New Free School in Brentwood

[twiteroo]

Does anyone have any direct experience of Becket Keys - new secondary free school? Good or bad points? Also is Brentwood County High improving under Mr Drew? Thanks!

[chloe74]

I looked into Free Schools when I was deciding whether or not to put one down as a choice for my child. There are very different groups setting them up so its not easy to compare them all under one umbrella. The company behind Becket Keys school do have an outstanding record in Education and having spoken to the teachers this ideology is fundamental to how the school was set up. What I liked most was the belief that all children, whatever there level of achievement when then join will make progress better than is expected in the state sector. And of course they could explain to me their plan and the resources needed to achieve this.

I hope my child will be attending a Free School next year, fingers crossed.

[Funnylittleturkishdelight]

can't say much as it will out me in RL. But what year of entry would your DC be going into?

[twiteroo]

Thanks for all the replies. Am considering this school for the future maybe. Chloe/Funnylittle - if you could expand on the good and bad things you've heard I'd be really grateful.

[Funnylittleturkishdelight]

I haven't heard good things.

[chloe74]

I have heard very good things about the school.

[Brentwoodlady]

I'm quite familiar with it and know somebody working there. However it's only been open 8 weeks, so not long enough to make a valid judgement. I have concerns that the head only has experience of running a primary school. Other than that, as I said, it's still a bit of an unknown at the moment.
Don't believe all the very effective propaganda that it claims about itself on its website as it was using the word 'outstanding' all over the place when clearly they was no way ofsted could have judged a school that wasn't even open. Any school can claim its going to be outstanding!

[lucjam]

No direct experience but did meet one of the parent proposers last week as he came to speak at a meeting I was at in Brighton about a free school that is hoping to open here. Is your child going to BK? Lots on internet about it.