Roding Valley High School
99%
Capacity
1,437
Pupils
2.5x
Demand
About Roding Valley High School
Roding Valley High School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, with its sixth form provision judged Outstanding. The school’s Progress 8 score of -0.21 places it slightly below the national average, and it ranks 5th out of 7 schools in the Epping Forest local authority on this measure. This means that, on average, pupils achieve about a fifth of a grade less per subject than students with similar starting points nationally. The Attainment 8 score sits at 42.7, and 63.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school’s Progress 8 banding is classified as ‘Below average’, though the confidence interval ranges from -0.40 to -0.02, indicating the true figure could be closer to the national average. Compared with the local authority average Progress 8 of -0.18, Roding Valley is very close to the typical performance for schools in Essex.
At Key Stage 5, the picture is stronger. The school’s value-added score of 0.24 is rated ‘Above average’, meaning sixth-form students make more progress than similar students nationally. The average points per entry is 37.07, equivalent to a B- grade, and the best three A-levels average out at a B- as well. Just under 18% of entries achieved AAB or higher. The sixth form is a clear strength, and the Outstanding Ofsted rating for this phase reflects that. At Key Stage 4, the EBacc entry rate is 49.1%, with 28.1% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. The EBacc average point score is 3.83. Nationally, the school ranks 2,043rd out of 3,141 schools on Progress 8, placing it in the bottom half of schools in England.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 627 applications for 246 places, with 224 offers made to first-preference applicants. That’s an oversubscription ratio of 2.55 applicants per place. Facilities include a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, art studios, music rooms, and a sixth form centre. The school offers a wide range of clubs and activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model UN, Young Enterprise, and a school newspaper. SEND provision covers nine areas, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs. With 1,437 pupils on roll and capacity for 1,455, the school is almost full. 19.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is a large, mixed, non-denominational secondary school in Loughton that suits families looking for a strong sixth form and a broad extracurricular offer, though the Key Stage 4 outcomes are more mixed than the sixth form results.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Alderton Hill, Loughton, Epping Forest, IG10 3JA |
| Headteacher | Daniel Charlton |
| Local Authority | Essex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,437 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 19.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,437 / 1,455 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
27 Sept 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 Nov 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.21)
2043rd of 3,141
Nationally
239th of 350
In East of England
5th of 7
In Epping Forest
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
39.9
'22/23
33.1
'23/24
37.1
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2360%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 219 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)60%
- FE college26%
- Employment5%
- Not sustained4%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Sixth form college1%
95% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2350%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 113 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
11%
Russell Group
11%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)50%
- Employment22%
- Not sustained12%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Other education2%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology35
- Biology29
- Media/Film/Tv Studies27
- Sociology23
- English Literature22
- History22
- Mathematics22
- Economics17
- Chemistry13
- Government and Politics12
- Physics12
- Art and Design9
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed246
627
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
227 families put this school as their 1st choice (36% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: rodingvalley.net. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British57.8%
- White (other)18.9%
- Mixed7.7%
- Asian7.0%
- Black1.5%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
5
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Roding Valley High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Alderton Hill, Loughton
Epping Forest, IG10 3JA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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