Ormiston Park officially opened as an 11-19 mixed Academy in September 2009, replacing its predecessor school the Belhus Chase Specialist Humanities College. It is sponsored by the Ormiston Academies Trust and students and staff moved into their new £16.4 million building in November 2013.

The Academy holds both Healthy School and International School status. It has been granted a British Council Platinum award for its work in Connecting Classrooms and in January 2017 was awarded the prestigious Diversity Mark. It has attained the AfPE quality mark with Distinction, Investors in People status and, more recently, has been accredited as a Microsoft Office Specialist Academy and Centre of Excellence.

Following three years as a Student Engagement Trust demonstration site the student body continue to positively influence and shape Academy culture and, as part of the Thurrock Teaching School Alliance, academy staff continue to engage in developing and sharing the best practice in teaching and learning.

The Academy has a small  but growing Sixth Form and offers both a range of level 3 vocational courses and A levels alongside work experience, leisure and recreation opportunities and supported individual study. In addition, students can access a wide range of courses made available through a strategic partnership with South Essex College. In September 2018 the Academy is launching a 16-19 Football Development programme for both men and ladies in collaboration with premiership club West Ham United.

As part of the Government’s Cadet Expansion Programme the Academy has established a Combined Cadet Force (Army Section) and in partnership with Thurrock LA our students are now also able to undertake the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Both these opportunities afford outstanding leadership and teamwork experiences.

Supported by its sponsor and the Local Authority the Academy also provides for students with very severe behavioural, emotional and social difficulties in A Specialist Centre for Education, Nurture and Development (ASCEND). This resource base accommodates 20 students whose engagement in all the various provisions of other establishments in the area has completely broken down.

Further details  about our sponsor, Ormiston Academies Trust, and our Further Education partner South Essex College can be accessed on the ‘sponsors and partners page’.

For more information about the academy please get in touch.