association of School and College Leaders
Association of School and College Leaders
The Association of School and College Leaders , formerly the Secondary Heads Association , is the British professional association for leaders of secondary schools and colleges.-History:...
and currently President of the International Confederation of Principals
International Confederation of Principals
The International Confederation of Principals is a global association of school leadership organisations.ICP was founded in 1991, and operates through a council with up to three delegates from each member organisation. This meets three times in a two-year period...
, the first British head elected to lead the worldwide organisation representing headteachers. (She is also an additional member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
(HMC), a board member of the Catholic Education Service
Catholic Education Service
The Catholic Education Service is an agency of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales and a member of the Bishops’ Department for Catholic Education and Formation. CESEW’s mission is to promote and support Catholic education...
and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
). Kate Griffin retired on the 31st December 2008 and was replaced by Mathew Cramer, who was formerly a deputy head teacher at Greenford High School.
Greenford High School now occupies a new suite of buildings completed September in 2007 in mini-campus style whilst the former buildings are to be demolished to provide up to date sports facilities. The new school's ICT resources boasts state of the art and latest technologies. School's ICT case study appears on website of its ICT partner, Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
Corp. Ltd.
The school is one of the most ethnically mixed in Ealing, and includes students from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds; Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i, Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n, Afro-Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, including students from many faiths, such as Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s, Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s, Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s.
Education
The 2006 examination results were the best ever achieved. 90% of students were awarded 5 or more A* to C grades . 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 designated as a Specialist Language College
Language College
Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages...
, a Training school
Training school
For a juvenile correctional facility, see youth detention center-----A training school is an official designation, awarded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, to schools in England that provide exceptional facilities for in-service and work experience training of teachers...
, a Leading Edge School and a hub for Student Voice
Student voice
Student voice describes the distinct perspectives and actions of young people throughout schools focused on education."Student voice is giving students the ability to influence learning to include policies, programs, contexts and principles."...
and Deep Learning, and has held Investors in People
Investors in People
Launched in 1991 Investors in People is a business improvement tool administered by UK Commission for Employment and Skills and supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ....
status since 1995. The school received the national 'School Achievement Award' on all three possible occasions. All of this 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
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is an independent, not-for-profit, membership organisation with headquarters in the United Kingdom, dedicated to raising standards and achievement in secondary schools in England and internationally...
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
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
).
The school has a 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
Student voice
Student voice describes the distinct perspectives and actions of young people throughout schools focused on education."Student voice is giving students the ability to influence learning to include policies, programs, contexts and principles."...
. The Junior Leadership Team, established to mirror the school's Senior Leadership Team and make a real contribution to student-focussed education, won the national competition organised by the SSAT in 2007 for outstanding practice in Student Voice.
Greenford 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 – 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 (regularly using their training centre), visits to the Japanese Embassy, visits to the French Theatre and participation in Language Study Conferences. new links are being developed in China, South America and Africa.In addition 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 Chinese. 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.
Sixth form
Greenford High School has a very large 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 EducationHigher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
. The school's achievements in developing the aspirations of pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds were recognised by the 2007 London Education Partnership Awards, when Greenford received the award for the most outstanding individual institution in developing access to Higher Education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
.
Staff
The most recent OfstedOfsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
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.• Black tie with badge. ( You can find it at Kevin's at Greenford Broadway)
• Girls-
• Shirt/Blouse, tie, black/white socks, trouser/ knee length skirt, No make-up allowed.
Uniform is not required for 6th formers.
Notable alumni
- Sir Brian BenderBrian BenderSir Brian Geoffrey Bender, KCB is a retired British civil servant, who served as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Trade and Industry....
KCB, former senior civil servant (Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 2007-2009), attended Greenford County Grammar School - Tim LottTim LottTim Lott is a British author. After running his own magazine publishing business, he graduated from the London School of Economics in 1986....
, author, attended Greenford County Grammar School 1967-1973 - Jermaine BeckfordJermaine BeckfordJermaine Paul Alexander Beckford is an English footballer who plays for Leicester City as a striker. He started his career as a trainee at Chelsea...
current Everton F.C.Everton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
striker and top scorer with 27 goals 2008/09