Robert Clack School

About Robert Clack School

Robert Clack School is a large all-through state school in Barking and Dagenham, serving pupils from age 3 to 18. It sits ninth out of thirteen secondary schools in the local authority when ranked by Progress 8, placing it in the middle of the pack. The top-performing peers in the borough are Goresbrook School, Riverside School and The Sydney Russell School, all of which post higher Progress 8 scores. Robert Clack is significantly oversubscribed: for 479 places in the 2025/26 intake, it received 1,125 applications, a ratio of 2.35 applicants per place, with 413 first-preference offers made. The school operates well above its stated capacity of 2,500, with 3,129 pupils on roll, and 30.1 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. It also has a nursery provision and a dedicated Sixth Form Centre, making it a genuine all-through option for families who want continuity from early years through to sixth form.

Academically, Robert Clack’s Progress 8 score of 0.16 is positive but sits slightly below the Barking and Dagenham local authority average of 0.23. Attainment 8 stands at 49.1, and 69.3 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school’s EBacc entry rate is low at 8.8 per cent, and the EBacc average point score is 3.92. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is 0.06, classed as average, with a points per entry of 37.09, equivalent to a B- grade. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Good overall, with Outstanding marks for sixth-form provision, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. The previous inspection in 2013 also rated the school Good overall, with Outstanding leadership and management. Parent View responses from 307 respondents are overwhelmingly positive: 98 per cent would recommend the school, and 97 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that their child does well there.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including science labs, music rooms, a library, tennis courts and a chapel. Sports provision is extensive, with cricket, rugby, swimming, rowing and gymnastics among the options, and there are clubs covering debate, coding, eco issues, Model UN and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder, plus a resourced provision. Parent View data on SEND support shows 68 per cent of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that the school gives SEND children the support they need, though 17 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, just 0.2 km away. Robert Clack is a good fit for families seeking a large, well-established all-through school with strong sixth-form provision and a clear focus on behaviour and personal development, though those prioritising EBacc take-up or top-tier Progress 8 scores may want to compare it with higher-ranked peers in the borough.

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