Chelsea Academy - recommend or not

[Maidinchelsea]

Interested in hearing views about this school, particularly from current parents. It seems to have a good reputation but the Head is leaving in August (why?) and not being replaced for up to a year, which seems really odd. Also the class sizes are increasing from 26 to 30 this year.

How does the school compare to Greycoats and St Marylebone (for a girl) and which is better generally for girls - Holland Park School or Chelsea Academy.

We seem to meet the admissions criteria for all those schools but I don't know anyone with kids at Chelsea.

Thanks!

Did you hear any more about this (off MN)? Am also interested. I think the small class sizes were funded by pupil premium money - I guess this may be being redirected?

My friend's son has just finished Y7 and loves it. He's a great mathematician and scientist and is working at L7 in maths - so definitely pushing their more able. I'm a local primary teacher and this year we are sending 6, 5 of whom are very able (though not middle class - by which I mean that they attract a good cross section of the local community). My own dd was a year too old for their first intake otherwise I definitely would have considered it.

I hear Andy Yarrow has gone on to a high powered job with one of the academy chains, not sure why he hasn't stayed for their first set of gcse results, but I'm sure his reasons were valid.