Our Aims: Our fundamental aim is the pursuit of excellence combined with care for the individual. Through developing strong relationships and mutual trust, we aim to provide a learning environment in which all pupils are able to realise their full academic potential, develop independence of thought and self-esteem. All pupils are valued and supported, and are given many opportunities to take responsibility and achieve success.

Academic Achievements: We are justifiably proud of our reputation for academic excellence. In 2004, 47.2% of all GCSE examinations taken were graded A* or A. Sixty-five Year 11 pupils achieved at least 5 GCSE at grades A* or A, with twenty-three of those pupils achieving 10 or more A* or A grade passes. Our Year 13 students broke all existing records. 67.2% of all A level examinations taken were graded A or B and, as in previous years, the majority of our leavers went on to Higher Education to study a wide variety of courses at universities up and down the country, including Oxford and Cambridge. For more details click here.

Science College: Ilford County High School has been designated as a Specialist Science College from September 2004. We have recently completed a major refurbishment of one of the Science laboratories and installed a new ICT network throughout the whole school. New computers have been bought for Business Studies, Technology and Art, and there are 30 mobile laptops and 14 rooms with interactive whiteboards and multi-media projectors. In addition, during the next four years we intend to use the Science College funding to progress a number of new initiative linked to teaching and learning, e-learning and assessment that will impact on the whole school, as well as providing opportunities for us to develop our work with several partner schools in the local area. The official launch of the Science College took place on 24 November 2004.

Ofsted Report: The School received an outstanding Ofsted report following a day-long inspection in Novermber 2007. In the opening paragraph of the inspection report, Ilford County High School is described as ‘It is a vibrant and dynamic school that has not stood still since the last inspection. Students and their parents hold it in very high regard.’ Furthermore, the report adds some of what a parent of a year 11 student wrote, echoing the views of many who responded to the inspectors' parental survey, 'The school encourages pupils to perform to the best of their ability and moulds the pupils to be mature and well rounded adults.'

The report then goes on to say that: ‘The evidence for the school’s effectiveness is the pupils and students achievements. The school is very successful in developing pupils’ rigour of scholarship, independence of thought and self-esteem within a community characterised by: excellent relationships, racial harmony and between pupils and between staff and pupils, strong mutual respect. The school creates an excellent ethos and a momentum for learning…’

Making comment on the quality of teaching, the report states: ‘This learning ethos is founded on good and often very good teaching. It is the consistency of high quality teaching, high expectations, a quality of relationships of staff to pupils which engage, challenge and motivate further the boys coupled with the fact that what is being taught is interesting and challenging across a broad range of subjects.’

To view the Ofsted Report, please click here.

Facilities: The main building, built in the 1930’s, is on two floors. The lower level includes the assembly hall, modern language rooms, chemistry laboratories, music rooms and a humanities wing housing geography, history, economics and business studies. An extension to the main building, completed in two stages between January 1997 and March 1998, replaced and enhanced existing facilities for design and technology, electronics and science. There is also a gymnasium and heated indoor swimming pool. Biology and physics laboratories, the art rooms, the mathematics rooms, the computer rooms, the room for religious education, sixth form common room and the library are all on the upper level. External to the main building is the dining room, and a four-classroom English block. There are also on-site tennis courts, a basketball court, and playing fields for football, rugby, hockey, cricket and athletics.

The school has recently received funding from the Local Education Authority to build a new Sports Hall. Building work is due to start in April 2005 with a completion date around July 2006. Future building plans include converting the current gymnasium into a new Learning Resource Centre, providing a purpose-build Music block and much needed study facilities for the Sixth Form.

Pastoral Care: We have sought to create a caring environment and it is our aim to encourage a positive attitude to school, the local community and the world in general. We seek to develop sound working habits, consideration and respect for others and high standards of behaviour and self-discipline. Pupils are allocated to a tutor group and it is the form tutors who have responsibility for the day to day welfare and progress of each pupil. The Heads of Year, who oversee the work of the form tutors, move on with their year group to maintain a continuity of relationships.

Curriculum: In Years 7, 8 and 9 students are taught English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Art, Music, Design and Technology, Information Technology, Religious Education, Personal and Social Education and Physical Education/Games. Students are also taught Drama in Year 7. French is the first modern foreign language taught, studied by all students in Years 7, 8 and 9 and a choice between Spanish and German is offered as a second foreign language to be studied from Year 8.

In Years 10 and 11, all students are entered for 10 GCSE subjects: English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, ICT, a modern foreign language, and two options from the following: Art, Business Studies, Design Technology, Economics, Geography, History, Music, Physical Education, and a second modern foreign language. In addition, GCSE short courses are taken by all students in Design Technology and Religious Studies.

