{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox school | name = The King Edmund school | native_name = KES | logo = King Edmund School Logo.png | image = King Edmund School - geograph.org.uk - 339035.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | motto = | established = <!-- {{Start date|1961|MM|DD|df=y}} --> | closed = | type = Academy | admissions = | trust = | religious_affiliation = | president = | head_label = Head teacher | head = Jo Ingate | r_head_label = | r_head = | chair_label = Chair of governors | chair = P Thorn | founder = | language = | address = Vaughan close | location = | city = | district = Rochford | postal_code = SS4 1TL | county = Essex | country = England | local_authority = | specialists = Business and enterprise and applied learning | urn = 136868 | ofsted = yes | staff = 250 (approx) | capacity = | enrolment = <!-- {{As of|YYYY|MM|lc=on}} --> | gender = Coeducational | lower_age = 11 | upper_age = 19 | houses = Romans, Saxons, Vikings | colours = | publication = | free_label1 = | free_text1 = | free_label2 = | free_text2 = | free_label3 = | free_text3 = | website = http://www.kes.essex.sch.uk/ }}
'''The King Edmund School''' is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in Rochford, Essex, England.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kes.essex.sch.uk/|title=Welcome to The King Edmund School|website=www.kes.essex.sch.uk|access-date=2009-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619092755/http://www.kes.essex.sch.uk/|archive-date=2009-06-19|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/education/08/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/881_5421.stm|title=King Edmund School|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2009-06-17 | date=2009-01-15}}</ref> It is a specialist BEC and applied learning college.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to The King Edmund School|url=http://www.kes.essex.sch.uk/|access-date=2021-12-30|website=www.kes.essex.sch.uk}}</ref> It teaches a variety of subjects including: modern foreign languages, hospitality, technology, performing arts, business studies, humanities, social sciences, law as well as the core subjects including: Maths, English and Science. The Sixth Form is mixed with Year 12 and 13 students.
==History== Established in 1961, the King Edmund school was formed by the merging of the Wakering secondary school, and the Rochford secondary school located at the schools current site.
The school converted into an academy in July 2011.
In 2012, the school celebrated its 50th anniversary with a community fun day and exhibition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/9740751.celebrating-half-century-of-teaching-in-rochford/|title=Celebrating half-century of teaching in Rochford|website=Echo}}</ref>
In 2022, was closed from November to late January due to the discovery of asbestos during construction work for a new building. Approximately 1,570 students were taught off-site or through virtual learning during the closure,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-11-29 |title=Asbestos find closes King Edmund School in Rochford until new year |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-63782908 |access-date=2023-09-22}}</ref> and the Department for Education expressed regret for the disruption, citing the need to learn lessons from the incident.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-07-14 |title=Rochford: Civil servant apologises to school over asbestos |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-66193568 |access-date=2023-09-22}}</ref> As of 2023, the school has since reopened.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-22 |title=All we know on the King Edmund School asbestos saga as it re-opens tomorrow |url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/23266641.king-edmund-school-kes-rochford-re-opens-tomorrow/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=Echo }}</ref>
On 19 October 2023, the school closed early from building works as a mains water pipe was damaged due to the construction work for the new building. Students had to contact parents to arrange travel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-19 |title=Rochford school forced to shut 'urgently' with children sent home - here's why |url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/23865810.rochfords-king-edmund-school-forced-shut-urgently/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Echo }}</ref>
== Controversies ==
=== Crowded Corridor Incident === On 8 October 2020, concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic spread due to a photograph depicting students crowded in a hallway within the school premises, raising alarm among parents and the wider community. This incident occurred shortly after the school confirmed a positive COVID-19 case in one of its Year 13 pupils. Headteacher Jonathan Osborn attributed the crowding to adverse weather conditions and a high student volume inside the school, but some parents expressed anxieties about their children's safety, fearing potential virus transmission. The situation prompted discussions about adherence to social distancing measures and safety protocols within the school, and the headteacher acknowledged the need for a review of processes concerning student re-entry into the building.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hackett |first=Kloe |date=2020-10-08 |title=Picture shows pupils squashed in corridor days after positive Covid case |url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/18777942.king-edmund-pupils-squashed-corridor-days-positive-covid-case/ |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=Echo }}</ref>
=== Former Teacher Jailed === In 2022, Bobby Rudd, a former teacher who had previously served as the Head of Music at King Edmund School, was incarcerated due to a string of child sex offenses. He was jailed for two years and four months with five counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust and engaging in sexual communications with a child and causing a child to watch a sexual act. He was also a music teacher at Shoebury High School<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former teacher jailed for more than two years over string of child sex offences |url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/19964656.thorpe-bay-former-teacher-jailed-string-child-sex-offences/ |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=Echo }}</ref>
==Academics== In the academic year 2014/2015; 52% of students achieved five GCSE grades at A* to C, 67% of A level students achieved three A level grades of A* to E.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/schools/performance/school.pl?urn=136868/|title=The King Edmund School - GOV.UK - Find and compare schools in England|website=Find and compare schools in England|access-date=2018-10-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503082728/http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/schools/performance/school.pl?urn=136868%2F|archive-date=2016-05-03|url-status = live}}</ref>
As of 2024, the school's most recent inspection by Ofsted was in 2024, with a judgement of Good.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ofsted Communications Team |date=2022-07-25 |title=Find an inspection report and registered childcare |url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/136868 |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=reports.ofsted.gov.uk}}</ref>
==Notable former pupils==<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦---> *Keith Huewen - former motorcycle racer now TV sports broadcaster{{citation needed|reason=no school given in person's article|date=March 2022}} *Mike Penning - MP for Hemel Hempstead<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Rt Hon Sir Mike Penning MP |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/mike-penning |access-date=14 Oct 2023 |website=Government of the United Kingdom}}</ref> *Kelly Castle - Female professional cricketer and coach. Essex captain. Former Sunrisers captain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kelly Castle |url=https://www.sunriserscricket.com/first-team-kelly-castle |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=Sunrisers }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kelly Castle Profile - Cricket Player England {{!}} Stats, Records, Video |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/kelly-castle-874171 |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=ESPNcricinfo }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|http://www.kes.essex.sch.uk/}}
{{Schools in Essex}}
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Category:Academies in Essex Category:Secondary schools in Essex Category:Specialist applied learning colleges in England Category:Specialist business and enterprise colleges