School profile

Valentines High School

Secondary · Community school · Ilford, IG2 6HX

Outstanding

Map showing Valentines High School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#358 of 3,312

Better than 89% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#873 of 2,536

Better than 65% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Valentines High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 17 Mar 2026

Area360 rating
Outstanding
Inclusion
Exceptional
Curriculum and teaching
Strong standard
Achievement
Exceptional
Attendance and behaviour
Exceptional
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Exceptional
Post-16 provision
Strong standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeCommunity school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,357
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Richard Laws
Local authorityRedbridge
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 102857.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolRedbridgeEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.57.3, better than England, better than Redbridge54.846.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.83.3%, better than England, better than Redbridge77.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.70.1%, better than England, better than Redbridge62.1%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.30.5%, better than England, better than Redbridge27.2%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths77%, better than England, better than Redbridge73.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4174--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolRedbridgeEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.36.24, similar to England, similar to Redbridge34.3635
Average A-level gradeB---
Average points, best three A-levels36.93, similar to England, better than Redbridge34.935.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better11.4%, worse than England, worse than Redbridge14.8%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.06, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study209--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,357
Girls647
Boys710
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.30.3%
First language not English41.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,350
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2024/25360
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.71
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.57
Average class size25.9

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

Pakistani
26.6%
Bangladeshi
26.4%
Indian
15.2%
Other Asian
8.9%
Other White
7.1%
African
3.5%
Other mixed
2.4%
White and Asian
2.3%
White British
2%
Other ethnic group
1.6%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher20.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.6
Teachers (FTE)65.31
Teaching assistants (FTE)21.59
Support staff (FTE)70.46
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2563.4
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2557.3
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/253.1

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.171
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.1,236
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.280
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.142
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)73

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolRedbridgeEngland
Overall absence5.4%, better than England, better than Redbridge6.3%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.13.7%, better than England, better than Redbridge17.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0.5%, better than England, better than Redbridge1.5%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate5.1%
Pupils with one or more suspensions3.8%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.97.2%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.96.6%
School sixth form79%
Further education14.2%
Sixth form college3.4%
Employment0.6%
Apprenticeship0%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.85.8%
Higher education75.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.3%
Apprenticeship5%
Employment4.6%
Further education0.5%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Valentines High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryGearies Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.5 miPrimaryCranbrook Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt Augustine's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.6 miNot applicableApex Secondary School for GirlsOther independent school
Good
0.6 miNot applicableApex Secondary School for BoysOther independent school
Good
0.6 miNot applicableBeehive Preparatory SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.7 miPrimaryHighlands Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.8 miNot applicableApex Primary SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.8 miPrimaryRedbridge Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryNewbury Park Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Valentines High School

What is Valentines High School's Ofsted rating?

Valentines High School is rated Outstanding, last inspected on 17 Mar 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Valentines High School rank in England?

Valentines High School ranks 358 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 89% of schools) and 873 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 65% of schools).

What are Valentines High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 70.1% of pupils at Valentines High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 57.3 (England 46.2).

What are Valentines High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Valentines High School was B-, and 11.4% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Valentines High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Valentines High School made 171 offers from 1,236 applications (7.2 per offer), and 142 of 280 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Valentines High School?

Valentines High School has 1,357 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Valentines High School?

Valentines High School had 1,350 school places in 2024/25.

Does Valentines High School have a sixth form?

Yes, Valentines High School has a sixth form with 360 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Valentines High School?

At Valentines High School, the average class had 25.9 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 20.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Valentines High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Valentines High School missed 5.4% of sessions (England 8%), and 13.7% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.