The Academy School Hampstead

[ReadySteadyGo123]

Any updated opinions on the Academy? How is teaching and what kind of children will thrive there? Do they prepare for 11+ exits as well as 13+? And if not is there a lot of tutoring to get the kids into their next schools? It looked really lovely and nurturing as well as academic, but it’s hard to tell from the outside...

It’s an amazing school and every child I know has thrived and grown there. My ds didnt have any additional tutoring and got his place at a top 9 Clarendon school this September. The teaching is excellent: the teachers see it as their vocation. The children that thrive there are varied and talented in so many different ways and yes they have to be smart because the entry can be tough. It’s a very small school and a lot of parents and children who apply are disappointed as they have to be selective. And they rely on you the parents to work together with the school. They prepare for 11+ and 13+. And yes it is lovely and nurturing and they quickly identify what kind of character each child is and what they need to prosper.

I have no hesitation in recommending The Academy.

Thank you so much @cockneygirl that’s incredibly helpful and great to hear. My only concern was that as class sizes are so small, if they don’t get on with anyone in their class there’s nowhere to turn. But I suppose that’s the same anywhere really... what happens in the assessment day? Do they just join a class and see how it goes?
I’m a bit torn because we have a place at an extremely hard to get into/ prestigious prep, but I keep thinking about the Academy as it seems like such a unique place in North London (supporting individual kids without being overly pushy...) Such a tricky one....
Also is there any kind of sibling policy? There is a younger sibling in the mix...

Addressing your specific points: class sizes are small but they will always find friends - boys and girls together and also learn that the world is not selective but diverse in ability and talent. Bullying is not tolerated at all. And the children understand that they need to be fair, kind and support each other. And class sizes are small so each child can be supported if they need extra help in any area. Any issues are identified quickly not like mainstream prep schools where good, obedient children are overlooked next to pushy/naughty characters.
The child can’t prepare for the assessment - it’s a mix of academic and attitude. But it’s a relaxed half day with no pressure. Sibling policy - it is more likely that there will be a place but not 100% guaranteed. Something to talk to the school directly.
And as your ds has a place already sounds whatever decision you make (if he is accepted at the academy) is a win win.
It’s like marmite. And if you want a very scheduled school year ( parents evenings, pta social events, fund raising, competitive sports at the weekend) then it’s not the school for you. If you are confident that the teachers have the best interests of your child and happy to go with the unique style and ethos, then go for it.

Thank you, you’ve been SO incredibly helpful! The school sounds right up my street to be honest.... Will very carefully consider the options. Thanks again.

@ReadySteadyGo123 what did you decide in the end?

We had a bad experience with this School and withdrew our daughter after only 6 months. We found that pastoral care was actually poor and the lack of communication with the family was also very distressing.

I know of the Academy well. We sent our son to the school and quite simply it changed his and our lives entirely. This is not an overstatement. He was at another Hampstead school, that we had thought was nurturing but turned out to be anything but. After scoring zero in a maths test aged 5, and being sent home with an “unhappy face” emoji on his work next to a big zero, we were told he was likely special needs and to get used to the idea that he would not get to University. We were urged to move him to a “different type of school.” A very dear friend recommended the Academy as a place which doesn’t judge and is all about nurturing the child towards confidence and success. As others above have observed, it does look “quirky” from the outside, but on the inside it’s anything but. Chloe and Garth took our son in and from that very first day, their method and their incredible teachers including Sarah and Jos changed everything. By grouping initially on capability rather than age, our son found an oasis of sympatico compatriots through which he was able to grow in confidence. Encouragement and learning through inspirational teaching rather than just test after test led to the seeds of self-belief, and from this growing belief came success both academically and socially through blossoming friendships. Everything changed within a year. Just to see him bouncing to school excited about the day ahead, rather than refusing to go was a blessing beyond all measure. By the time he left this incredible school he was truly ready for senior school. Last year, our son left school with 3 As at A-level and is now at Bristol University, he has his own business on the side and has developed his own art installations which was the legacy of the love of both maths and art, developed and nurtured at the Academy School. Simply put they allowed him to realise that his dyslexia is a polymathic blessing, not a curse. If you feel your child has not yet been discovered or is being judged by a Victorian education system, I thoroughly recommend this very special school.

Our daughter was at a local state primary, aged 7. When covid hit, the care and coverage from this school was virtually non-existent; It was implied that the parents should be shouldering much of the teaching responsibility. I work in the NHS and my husband’s work demands much of him time. After a couple of months of inactivity by that school, our daughter was becoming visibly frustrated and terribly anxious. We decided to take action. We spoken to a number of schools in the area, but the only one who seemed to empathise was the Academy. We spoke to Andrew who was incredibly gracious and then to Chloe and Garth. We felt so totally bathed in their kindness and supportive attitude. We took a leap of faith and moved our daughter to the Academy mid-year. What happened next felt like a bit of a miracle in a very bleak time. We were sent a list of numbers to pump into Zoom. It was a technology we were becoming used to ourselves. The numbers were a list of different teachers and classes throughout the school day for our daughter. Starting at 8am with some social “getting to know you” time, then lessons following a complete day’s curriculum, including cooking at lunch time, to help the family out, as well as exercise/PE. We were completely amazed to see how our daughter blossomed and even made friends that she started to connect with outside of school hours. The most special moment was her birthday, when the school helped us set up a trip where we visited all of our daughter’s new friends, as we drove round to drop off a cake and a party bag. The Academy normalised that incredibly strange time and more than that, as the previous reviewer noted, they gave our daughter back her confidence and her education. We occasionally sat near the door to hear Sarah’s wonderful teaching and Joss’s remote science experiments! The kids were loving it. When school reopened properly a few months later, our daughter couldn’t wait. Last summer, our daughter was feeling a nervous about her impending move to “the big school”. We spoke to Chloe who suggested she might like to try out for a bigger part in the school play. I’d like to speak about this experience... Our daughter is shy and doesn’t like to be the centre of attention. We thought it might trigger further anxiety but we trusted Chloe's experience. She and Maddy worked with our daughter, instilling her with confidence. When the day of the play came, and our daughter took centre stage we couldn't believe it. She bellowed out a song with such pride in her expression, myself and my husband found ourselves wiping away the tears. We turned to Garth and saw the same thing!!! When he came to make the speech afterwards, to congratulate the children and thank Chloe for all her incredible efforts in giving up so much of her time to create such a special opportunity for the children, it was so clear to see why the school is what it is. They’ve been at this for a good many years now and yet the joy and pride in both Garth and Chloe’s faces was palpable, like it was their first. We’re so incredibly grateful to them and to the school for what they’ve done for our daughter.