The Sydney Russell School
99%
Capacity
2,640
Pupils
3.0x
Demand
About The Sydney Russell School
The Sydney Russell School is a large all-through state school in Barking and Dagenham, currently educating 2,640 pupils against a capacity of 2,670, meaning it is running very close to full. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 27.3%, which is significantly above the national average and reflects the borough's demographic profile. Demand for places is exceptionally high: for the 2025/26 secondary intake, the school received 1,067 applications for 359 places, an oversubscription ratio of nearly 3:1. Of those applications, 321 were first-preference choices, and 267 first-preference offers were made, indicating that even families who put the school as their top choice face competition. This level of demand places it among the most sought-after secondary schools in the local authority, ranking third out of 13 schools by Progress 8 score, behind only Goresbrook School and Riverside School.
Academically, the school delivers strong outcomes. Its Progress 8 score of 0.72 is rated 'well above average' nationally and far exceeds the Barking and Dagenham local authority average of 0.23. This places it in the top 9% of schools nationally and 101st out of 487 in London. At GCSE, 76.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 score per pupil was 53.4. The school also places a strong emphasis on the English Baccalaureate, with 74.4% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects and 52.4% achieving a grade 4 or above across all five components. At A-level, the average points per entry was 37.71, equivalent to a B- grade, and the value-added score of 0.03 is rated as average. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 rated it Good overall, with Outstanding marks for personal development and behaviour and attitudes.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, sports hall, astro turf, gymnasium, library, science labs, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Its sports programme covers hockey, netball, swimming, football, tennis, rugby, badminton, athletics, martial arts, and gymnastics, while extracurricular clubs include Drama, Book Club, Coding, DofE, Model UN, and Debate. The SEND provision is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties, moderate to severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language difficulties, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder, with a resourced provision on site. Given its size, strong academic results, and high demand, this school suits families who want a large, well-established secondary with a broad curriculum and strong sixth form, but who are prepared for a competitive admissions process and a very full school environment.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Parsloes Avenue, Dagenham, Barking and Dagenham, RM9 5QT |
| Headteacher | Clare Cross |
| Local Authority | Barking and Dagenham |
| Number of Pupils | 2,640 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.3% |
| School Capacity | 2,640 / 2,670 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Sept 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jan 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.72)
267th of 3,141
Nationally
101st of 487
In London
3rd of 13
In Barking and Dagenham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more 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
37.5
'22/23
38.3
'23/24
37.7
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
2022/2344%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 321 pupils).
- FE college47%
- School sixth form (stay)44%
- Not sustained4%
- Sixth form college2%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Employment1%
96% 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
2022/2382%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 102 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
22%
Russell Group
25%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)82%
- Employment8%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship2%
- 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- Psychology45
- Mathematics33
- Economics30
- English Literature25
- Sociology22
- Biology21
- History17
- Computer Studies / Computing14
- Chemistry13
- Geography13
- Government and Politics12
- Business Studies:Single8
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
Resourced ProvisionSource: 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
2025/26Oversubscribed359
1,067
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
321 families put this school as their 1st choice (30% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian32.5%
- White British21.3%
- White (other)16.6%
- Mixed8.8%
- Black1.1%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
18
Total schools
17
Oversubscribed
17
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Sydney Russell 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
Parsloes Avenue, Dagenham
Barking and Dagenham, RM9 5QT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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