Twickenham Academy

Hi there..my DS has just started year 7 at Twickenham Academy and seems to be enjoying it. I was adamant that we were not going there because of all the bad reports i had heard over the years but after losing the appeal for orleans park we had to face the fact it was going to be a reality! So far, my DS is enjoying lessons and eager to chose either 'silver or gold' levels for work completed. I think the swedish learning is a good thing, when you think about it, all it's doing is taking the pressure that teachers and parents put on their kids to achieve something that may be out of their reach and have replaced it with the 'step process' of which they work at their own pace and bronze, silver and gold levels, which in my day were basically called 'top,middle and bottom set' and we as the pupils did'nt get a say in which group we should be in. If this helps with low self esteem and helps to gain confidence, then i'm all for it. My only concern is the lairy behaviour of some of the older pupils, i think the teachers need to buck up their ideas and realise this needs to be addressed before it rubs off onto our very decent year 7s and they morph into the very same!!
i am watching this school like a hawk and will not hesitate to contact them if i think they are not keeping their promises and i urge all you other year 7 parents to do the same..united front!!

mebaasmum - that sounds positive so far...

Do you think the Swedish method will suit your ds and his learning style? Is he likely to respond well to the autonomy and independent learning?

Spier's experience is interesting. There is a lot riding on the success of the school (and it's methodology). I expect the pupils will be given plenty of support in the first few years.

I have a DD who started this year.
I would say it's too early to tell how the new system will work in practice. There are so many changes for the school to absorb - lots of new teachers, the rebuild project - on top of the new Swedish system
My child is very happy there though and enthusiastic about going. There have been a few wobbles when she has been a bit scared of some of the more lairy kids in the older years but that seems to be normal for any child starting secondary.
The GCSE results this year (although nothing to do with the academisation)(is that a word?) were very encouraging. Quite a steep improvement curve over the last couple of years.
The head seems good.
Rebuild design looks great.
My DD has only 17 in her class and I heard they were keeping the numbers at this level for a few years to help manage the school during the rebuild.
It's very boy heavy because of Waldegrave Girls skewing the ratio - but you'll know that.

We're pretty content (although still on the waiting list for Waldegrave just in case )

Mebaasmum - how did it go? I have friends with dc's at Hampton Academy (which is run on similar lines). Seems to be too early to tell how successful it'll be.