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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

Richmond park academy school

18 replies

cantwait2020 · 07/04/2020 07:49

Hi mums would appreciate some feedback from mums who are in Richmond park academy we've been offered a place but reluctant to accept it... would appreciate parents who are already there to give their honest thoughts on the school. Thanks

OP posts:

Meredusoleil · 10/04/2020 09:22

As no one has answered, I thought I'd add my comment!

I used to attend this school about 30 years ago when it was called Shene School. It was very different back then, as I'm sure you can imagine and had a good reputation. Most if the students lived locally in East Sheen, Barnes or Putney and parents were happy to send their kids there. I had the best 5 years at Shene and was very happy!

Fast forward to 2020 and I hear it is now one of the lowest achieving schools in the borough (2 schools are lower still) and the demographic has changed considerably. A lot of the students now travel across from Hammersmith and Fulham (well they did before the bridge was closed), from as far away as White City and Shepherds Bush and I heard more local Sheen parents prefer to send their childen private instead.

Whereabouts do you live? Which of your preferences was Richmond Park?

Wheresthebeach · 10/04/2020 14:04

A few years ago people thought the school was on the up. So much so that DD didn’t get in and we are pretty local but not Sheen. It was local kids getting in as the revamp was great in terms of facilities.

Not sure how its faired as haven’t had any reason to keep track.

Original poster

cantwait2020 · 11/04/2020 23:47

Thanks for your reply, we live in east sheen I preference was Christ, waldergrave or grey court the last 2 are hard I know but Christ we may have a chance I turned down rpa just can take chances so let's see... thanks again much appreciated

OP posts:

Meredusoleil · 12/04/2020 07:36

Oh that's interesting! Are you Christian or Catholic? I would have thought you have a reasonable chance of getting Christ's. Have you asked what number you are on the waiting list? Also, I was under the impression you're supposed to accept the place pending an offer of a higher choice school. As now you have no school, is that right?!?

Fennelandlovage · 12/04/2020 08:16

You should always accept the offer made and join waiting lists for all schools you prefer and appeal if necessary. With such unprecedented economic change right now it is likely many children who were planning to go to private will be holding onto state offers this year and may even be adding themselves to waiting lists especially for the schools you listed and even for RPA. It might be worth ringing up and seeing if you can add yourself to the RPA list again. I have heard some good things about the school and you may have no choice this year.

Thisdoesnotgeteasier · 12/04/2020 10:16

I am not sure there was any merit in turning the RPA place down when you currently don’t have any other choices. I would definitely get yourself back on the list there.

It feels like Richmond council are very slow this year at communicating waitlist places because of the Covid-19 situation, so you may see something at some point from your other waitlist schools when they start to contact people but it’s likely to be slow.

It already seemed like a heavily over subscribed year in general (Orleans Park down to 1.2km catchment) and the economic pressures many families are now feeling will mean some people who were going to go private will now go state.

For what it’s worth, I have a friend whose DC goes to RPA - she thinks it’s just about OK at the moment but isn’t massively excited about it. However, conventional wisdom on the painful school waitlist issue is that you should t give up a place unless you have a better option in hand. I would email the council admissions office ASAP. If you have just emailed them to decline the place and their offices are closed over Easter, there might be a chance you can get them to ignore your last email. But at the very worst you should get back on the list for RPA. Good luck.

SJaneS48 · 12/04/2020 19:13

My eldest (now 25 so apologies, this is historic) was offered a place there (we lived in Queens Road in East Sheen). We appealed and got Christ’s which my DD really liked for the couple of terms she was there before we moved sticks to the country. It was then the Shene School and just to echo the PP, it’s reputation absolutely sucked and no one at East Sheen Primary (where DD went) wanted their kid to go there. Virtually all the students were out of area, the Hammersmith lot trooping down Queens Road after getting off the bus. I had an au pair and she was verbally abused by a couple of the boys and she gave them a piece of her mind before going into our house. These boys then started throwing stones and rocks at my property when they went past so I had to call the police and my au pair had to go into the school to identify them.
As above, this is all historical, it might be a great school now! I’d take the place but thoroughly check it out and keep on other waiting lists.

Original poster

cantwait2020 · 12/04/2020 20:18

Thank you for all your feedback it's really hard we live in an amazing location with not enough secondary schools... we're gonna take a Risk and hope that Christ gets offered we're 22 on the list. Thanks again

OP posts:

Meredusoleil · 12/04/2020 20:38

Good luck OP! #22 on the waiting list isn't a bad position to be in. Let's hope there's movement after the Easter holidays are over 🤞

Fennelandlovage · 12/04/2020 21:55

You are #22 now but the current situation is unprecedented. Unless you want to home educate you should rejoin the RPA list. Good luck OP.

Rollercoaster1920 · 20/09/2021 14:39

I'm resurrecting this thread to ask what people think of Richmond Park Academy now (over a year later), and also what did the OP do in the end?

Luffers1972 · 19/11/2021 19:55

I have a son in year 7 at the school. I feel if your child is academic and easy going then they will be fine. Only one PE session a week! My child has ASD, school communication very poor. My child is happy to go to school and has made friends. I wouldn't describe it as nurturing.

CoffeeandWalnutCake · 20/02/2022 14:54

Given that it’s approaching that time of year again, does anyone have any recent thoughts on Richmond Park Academy? We live locally and have watched for signs of progress over the years, but it’s hard to get a feel from outside the school environment. It still seems to me that a significant proportion of local families go private, or choose other state schools were possible. We are sitting on some mid-tier private school offers (which will financially be a stretch, but not impossible), but I would love to just be able to happily use the local comprehensive. Any thoughts on this school? Worth a punt?

scl1 · 17/01/2023 14:06

Hi, I have a daughter with an EHCP who needs pastoral and emotional support.

does anyone have experience of the SEN provision at Richmond Park Academy? I heard a rumour they were reducing their provision ?

thanks

Luffers1972 · 17/01/2023 17:38

Hello in my opinion very little support with regards to pastoral support. Have you looked at Christ's and Richard Reynolds?

scl1 · 17/01/2023 21:24

Hi
thanks for your reply. I haven’t looked into all the options because her ehcp is likely to state RPA and I’m trying to find out what their Sen provision is like in reality ….

Luffers1972 · 18/01/2023 21:00

I thought you could name any mainstream school of choice? Contact SENDIASS for advice

UnicornPanda · 05/04/2024 12:16

Sorry for reviving this! It’s been a while since it was open. I wonder how are people feeling about RPA now days? Any personal experiences in this last years with the school? Thank you!🙏

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