Richmond Borough Schools Chat 9

[ChrisSquire2]

This thread follows on from Richmond Borough Schools Chat 8 starting February 2016.
News and opinions on all the changes to schools in Richmond borough.

See also:

Richmond Borough Schools Chat 7 starting May 2015

Links to earlier threads (1-6), starting in February 2011

Tiffin can admit girls, but they can't prioritise them over boys. Waldegrave can admit boys, but they can't prioritise them over girls.

I think Tiffin have just carefully worded their marketing to make it sound like 50% of their external intake will be girls, but there's nothing in their policy that will make it so.

I hope they find a wording that helps them fill up undersubscribed subjects so they can continue to offer them - more important than just the opportunity to meet boys. Tiffin boys has an odd subject offer - you can do Theology and Latin but not Computer Science or Product Design. You could do those at Tiffin Girls - but no boys are admitted!

Yes, you’re right. Grey Court does Computer Science - so does Teddington and I think Waldegrave pupils can join them. Maybe the Tiffins could collaborate too to widen subject choice but unless both schools had mixed sixth forms I’m not sure how that would work.

Just noticed that Kingston Academy had an outstanding Ofsted judgement. I think that it will have a sixth form from 2020. How will that affect local schools and colleges?

Very sad to hear that Chris Squire (ChrisSquire2) passed away last week. He was a valued contributer to these discussions, informing us of local news stories, and posting thoughtful and considered viewpoints.

Very sad to hear that.

Very sad news. I didn’t personally know him but valued his powerful comments. May he rest in peace.

Provisional KS4/gcse results are now available on the department of education website, not sure if the link works...

tinyurl.com/richmondsch

Some incredible outcomes for Richmond schools and very disappointing for others.

Interesting to compare A-level progress score too. Grey Court and Teddington well above average, above average for Orleans Park, Esher College and Waldegrave, but just average for Tiffin Boys and Tiffin Girls. I guess selection delivers what is expected, no more and no less.

@muminL: A-level data is still from 2017, only GCSE data is 2018.

Regarding the progress 8 score... It's not really a reliable statistic, and it has a high margin of error. I would take that one with a grain of salt and and focus instead on attainment scores, GCSE grade 5+ percentages and also on how low/middle/high attainers are doing.

Ah yes, didn’t notice A-level year. So the full data breakdown including prior attainment, gender etc. (and 2018 A level progress) won’t be available until January, after applications for secondary or sixth form.

Waldegrave’s latest Ofsted report is on their website.

I’m very relieved for Waldegrave. That ofsted reads like one big love in.

It looks like Philippa Nunn will remain exec headteacher of Twick School and Hampton High, that's surely a good thing for the 2 schools? And Teddington will be left to their own devices as they are no longer part of RWST?

www.waldegrave.richmond.sch.uk/127/news/article/88/ofsted-returns-to-waldegrave-after-long-absence

Waldegrave isn’t in the RWST so it’s a different job for Mrs Nunn as I understand it. But at least it’s one job not two (well, two schools, supporting the individual headteachers).

It looks like Orleans Park (as well as Waldegrave) has been offering support to the HH and TA schools just as Grey Court is working with Teddington.

I've been an occasional visitor to these threads and always valued the OP with very thoughtful and insightful contributions. So very shocked and sad to hear that Chris Squire (ChrisSquire2) has died. Deepest condolences and thoughts to any family aware of these threads.

I am very sad to hear that Chris has died and send sympathy to his family. This was one niche of local activism amongst many that he contributed to with a rigour that would have made Gove (if he actually knew what it was) proud. He was also not afraid to come to debate on Mumsnet when many other male politicians may have (allegedly) read but not contributed,one can only speculate why. From that contact he was a nice soul....

A new proposal for a faith school seems to have emerged for the school site in the Stag Brewery development in Mortlake. I say seems because it apparently posted in the Next Door neighbourhood site seeking parent support but the website it linked too has now disappeared. You have to be signed up to access the Next Door site but I have a cut and pasted version.

