We hope you find the new website informative and easy to navigate. We are delighted that you are taking an interest in the school whether you are a current or prospective parent or pupils or just interested in learning more about us. Please do let us know if you have any feedback on the website; we aim to ensure this is kept updated regularly helping you to find the information and news you need. Don’t forget to follow the socials which can be accessed from the site.

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 new website is to ensure this is a welcoming and transparent place and has high quality information to support the community, especially our parents and carers, 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 September 2023, a Lead HMI Inspector stated that staff at Wanstead High ‘hold children’s lives in their hands and hearts’.

You can find our School Development Plan on the website and you will see that we have clear and ambitious plans to continue to ensure that the quality of education in school is second to none and that all teachers become masters in adaptive teaching for all our pupils, as well as continuing to embed consistent and high standards of behaviour in classrooms and around the school. 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 workload and well-being for 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 complete.

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 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 27 years in, and with, London schools and love the diversity and ambition of young people in our capital city. I have a 15-year-old daughter, 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.

We know that many of you will be visiting the school over the coming weeks as you make a decision about where your child will attend secondary school. We do hope that you see what it is that makes Wanstead special and choose to send your child here in the future.

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

Emma Hillman
Headteacher