William Edwards SchoolOrsett Heath Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Grays.
Summary of the comparison
William Edwards School and Orsett Heath Academy are secondary schools in Grays.
William Edwards School scores 50 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and Orsett Heath Academy scores 60 out of 100 (grade C, average). Orsett Heath Academy is ahead on our composite score.
William Edwards School was judged the expected standard and Orsett Heath Academy was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 41.8 for William Edwards School and 42.0 for Orsett Heath Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at William Edwards School (46.4 in 2021-22, 41.8 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | GraysWilliam Edwards School | GraysOrsett Heath Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D50/100 | C60/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 8th of 13 in Thurrock Stronger figure | 10th of 13 in Thurrock | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Expected | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Academy converter | Free schools | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 984 | 699 | |
| Capacity | 1,200 | 1,200 | |
| Location | Grays, RM16 3NJ | Grays, RM16 4DG | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 41.8 | 42.0 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 36.9% | 40.7% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 53.7% | 63.6% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 214 | 118 | |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,105 | 564 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 21.7% | 23.1% | |
| English as an additional language | 8.5% | 5.1% | |
| SEN support | 13.7% | 15.8% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.6% | 4.8% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 8.0% | 7.1% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 24.6% | 20.2% Stronger figure | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
William Edwards School
Orsett Heath Academy
Full profiles: William Edwards School · Orsett Heath Academy