A GLOWING report by Ofsted has placed William Edwards School in Grays in the top ten per cent of secondaries in the country.

The report, which rated the school “outstanding”, said it has the potential to be even more impressive in the future.

It said: “The leadership team has done well to secure the impressive rise in standards and achievement, based on improvements in teaching and learning, the quality of provision, behaviour and attendance.

“The school’s capacity to improve further is outstanding, as is the overall effectiveness of the school.”

Headteacher John King MBE was thrilled. He said: “William Edwards has always had the potential to excel.

“Thanks to the incredible efforts of the entire staff and governors, the unstinting support of our parents and the fantastic attitude and team spirit shown by our students, the inspectors judged this school to be amongst the best in the country.

“I am genuinely grateful to and proud of everyone who took part. They truly deserve the accolade.”

Mr King, who has been in charge at the school, in Stifford Clays Road, since 2006, said the secret to its success is self-belief.

He said: “The key aspect is the self-belief the school community has, they have really started to believe they can be the best.

“The pupils are delighted with the report, it’s a comment on them. They wanted to show inspectors they are outstanding and that’s what they have done.”

Mr King, who retires in April, said he was pleased to be going out on a high.

He added: “It’s great to leave William Edwards in the best position it can be in.”

Thurrock Council’s cabinet member for education, Cllr Diana Hale, said: “The Ofsted report makes wonderful reading.

“There has clearly been a huge commitment to excellence by staff, governors, pupils and parents.”