Beal High School
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Beal High School is a school sited next to the A1400 Woodford Avenue in East London, England. This road travels North-West from Gants Hill towards the junction of the A406 North Circular and the M11 motorway. The building sits at the top of a hill and thus offers fine views North towards Epping Forest. The school gained specialist school status in September 2004, becoming a Media Arts College.

The school has over 1600 students and over 100 teachers with around 100 support assistants. The school begins at Year 7 and continues with compulsory schooling through to Year 11. Years 12 and 13 form the optional 6th form.

The school also has a Communications and Learning Department, (CLD Unit) for students with learning difficulties.

Beal's roots go back to the foundation of a senior department to South Park Primary School in 1908. In 1931 it was transferred to Ley Street (the present Seven Kings High School site) as Beal Modern School. The Boys’ and Girls’ schools functioned as separate units, although on the same site. They became grammar schools in 1948. In 1957 the Boys’ school moved to the present Woodford Bridge Road site.

By 1982, Beal High School had become fully comprehensive. The transition had started in 1976, with the first comprehensive entry, and when the first girls arrived at the school.

A further transition took place in the life of Beal High School in 1997 when, as a result of the shortage of secondary school places in the London Borough of Redbridge, Beal High School expanded from 6 forms of entry (180 students per year group) to 8 forms of entry (240 students per year group).

As a result of the need to accommodate extra students, an enormous building programme took place. Not only were new classrooms built, but also extra specialist facilities: Drama Studios, Science Laboratories, a Library Resource Centre, Information Technology rooms, sixth form facilities, a new administrative area and expanded dining hall. In addition, the building programme was utilised to provide refurbished suited accommodation for all departments and to improve the circulation of students around the school.

In April 2007, a new 'Media Factory' was opened, to accommodate the school's new status as a Media Arts College. This new building consists of three media studies classrooms, a radio station, and a drama studio.

Most of Beal's students come from either Parkhill Junior School, Rebridge Junior School, Gearies Junior School, Highlands or Glade Primary School.

The uniform is a light tan brown for years seven to nine and a dark brown for years ten to eleven. The sixth form (years twelve and thirteen) have a navy blue uniform.

The Headteacher is currently Mrs Sue Snowdon. The Headteacher before was Mr John Manuel. The scores of GCSEs/A-Levels were much higher when he was around (i.e. they got worse after he left). The last Head of Beal as a Grammar School was Dr Elvet Lewis (1904–81).[1]

Famous alumni

• Simon Amstell (born 1979), TV presenter and comedian
• Nick Frost (born 1972), comedian and actor
• Barry Kyle (born 1947), theatre director
• Penny Lancaster (born 1971), model and photographer
• Victor Maddern (1926 - 1993), actor
• Tamzin Outhwaite (born 1970), Actress (formerly Eastenders)
• Ian Ridpath (born 1947), astronomer and writer
• Amar Sraan (born 1985), International Filmmaker
• John Wade (born 1946), writer, photographer and camera collector²
• Rose Dawn (Hazel Keech) (born 1988), Model actress and dancer

Notorious alumni

• Anthony Garcia (former name Rahman Benouis) - terrorist.³

External links

• Official Website

References