Chingford Foundation School


Chingford Foundation School is a coeducational state secondary school located in Chingford in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is a specialist Humanities College and has been an academy since October 2012.

History

Chingford Foundation school was opened in 1938, in temporary premises at Hawkwood House in Yardley Lane under the control of Essex County Council, as Chingford County High School. In the following year it was evacuated to the west of England and it did not begin to occupy its present buildings in Nevin Drive until 1941. The school was enlarged in 1957. In 1968, secondary schools in Waltham Forest, to which Chingford had been transferred in 1965, adopted the Comprehensive system. It became Chingford Senior High School with a mixed-ability intake of 14- to 18-year-olds. Following another borough-wide reorganisation programme in 1986, the age range changed to 11 to 16, and a further name change to Chingford School. In 1993, the school became grant maintained, giving the school direct government funding and autonomy from the local authority. This allowed the school to re-establish its sixth form facility, for years 12 and 13. A new Sixth Form Centre was opened in 1997.
In 2000 the school became a Foundation school, meaning that the school is maintained by the local authority but the governors are responsible for their own admission policy and procedures.
The current headteacher of the school is Ms Jane Benton who took control replacing Mr Morall in 2019.
Between July 2006 and July 2007 the school had extensive building works, in which a new sports hall and staff room were built.
Since converting to an academy, the school is now run by the Chingford Academies Trust, which also includes South Chingford Foundation School.

Notable alumni