Imagine this place buzzing with the energy of 1574 students. This is Elthorne Park High School. It is located in Hanwell, London. Elthorne Park High School provides education for pupils aged 11 to 18. Year 12 and Year 13 students are sixth form students.
Elthorne Park High School’s address is Westlea Road, Hanwell, London, W7 2AH. The school’s motto is “Proudly Achieving Excellence in a Learning Community”. Steve Ward is the head teacher. The school has 188 staff members. The school colours are burgundy, white, yellow, and black. You can find out more on their website.
Elthorne Park High School opened in September 1975. It was formed by merging Walpole Grammar School and Bordeston Boys’ School. The school closed in 1986. This was due to declining enrolment. A community campaign aimed to save the school. It reopened in 1998 as Elthorne Park High School. The name reflects its location near Elthorne Park.
In September 2007, Elthorne Park High School became a Maths and Computing specialist school. The Sixth Form opened in September 2009. In 2008, it became an authorised IB World School. It offered the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. It also offered applied and vocational courses. However, it ended after three years because the IB was not popular with students. It was also administratively cumbersome for staff.
In 2012, the school decided to change to A-Levels. This was to attract more students. Plans were made to build a new Sixth Form Block. Construction began in late April 2012. Elliot UK undertook the construction. The new block opened in September 2012.
Ealing Council announced plans to rebuild “C” block in 2014. This would expand the school. Re-Format LLP designed the new building. Construction began in September 2015. It was originally planned to be completed in September 2016. Electrical problems delayed the opening until Easter 2017.
Clare Balding officially opened the new “C” block in early 2017. She toured the school before revealing the plaque. In 2019, Ofsted officially named Elthorne Park High School an “Outstanding” school.
The school is catered for by Pabulum. They specialize in catering for educational facilities. Students can buy hot and cold foods and drinks at break and lunch. They use their personal ID cards. These cards connect to their online lunch-money balance. There was some criticism of unhealthy snacks served at break. Some items have since been dropped to address health concerns.
Elthorne Park High School offers many performance opportunities. The Eltones are an inclusive vocal ensemble. Students sing new and popular songs. Orchestra is open to all pupils who play orchestral instruments. The Elthorne Shakespeare Festival occurs on Thursdays. Students work on extracts from iconic plays. The Whole School Musical is the biggest event. It involves acting, singing, and dancing.
Notable former pupils include footballer Chloe Kelly and filmmaker Molly Manning Walker. Jonathan Slater also attended. He rode from Lands End to John O’Groats.
Elthorne Park High School continues to evolve. It provides a learning community for its students. Its history reflects community efforts. Elthorne Park High School stands as a beacon of education.