I am delighted to be the Headteacher of Wanstead High and am committed to ensuring that the school continues to build on all its phenomenal qualities, continues to go from strength to strength and provides the very best education for our young people. The aim of the website is to be a welcoming and transparent place which has high quality information to support the community, especially our parents and carers, and that is clear, comprehensive and informative.

Wanstead High has so many strengths, not least the inclusive and warm ethos, that I have experienced from day one, as well as the strong academic foundations and exam results. In a whole school review in, a Lead HMI Inspector stated that staff at Wanstead High ‘hold children’s lives in their hands and hearts’.

We were delighted that Ofsted (May 2025) recognised the hard work over the last few years and stated:

‘The school has worked well to ensure that the quality of education is effective, and pupils’ behaviour is strong. Pupils feel safe and enjoy coming to school. Sixth-form students exhibit exceptionally strong, mature attitudes to their education.’

---

Our school development priorities for the next 2 years focus around a number of areas, including focusing on SEND, communication, courageous leadership and equality, and you will find the headlines on the website. We also retain a focus on continuing the improvements made in Science and ensuring Maths results remain high.

Most of all, we want to be the very best local school we can be, ensuring all our young people are able to fulfil their ambitions and be safe and happy. Our pupils are so talented, engaging, insightful, funny and committed and have bright futures ahead of them, backed up by our quality teaching, guidance, care and support. We also want to ensure that we continually consider the workload and well-being of our staff to ensure that we attract the best staff and high levels of retention. I am also very excited by the new building, albeit being so behind schedule, and am sure that this will have a really positive impact on everyone in the community when it is finally completed in summer 2026.

We still have work to do in some areas, and we will never rest on our laurels.  Leaders at all levels in the school are reflective and honest and able to forensically analyse what needs to happen to continually grow and improve and ensure consistent experiences and outcomes for all. We also encourage feedback to ensure we listen to the voices of our stakeholders. The staff are passionate and dedicated subject specialists, committed to providing ‘education with character’ for all and capable of ensuring the best quality learning and teaching and results for pupils. It is vital that all pupils have the same opportunities and chances to reach their potential, and we address areas where this is not the case. We strive to ensure the curriculum is rigorous, but also romantic, and engages pupils at all levels, as well as being diverse and forward-thinking. I am passionate about developing the full person, ensuring enrichment opportunities for pupils of all ages, and enabling excellent mental health and well-being, supporting pupils and staff still, in some cases, affected by the after-effects of Covid and for the community to continue to grow and flourish.

I am an experienced and successful Headteacher having been Head of Heathcote School for 5 years prior to joining Wanstead High in September 2022. I have worked for 30 years in, and with, London schools and love the diversity and ambition of young people in our capital city. I have a 16-year-old daughter at a local school, and she drives my passion and ambition for children, ensuring that all pupils have an opportunity to be the best they can be; finding their interests and talents and ensuring they are nurtured.

I wish everyone in the Wanstead community the greatest success this year.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions  e.hillman@wansteadhigh.co.uk.

Emma Hillman
Headteacher