Grays Convent High School is a voluntary aided girls' Roman Catholic secondary school in Grays, Essex, England.^[5] It is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Brentwood's South Essex deanery, and is a specialist language college.^[6][7] The school was originally founded in 1899 as the Convent Day School by the Sisters of La Sainte Union des Sacrés-Coeurs and was located on Orsett Road. In 1906 the school relocated to the convent situated in nearby College Avenue, which was located at the current school site.^[8] In 1969 it became a voluntary aided comprehensive, being expanded in 1972 with a student population of 666 by 1977.^[9] By 2003 it was a Beacon school and was providing a "very good" MFL curriculum, with students' results in French and Spanish being "well above average" according to Ofsted.^[10] This likely led to the school's specialisation into a language college, which it had achieved by 2008.^[11]

Since 2013 the school has a good Ofsted grade, previously being outstanding since 2008.^[12] The school's population has grown dramatically from its founding, originally only having three students on roll. Currently the school is oversubscribed with a capacity of 620 and a total population of 656 students as of 2021. All of these students are girls, with boys being excluded from the school's education. 21% of students are eligible for free school meals and 24.2% speak English as a second language.^[13]

The Grays Convent High School is a smaller than average school, both in terms of student population and physical area. The Grays Convent claims that this allows them to "have the time to care, encourage and support all our students, each of whom are known by name." Counselling is offered both by the school and the Diocese of Brentwood. Staff meetings between the heads of years are regularly held, in which students are discussed and the provision of extra help and encouragement is considered for those who need it.^[21] Student progress is relayed to parents at least once a term.^[22]

The school follows the traditional year group system present in most English and Welsh schools. Students begin at age 11 in Year 7 and end school in Year 11, progressing a year at the beginning of each academic year. In Year 9 students begin GCSE coursework in core subjects and choose their GCSE options.^[23] In Year 10 and 11 students work upon what they have learned in Key Stage 3 (years 7 to 9) and work towards their end of year targets, preparing for the GCSE exams in year 11.^[24][25] From Year 9 students can participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award, competing for bronze in Year 9 and silver in years 10 and 11.^[26]

All students are placed into one of four houses, each named after biblical women who espoused the school's qualities that are taught to students. They are Deborah (blue), Lydia (yellow), Mary (green) and Esther (red). The houses are meant to promote community, healthy competition and participation in extracurricular activities. Pastorally, the houses determine the members and names of tutor groups and also provide a form of student voice. This is done through holding house committees and electing house captains from the student cohort in Year 11 and vice house captains in Year 10. The committees consist of house leaders and 12 students. They meet often and determine house events and assemblies. House competitions are held between the houses and a champion house is regularly crowned.^[27]

• Jessica Judd, cross country and middle-distance runner.^[28]