In leading William Perkin CofE High School, my aim is to create an outstanding school for the local community. It is a school characterised by high academic standards and a disciplined approach to study, but also a place where curiosity and creativity are central to every child’s experience. Our building has been specifically designed to be outward looking to the community it serves and our curriculum has been created equally carefully to prepare students for their adult lives in a changing world.

 William Perkin students not only achieve highly, they also think and act responsibly, seeking to make a positive impact within their local and global community.

 Our school works closely with Imperial College London, The Royal Society and the Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS) to ensure our success as a centre of excellence for Science.

We are noticed for our energy and optimism, our unerring high standards, our hard-work and our commitment.

William Perkin CofE High School is part of Twyford Church of England Academies Trust and our curriculum has been designed to support students of all abilities to be ambitious in their progression through school and on to future pathways. We offer an extensive extra-curricular programme which extends the school day and sustains breadth beyond taught courses and exam syllabuses. Teachers are very aware of the needs of students with SEND and care is taken to ensure access to the curriculum for these students.

Careful thought has been given to the design of the Curriculum, ensuring all students complete a full NC KS3 programme and are encouraged to take facilitating subjects amongst their course choices at GCSE. We also have a well-developed approach to Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance which closely aligns with the Pastoral Programme designed to deliver PSHE within the context of the strongly articulated Christian value of the school (see Ethos and Vision tab above). 

The sixth form offers a wide range of A-Levels however, as part of the Twyford CofE Academies Trust, students also have the option of progressing to a technical T-level curriculum, majoring on Digital Production, Design and Development or Laboratory Science at its partner school Ada Lovelace.

We were delighted when OFSTED rated William Perkin Outstanding on all counts.

We welcome you to find out more.

Ms Amy Newman
Associate Headteacher

History

We hope that you may be curious as to why we chose the name 'William Perkin'. The answer is that he was a local chemist and industrialist who, at 15, set out on a path of exploration, discovery, enterprise and application. He was fascinated by the innovative technology of that day - photography!

Aged 18 he set himself the challenge of trying to make quinine (a cure for Malaria) using the plentiful coal tar residues which were a waste product from Victorian gas lighting. During the process he made a discovery of a chemical dye which he called Mauveine. This chemical dye, that he discovered and manufactured in Greenford, was the foundation of the massive chemical industry in the local area. Our school uniform has been designed with William Perkin's Mauveine dye in mind.

The William Perkin story began with a child being fascinated by Science – and setting out to ask 'Why?' and ‘What for?’. He realised that scientific investigation and critical questioning could provide solutions to problems. The expectation is that our students follow Perkin’s example and learn to be critical enquirers and productive problem solvers.

Community

William Perkin CofE High School came about in response to long-standing community demand and we hope to remain wholly engaged with the parents and community members who helped to persuade the Government to open this school in Greenford.

We believe strongly in community. Our aims at William Perkin CofE High School are to be an intelligently engaged community which:

  • Develops individuals’ capacity to make a positive difference to others
  • Exercises wise stewardship of both the environment and personal talents
  • Lives thankful and creative lives

William Perkin is committed to being a community school and we hope to form links with local community groups with whom we can have a regular relationship. Parents are invited to come into school at the start of every year, to learn what is planned for the year ahead – and we also ask parents to become involved by joining the PTFA and by giving us feedback about what is working well at the school and where we can improve.

Every year we are excited about welcoming our new students who will help us grow this ethos as they live and work together.

The Twyford Trust takes as its motto: ‘I have come that you should have life and life in all its fullness’.

The text is taken from John chapter 10 verse 10 and from this the Trust has created the 10:10 Ethic which is the principle that informs all Trust schools – irrespective of their different individual identities, intakes or admission criteria.

We believe that there are three Core Values in our 10:10 Ethic:

  1. All individuals have God-given gifts which they can develop for the good of others
  2. All individuals do bad things sometimes but that it is not acceptable to believe that anyone has to stay in a ‘bad place’
  3. All individuals can find their valued place within community

The 10:10 Ethic is also often articulated as having the following positive disciplines:

  • Know yourself
  • Be an agent for good
  • Understand weakness
  • Accept Support
  • Engage Fully
  • Stretch