Twickenham School Update

[jelibabe]

Hi - I have been following the threads since 2012 on what was Twickenham Academy - now Twickenham School under the new leadership RWST, headed up by the Heads of Teddington and Waldegrave. I have 2 DS, Yr8 & Yr10, and when we had to choose a secondary school for my 1st son, because of location we had no choice but to go for TA. Turing had not been set up by then and their "catchment area" ruled out anyone on the Whitton side of A316, which is ironic now if the school ends up over in Whitton. We are not very religious family either so were not about to pretend just to go to a church school either. Didn't feel right to cheat the system. However, after these past few years having gone through the change of TA to Twickenham School with my sons I can happily say, hand on heart, the school is amazing. We are so happy with how the leadership team and especially our Head, Ms Ruse (ex-Waldegrave Deputy Head) have thrown themselves 200% into improving the school. Everything in the school has and is still being transformed, discipline was one of their 1st priorities, dealt with superfast, as well as working hard the Yr11s at the time to enable them to succeed in their GCSEs. Now there is such a huge push on studies and ensuring the students are achieving their best whilst introducing reward schemes, school trips, individual recognition for working hard and as a result instilling pride in the students. The quality of teachers at the school now are the best I have ever come across. The children no longer feel they are in an under-achieving school, which is so important for their confidence and progress! Do not discard this school. I urge you to arrange to visit the school, meet the Head and make your own independent decision. Twickenham School no longer befits the old reputation from the days of Whitton School or Twickenham Academy. This school will steadily improve and surprise us all a lot sooner than sceptics think!!

[maddieR]

Hi Jellibabe just want to say how valuable I think it is to post good feedback like that and help update perceptions. How heartening to hear, it’s sounds like the staff are fabulous. Well done to them and long may the trend continue. I heard similar good feedback recently. Great news.

[maddieR]

Also make sure you post it on local mumsnet too if you haven’t already!

[Agerbilatemycardigan]

Two of my daughters went to Waldegrave and both ended up doing really well for themselves. Glad they've done a good job with helping another school succeed

[TSparent]

Just wanted to backup the previous good feedback about Twickenham School. After spending many years at my child's primary school as a governor the key thing that makes a good/great school is the management team. If a management team are good they know how to educate kids and get good progress, and they attract the good teachers (and retain them). The new management team at Twickenham really know what they are doing. Within a year of them coming to the school behaviour was judged as good and is now tipping into outstanding, teachers are leaving other local schools to work with them and the lessons would be judged at least "good". The head is from Waldegrave (as Agerbilatemycardigan said) and in the 12 years she worked there was instrumental in Waldegrave getting an "outstanding" rating. It is clear she knows how to do this for Twickenham. It is so good for the local Whitton school to get the experience and caring it deserves. Added to all of this my child is soaring at the school both socially and academically.

[jelibabe]

maddieR thank you, will do! Have to check how to do however - new to This!

[Babbleandbribe]

The chair of the PTA her team are certainly doing a good job of posting glowing reports all over social media

Good luck to you all! It's about time too! Too late for us unfortunately. I have one at At Richard Reynolds (though not RC so wouldn't get in now) and my eldest went private (2nd mortgage) - TA just wasn't an option then.

Don't slag Turing though - several of my neighbours from Whitton send their kids there, so there are plenty getting in from round here. Lovely school and great that options are increasing for local kids. Have heard good stuff about RTS too (very sporty).

[Babbleandbribe]

The Green School for boys seems to be the other new one people are applying to from round here. Haven't heard much about it yet though.

[SailAway123]

Great that TA is on the up. Hampton High is also doing well I hear. Well done for singing its praises jelibabe.
But I agree with Babbleandbribe about Turing, please don't spread false rumors about it's "catchment area", you can see from the admissions maps on the website that loads of Whitton kids go to the school. It serves everyone best if all the local schools do well and support each other.

[jelibabe]

I agree its great that there are more schools to choose from, there is also RTS as another choice for parents. My comments regarding Turing House's catchment area for its very 1st year are correct, as I attended all the initial meetings held by the Headteacher and was considering it for my 1st child, I was going to add it as the "extra" option - you were then allowed to select 5 schools AND add Turing as an extra - unfortunately the map that showed the "from - to" circle did in fact end at the A316, which is why it was not a viable option for us then. I am not spreading false rumours. Obviously since its first year it has changed the inclusion area accordingly. Turing does need to secure premises, it is just unfair on the students and families, hope this gets resolved soon for them. In the meantime, I am really pleased Twickenham School is doing so well!!!!

[SailAway123]

The first year of Turing the catchment went far over the A316 and even over the A314 into Hounslow. It works on distance not a defined ring-fenced area like Waldegrave. You can see from the maps. Anyway - no point going over old ground. I just don't think it's helpful perpetuating the false belief that Turing doesn't cater for Whitton - it very much does.

This post was about Twickenham School - I'm very pleased that it's doing so well too

[mombasagirl]

I have two kids at Twickenham School, year 7 and 9. So we've seen a significant change at the school since our eldest started under the previous headship and LST(it wasn't our first choice then). Our youngest was offered the Green School for boys and RTS. However, experiencing the rapid turnaround at TS and getting to know the efficient leadership and lovely staff convinced us to turn down both offers and send him to TS. We have no regrets! (This is not to say anything negative about the other schools, just that the TS leadership has proved their worth and authenticity to us already in a very short space of time.) I cannot say enough good things about the staff; we think they're brilliant, committed and pastoral individuals, and they are really stretching our kids.
We love having our kids go somewhere so local.

[SenResearch1]

I'd hope twickenham school is doing well - however - reviews sound the internet come in the same familiar seeming bursts with the same gushing narratives and seemingly from the same PTA sources, one that as a long track record of this kind of thing.

There is no evidence whatsoever - many people hope there will be and that red herrings cease.

[SenResearch1]

Twickenham School still requires improvement - still has a negligent misguided PTA - still has no clue. Still likes to post fakes reviews about itself

[SenResearch1]

@TSparent

Just wanted to backup the previous good feedback about Twickenham School. After spending many years at my child's primary school as a governor the key thing that makes a good/great school is the management team. If a management team are good they know how to educate kids and get good progress, and they attract the good teachers (and retain them). The new management team at Twickenham really know what they are doing. Within a year of them coming to the school behaviour was judged as good and is now tipping into outstanding, teachers are leaving other local schools to work with them and the lessons would be judged at least "good". The head is from Waldegrave (as Agerbilatemycardigan said) and in the 12 years she worked there was instrumental in Waldegrave getting an "outstanding" rating. It is clear she knows how to do this for Twickenham. It is so good for the local Whitton school to get the experience and caring it deserves. Added to all of this my child is soaring at the school both socially and academically.

Lol ok back up the previous glowing feedback the PTA and the school has posted about itself ? That'll help the students right ? - what is it a pedagogy of teaching fantasy ?

[SenResearch1]

When is reality going to bite ? This school has been dogged by years and years of self indulgent baseless wishful thinking as if its all about the well being of the staff or PTA who keep posting fake reviews.

Will you people please wake up from this vacuous lazy art of the possible positive thinking psychic nightmare and actually do something meaningful educationally ?

Ms Ruse - yet another dud built up like wonder educator by the fakes that infest this school and drag it down year on year.

[SenResearch1]

Absolutely a good well wishing at the time

A couple of years later with the needle still wavering around inadequate at TS - Waldergrave just wish the people would stop making the now nightmarish association between TS & Waldergrave

In fact this is the only sort of tarnishing Waldergrave ever known & i should think the PTA are from TS are an embarrassment to them also.