Headteacher’s Welcome

	Sarah Morgan Headteacher

I am the proud Headteacher of Eastlea Community School and believe wholeheartedly that this school has much to offer its local community. We are a co-educational community school in Canning Town, Newham. Our aim is for all students, regardless of their starting point, to achieve their full potential in their academic outcomes as well as their personal development. We work to ensure that all students are academically challenged in a safe, supportive and inclusive environment. We are dedicated to the safety and well-being of every child in our care and this is reflected in our strong pastoral system. Our dedicated staff work together to ensure that our students are provided with opportunities to achieve academically and to flourish as part of a wider school community. Our aim is that our students are given the chance to discover lifelong interests as well as a love of learning.

“A sense of community is evident at Eastlea”, Ofsted 2023

Eastlea is a caring community that values the individual learner. Each year group consists of a team of tutors who know and support their tutees throughout their time at the school; a dedicated Pastoral Manager who oversees the pastoral needs of their students; and an Achievement Leader who leads the year group in their personal development and academic achievements. At Eastlea, we have very high expectations for all of our students. Our school policies reinforce clear and fair disciplinary procedures that are designed to support the needs of our diverse student population. The school strives for excellence in all areas. Like all good parents, we want our students to be happy and successful, we provide high quality challenge and support that make this a reality. 

“Leaders have prioritised keeping pupils safe above all else. They take decisions in the interests of pupils”, Ofsted 2023

We are lucky to have outstanding facilities at Eastlea which enables us to offer a wide and varied programme of enrichment.  We want all of our students to discover an interest that they can pursue whilst at school and beyond. For example, our thriving music department provides extensive opportunities to perform as well as gain experience in a wide range of instruments and music technology.  These opportunities exist both within the curriculum as well as outside of lessons through a range of extracurricular clubs.  We have fantastic sporting facilities and an abundance of safe outdoor space for our students to enjoy.  We offer a range of sports clubs both before and after school, this includes our dedicated Cricket coach who runs a range of activities.  

We provide our students with the experiences and opportunities to develop their personal skills to become valued citizens of the future.  We annually recruit a strong group of student leaders in each year group who regularly contribute to the life of the school.  We are proud of our Eastlea Eco group who run a range of projects to improve the sustainability of our school site.  We offer a unique enrichment opportunity for those students in Key Stage 3  who relish the opportunity to explore and discover more about the world around them through ‘The Curiosity Club’.  This club allows students the opportunity to attend a range of lectures and extend their knowledge and understanding of topics beyond the national curriculum.  Their showcase event at the end of each term is always a highlight.

Students follow a broad and balanced curriculum at Eastlea. We have a three-year Key Stage 3 and a two-year Key Stage 4 where we are constantly working to broaden the range of subjects available for our students to study.  At Key Stage 4, students have the opportunity to follow a breadth of subjects and options depending on their prior attainment and Progress 8 considerations.  We offer all of the subjects studied at Key Stage 3 (English, maths, Science, Geography, History, RE, French, Spanish, Drama, Music, Art, Technology and PE) as well as GCSE Computer Science, Sociology, Dance, Photography and BTECs in Travel and Tourism and Child Development. We also encourage our students to gain a qualification in their community language, if they have one. Additional Literacy and Numeracy is also offered to those students who need it.  Additionally, there are opportunities who wish to undertake additional GCSEs in Citizenship, Further maths, Statistics and GCSE PE. 

Our school is part of the Newham Community Learning Trust which consists of local Newham secondary schools: Sarah Bonnell, Lister and Rokeby as well as primary schools: Selwyn and Portway.  Newham Community Learning is a local Trust, committed to working together as a group of excellent schools serving our community.  We share a common vision of providing an exceptional education for all our students, from aged 2 to 16.  We have a shared commitment to working together to provide a world-class education for young people in Newham, and to further develop as centres of excellence for teaching and learning.

We are highly ambitious for our students, and believe that every young person can succeed.  Our students are supported by our committed team of teaching and non-teaching staff, all of whom are encouraged to pursue their own learning and professional development across our schools.

Our schools all provide safe, calm learning environments, where all members of the school community treat each other with kindness and respect.

Eastlea Community School has much to offer your child and I look forward to working with you to support your child through their time at secondary school.