In the Sixth Form, all students follow a 3 or 4 GCE AS level course in Year 12 and A2 course in Year 13. Specialisation or breadth of experience is possible through a flexible options system. Courses available are Art and Design, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing, Design and Technology, Economics, Electronics, English, French, Geography, German, History, Information and Communication Technology, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Religious Studies and Philosophy. Personal and Social Education, General Studies, Critical Thinking, Physical Education and Games are also included as part of the sixth form curriculum.

Homework: A pre-requisite for academic success is the establishment of good study habits and the regular allocation of time at home spent on additional work. In general it is expected that pupils will spend the following amounts of time on independent study per week: Years 7 to 9 – between 5 and 7 hours, Years 10 and 11 – between 9 and 12 hours, Years 12 and 13 – between 15 and 20 hours.

Reporting and Assessment: All pupils receive one full school report, known as a Record of Progress (ROP) and two interim Assessments of Progress (APs) per year. We also have a well-established system of academic reviews which provide an opportunity for all pupils to meet twice a year with a designated member of staff to review their academic progress and set targets.

Extra-Curricular Activities: The school enjoys a strong reputation for sport, music, clubs and societies. Boys enjoy team and individual success in football, cricket, basketball, badminton, swimming and sailing and there are lunchtime and after-school clubs in these and other sports such as rugby and athletics. We endeavour to combine keen competition and a desire to win with a ‘sport for all’ philosophy - all boys in Year 7 - 10 take part in our termly inter-form competitions and an athletics sports day.

Music flourishes at ICHS. The orchestra, lower school orchestra, big band, jazz band and choir meet each week and perform in assemblies and at school functions. In addition there are various ad-hoc lunchtime and after-school music groups and individual tuition is available in a wide variety of instruments. An annual spring concert takes place in April and there is a very popular Variety Night held each year in December.

There are a number of other clubs and Societies available – Chess Club, Spanish Club, History Club, Science Club, Maths Club, Reading Club, Homework Club, Warhammer Club - to name but a few. There are numerous trips to enhance curriculum provision as well as social events organised for the pupils. We hope, therefore, to provide a range of opportunities in which there should be something for everyone and we encourage our senior pupils to take a leading part in promoting these activities.

Numerous trips and visits are organised, mainly to support and enhance the taught curriculum but also as social activities.

Rewards: Boys are rewarded for good quality work, commitment, good behaviour, attendance and service to the school through a system of credits. In Years 7 to 9, credits are collected in student planners, accumulate into commendations and then certificates of achievement which are presented in assemblies. Older boys are awarded merit certificates by subject staff. Academic attainment and commitment, musical and sporting success and boys' contribution to the general life of the school are acknowledged at the end of year presentation assemblies and celebrated at our Annual Prize Giving.

Working with Parents: We believe that parents should be closely involved. We see education as a partnership between home and school. There are many opportunities for parents to meet with teachers. Parents’ Consultation Evenings are arranged each year for every age group enabling staff to report on pupils’ work. To build on our partnership with parents, we have established a Home-School Links Group, which consists of a group of volunteer parents and staff. We meet every half term to discuss topics of mutual interest.

The Parents' Association provides valuable support. This includes assistance at Parents' Evenings, and other school functions throughout the year as well as raising additional funds to provide equipment for the school.

The Wider Community: We aim to promote good relations with our immediate and wider community. Throughout the year many visitors are welcomed to the school, mainly from outside organisations contributing to our programme of Personal and Social Education. Speakers from the Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities are regular visitors to our various school assemblies. Representatives of universities, major companies and businesses come into school to run workshops and contribute to conferences on applying to university and the world of work. We are always pleased to welcomed former pupils to the School.

We have a well-established work experience programme for all our Year 10 boys and our GCSE Business Studies groups participate in the Young Enterprise Scheme.

Throughout the year, many of our Sixth Form students provide support for literacy, numeracy and science to pupils in the local Primary Schools and, through out Science College community programme, pupils form our partner schools experienced Science lessons in our specialist laboratories.

Each year, through various activities such as non-uniform days, the School raises substantial amounts of money to support local, national and international charities.

Old Boys’ Association: We enjoy close links with the Old Parkonians, the school Old Boys’ Association and many students currently at the school take an active part in the sports clubs and benefit from the use of the excellent facilities which are less than ten minutes away at Oakfield playing fields just off Forest Road. A large number of students maintain their links with the school through full membership of the Old Parkonians once they have left ICHS. Although the Association exists primarily to serve the interest of students and former students of the school, it is not exclusive and an increasing number of parents are taking advantage of the club’s facilities by becoming associate members.

Click here for information about the Old Parks.