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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

The Archer Academy East Finchley

103 replies

upthegardenpath · 23/07/2015 07:43

Thinking of moving in about a year or so, possibly to EF.

I've read the first Ofsted (June 2015) which sounds pretty impressive and I've heard a couple of rave review ps from current parents p, in passing, but it wanted to know what people think of this school, as it's impossible to judge a book by its cover. Views much appreciated!

Have also heard that year 7 from September will be at a new site, in Stanley Rd, so that will become the new address for admissions.

Many thanks.

OP posts:

mickmills · 01/02/2016 17:17

I mean the open evening in Summer 2015, not the most recent one...

MM1872 · 03/02/2016 21:43

I heard the old head master left because of the "over zealous" founders, he saw this coming a year ago. They think it's their school for them and their mates!

That's the problem with these free schools....they're just private schools paid for by the tax payer!! They need to be taken in house and run by people who know what they are doing.

We vote a government and council to run schools not parents. It's time they actual start doing the job they were elected to do.

Cinders2016 · 04/02/2016 07:42

Mick, I couldn't agree more with your observation of the new headmistress and direction of the school. I recently attended the consultation meeting and the new head mistress appeared to be forced to read out some blurb about the new admissions policy, again with no passion. It was almost as if she had been held hostage and forced to do!

The meeting itself was a shocker and has caused some serious angst in the N2 community regarding the feeder schools. How Hampstead Garden Suburb is in the mix is beyond me. It has 2 schools CLOSER - Hendon (Outstanding) and Whitefields - undersubscribed and not so good but perhaps if Hampstead Garden parents should choose it and improve it, the school could turn around. Earlier in this thread someone mentioned this option for another under subscribed school so it must be a piece of advice good enough for everyone!

It will be interesting to see how things unfold for The Archer Academy and truly see if it is a local school for local children (and not about self gain).

MM1872 · 04/02/2016 10:01

Cinders,

I saw my NCT pal (we now live AP) for coffee in EF last week she talked about that meeting and nothing else for 2 hours. It's AWFUL what they are doing.

I told her my sister-in-law went through exactly the same with their local FS, hence why I'm so anti them. Loads of the parents put appeals in to the adjudicator. It's not that scary, you don't need a solicitor, it's all about fairness. The Archer are being unfair to the local community. She gained an ursula by the end but they won!

Suca1 · 04/02/2016 12:05

I have no idea how I have stumbled on this feed but I am so grateful I have. The Archer has let down a lot of people. My DD was a baby when they were campaigning to get it open. She will be in year 7 in just 3 years. Local school for local children. I have lived in e f for 10 years and I have never heard of Hampstead garden suburb school. How can it be considered a local school? What does it mean for children who went to Akiva or st Theresa's? It means they won't get in. This school has clearly forgotten it's original objectives. I see mm1872 says it can be legally challenged but by who? And I agree with Mick, it has only been opened such a short time for so much disharmony to be apparent I am not sure it is the right place for my DD. I just wish we had a choice.

Cinders2016 · 04/02/2016 13:02

Suca - I didn't even realise HGS was a "local" school. I have just google mapped it and it's over the A1 - pretty much near the Finchley Road!!! So sad that The Archer may end up bypassing truly local children.

MM1872 - I will definitely be following the developments of this new proposed admissions policy and perhaps look at helping the community with any appeals process.

Suca1 · 04/02/2016 13:11

does anyone know when they will make their decision?

Suca1 · 04/02/2016 13:14

Also who makes the decision? The governors?

Brightnorthernlights · 04/02/2016 13:27

I think you will find the decision has been made. The public consultation bit is a legality to sign it off.

Suca1 · 04/02/2016 13:36

Really? That is depressing. I filled in the consultation form to say I thought it was all very decisive. I suspect a lot of people said that. Can the school just ignore that?

Brightnorthernlights · 04/02/2016 13:39

The governors made the decision. Many of the founders are involved with the feeder schools, so I suppose it was inevitable.

Suca1 · 04/02/2016 13:44

I wonder if the parents of the real local children will take to the streets to protest if the governors get their way. It has all been very quiet. Apart from a leaflet through my door not much has been said.

maddadn2 · 04/02/2016 14:20

Suca1. Oh if we did we would be considered positively violent. We have already been accused by supporters of this change of acting in an aggressive manner!

maddadn2 · 04/02/2016 14:30

Succa1. If you are looking for further information on the consultation you can download information from the archer academy website which outlines the process.

Suca1 · 04/02/2016 15:01

Thanks Maddad. I have read it. And filled in the consultation form. Only now it seems from what brightnorthernlights is saying, I was wasting my time. I can't believe Leslie's attitude from the previous posts about either creating our own school (what???) or going to another one and making it better. So callous. And if cinders is right about Hampstead having two other schools why do they need this one? Am I missing something?

FanDabbyFloozy · 04/02/2016 16:57

Totally agree with all the recent posters. Those who are adamant that this change goes through have conveniently forgotten that it was as much the parents of children with faith or in private schools that campaigned for the new school. As for Hampstead Garden School - incredible!

Brightnorthernlights · 04/02/2016 19:29

Many, many children who go to HGS school live way down the Finchley Road, nowhere near East Finchley. How on earth does that equate with the founding principle of bring a local community school??

Brightnorthernlights · 04/02/2016 19:33

Being a local community school!

Brightnorthernlights · 04/02/2016 19:35

What I also find interesting is that many parents from Brooklands school, shouted the loudest to get JCoss to drop its feeder school status as it was felt to disadvantage children from HGS. Hmmm.....

Suca1 · 04/02/2016 19:44

Wow at this rate HGS will be the place to live to get your child into a school! Oh hang on. You have to be really privileged to live there..

FanDabbyFloozy · 04/02/2016 19:51

I know, northern lights.. The previous posters seem to equate the children in non religious community schools as those who have no religion. Yet many of these can apply to JCOSS, FCH, the Wren as well as the Archer.We go down a rabbit hole if religion is waved about as the convenient excuse for excluding schools in EF over those further away.

maddadn2 · 04/02/2016 22:07

Hi upthegardenpath
i hope you haven't been put off moving to East Finchley, which is the heart of N2. East Finchley is a great place to bring up a family and has a great local community. We moved from Muswell Hill and have never looked back! I understand that the Archer Academy is turning into a good school and have had good feedback. Ofsted rated good. However if you have young children in primary school please choose carefully. With the proposed new admission policy if you happen to choose the wrong primary school your chances of getting into Archer Academy will be restricted.
As I said East Finchley is great place and I hope you do make the move here. Unfortunately some schools are selective including Archer Academy.

Suca1 · 05/02/2016 09:52

Does anyone know how many schools they are excluding on grounds of religion?

Agnostic7 · 05/02/2016 11:43

Suca1 There are 17 schools closer to the Archer than HGS. There's so many faith schools supporting the sate system that none of us have a choice of these oversubscribed non-denominational feeder schools which have been selected (sorry, they hate the word ; I should say 'favoured' ). The answer is not to sink these faith schools but to have a non selective (sorry, favoured) admission policy on proximity even if it includes a percentage of appropriately proportioned places for the 3 postcodes. E.g n2 with greatest demand and nw11 as per their current demand of 18%.

Agnostic7 · 05/02/2016 11:52

I should also add the sibling figures for every secondary school for miles is between third to half total places so the Archer's assertion that 25% places will be left for local children under this new policy is optimistic . Looking ahead just to next year when there will be over 55 siblings, you can see the feeder places making a huge impact on the cohort. It's looking more and more like a satellite school for Hampstead Garden Suburb. Such a shame.

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