Thurrock Schools Guide: Every Secondary, Primary Schools by Town and How to Apply

Thurrock Council coordinates school admissions for the whole borough, including academies. This guide uses the council's school lists and admissions pages. We do not rank schools. For performance and inspection reports, use each school's website and the Ofsted and Department for Education sites.

Which secondary schools are in Thurrock?

The council's secondary schools page lists 14, with the addresses it gives:

• Grays: Grays Convent High School (College Avenue), Thames Park Secondary School (Chadwell Road), The Hathaway Academy (Hathaway Road), Orsett Heath Academy (Stanford Road), William Edwards School (Stifford Clays Road)
• Chadwell St Mary: Gateway Academy (Marshfoot Road)
• Chafford Hundred: Harris Academy Chafford Hundred (Mayflower Road)
• Purfleet-on-Thames: Harris Academy Riverside
• South Ockendon and Aveley: Harris Academy Ockendon (Erriff Drive South, Ockendon), Ormiston Park Academy (Belhus Park Lane, Aveley)
• Stanford-le-Hope and Corringham: Mossbourne Fobbing Academy (Southend Road, Corringham), Mossbourne Port Side Academy (Hassenbrook Road), St Clere's School (Butts Lane)
• Tilbury: OA North View (North View Avenue)

Which primary schools are in Thurrock?

The council's primary schools page lists each school with a postcode. Grouped by the town it gives:

• Grays: Belmont Castle Academy, Chadwell St Mary Primary School, Deneholm Primary School, Gateway Primary Free School, Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred, Harris Primary Academy Mayflower, Herringham Primary Academy, Little Thurrock Primary School, Quarry Hill Academy, St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School, Stifford Clays Primary School, Thameside Primary School, The Light Christian School, Tudor Court Primary School, Warren Primary School, West Thurrock Academy, Woodside Academy
• South Ockendon: Aveley Primary School, Benyon Primary School, Bonnygate Primary School, Dilkes Academy, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Kenningtons Primary Academy, Shaw Primary Academy, Somers Heath Primary School
• Stanford-le-Hope: Abbots Hall Primary Academy, Arthur Bugler Primary School, Giffards Primary School, Graham James Primary Academy, Horndon on the Hill Church of England Primary School, Mossbourne Herd Lane Academy, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Stanford-le-Hope Primary School
• Tilbury: East Tilbury Primary School, Lansdowne Primary Academy, St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Tilbury Pioneer Academy
• Purfleet-on-Thames: Purfleet Primary Academy
• Elsewhere in the borough: Bulphan Church of England Academy (Bulphan), Orsett Church of England Primary School (Orsett)

When do I apply for September 2027?

Secondary (Year 7): the council's secondary admissions page says applications are open from 1 September to 31 October 2026 and offers come out on 1 March 2027. Applications after 31 October count as late, which the council says significantly reduces your chances of a preferred school. You apply online through the council's school admissions portal.

Primary (Reception): the primary admissions page gives the application window as opening on 2 November 2026 and closing on 15 January 2027, with offers on 16 April 2027. It says children born between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023 should apply for a Reception place that September. Late applications are processed after on-time ones. The council also publishes an admissions information brochure.

What if I want to move schools or have just moved in?

The council's in-year admissions page says you apply in-year if you have moved within Thurrock and want a more local school, have just moved to Thurrock, or are moving from home education or a fee-paying school to a state school. You apply through the same online portal. Some schools need extra steps: the Gateway Learning Community schools (Herringham Primary Academy, Lansdowne Primary Academy, The Gateway Academy, The Gateway Primary Free School and Tilbury Pioneer Academy) need a direct application to the school as well, and Grays Convent High School needs its supplementary information form completed. The page does not give a decision timescale.

What about appeals?

The council says it does not handle appeals directly. Check the individual school's website or the appeals information on your offer for who to contact.

Where do I find term dates?

See our term dates guide.