Little Ilford School

About Little Ilford School

Little Ilford School’s headline Progress 8 score of 0.25 places it comfortably above the Newham local authority average of 0.13, meaning pupils here make significantly more academic progress than the typical student across the borough. This is a strong result for a large, non-selective state secondary, and it ranks the school 8th out of 21 schools in Newham on this measure. The school’s Progress 8 banding is officially classed as ‘Above average’, and the data shows particular strength in maths, where the Progress 8 score hits 0.44, and English, at 0.34. The EBacc entry rate is high at 82.3%, with 43% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above, and 29% at grade 5 or above. With 48.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, these results are especially noteworthy and suggest the school is effective at driving progress for a diverse and disadvantaged intake.

In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the school was rated Good across all five key areas: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This represents a change from its previous inspection in 2012, when it was rated Outstanding overall. The Attainment 8 score sits at 47.1, and 68.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with 50.9% reaching grade 5 or above. Nationally, the school ranks 958th out of 3,141 schools on Progress 8, placing it in the top third of schools across the country. In London, it ranks 262nd out of 487 schools. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16, and the strong EBacc focus suggests a curriculum geared toward academic breadth.

Little Ilford is a heavily oversubscribed school: for 2025/26 entry, it received 738 applications for 334 places, with 310 first-preference applications and 294 first-preference offers. The oversubscription ratio of 2.21 reflects its popularity with local families. Facilities are extensive and include a swimming pool, sports hall, tennis courts, playing fields, and a gymnasium, plus dedicated art studios, music rooms, and a library. The school offers a wide range of sports and clubs, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Young Enterprise, and an orchestra. Its SEND provisions are comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech and language needs, plus a resourced provision. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, inclusive secondary with strong academic progress, particularly in maths and English, and a broad extracurricular offer.

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