It is all a bit odd because the DofE has announced that a school already approved to be opened by the Aspirations Academy Trust was to be given the site www.richmond.gov.uk/stag_brewery_secondary_school

The new faith school proposal says it will be inclusive but it is not clear whether it socially or in terms of admissions. It is linked to the recently opened Free School Fulham Boys School, a school that has 50% faith based admissions and which appears to be ambitious to expand its particular ethos. See the Headmasters blog and the article linked to in the Parliamentary Review here www.fulhamboysschool.org

In contrast this is the Inspirations Academy website, they already have 14 schools, 4 in Hounslow, and all rated good or outstanding. www.aspirationsacademies.org

Given the Free School process can be very opaque does this new proposal for the site have any prospect of success? Parents are a bit mistified by it? This thread has always been a bit Middlesex centric but it looks as though a lot of the issues are rearing their head even more intensely on the Surrey side at the moment...

Please support this application for a new secondary school in Mortlake
Would you like to see improved secondary school provision for Kew, Mortlake and Barnes? Would you favour a school with strong local connections and a Christian ethos? Do you want a new school linked with established education providers nearby?

If so, we need your help! Please register your support for our proposed school by the 1st November 2018 on the school website.

We are a group of local parents applying to the Department for Education to set up a new mainstream free school. This will be a co-educational secondary school with sixth form, in the northeast of the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames. We are proposing this for a new school site in Mortlake.

We are proposing a school with a Christian ethos. With small class sizes, we will place a strong emphasis on outstanding teaching and learning.

Our proposed school is named after Thomas Cromwell, who once owned the school site in Mortlake. By hard work, Thomas Cromwell rose from being a blacksmith’s son to be chief minister to King Henry VIII.

Thomas Cromwell School is being established in partnership with The Fulham Boys School (opened in 2014). Similar to FBS, partnership links will also be established with St Paul’s School (opened in 1509) as the school develops

State school pupils, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, are in danger of being left behind in northeast Richmond. Over half of the children around them are privately educated, and those that cannot afford this seldom get their first choice of secondary school. We will provide a genuinely inclusive school serving the whole local community with superb educational opportunities for all.

If you are a local resident or parent who supports our application, please register your interest before the 1st November 2018.

This is the link they provide for the proposed school website in case it starts to work again www.cromwellschool.org.uk

The link is now working and it seems the proposal is linked to the petition that was directed at LBRUT asking for a consultation on the school provider. www.change.org/p/london-borough-of-richmond-upon-thames-open-public-consultation-and-competition-for-new-mortlake-school-provider. The Council made their position clear, in particular that the decision making process was not in their power and that they had carried out due diligence on the provider that the DofE had decided on and supported the decision, back in July www.richmond.gov.uk/council/news/press_office/older_news/july_2018/cabinet_member_clarifies_mortlake_petition

You would think it was a done deal but this is the DofE and the Free School process we are talking about

That seems odd. If the DfE have already approved Livingstone Academy, why would they consider another school for the same site?

I haven't been following the Livingstone Academy debate, but I picked up that residents were challenging the process. Livingstone Academy was approved for another part of London but then either wasn't needed or couldn't find a site (or both) so was helicoptered into Mortlake. Richmond Council gave it the nod without bothering to consult residents, and some of them weren't happy about it. It looks like they've taken matters into their own hands.

The Richmond Inclusive Schools Campaign have posted about it on their Facebook Page. m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1163415187139587&id=169345546546561

I'd have thought one Christian faith school (Christs) was more than enough for that area. It's always struggled to fill its faith places locally, with places being allocated in Twickenham, Whitton, and probably further away too given the uniforms I see on the train. A regular churchgoer can already live in any part of the borough and get a place at a CE secondary school. As well as Christs there's Bishop Wand and the Green Schools (now for boys as well as girls).