Evelyn Grace Academy, Brixton ?

[miso]

Anyone know much about this school?
It's our closest school & I felt confident enough to have it as our 2nd choice, since our 1st choice was a longshot.
We didn't get the 1st choice, I accepted the EGA place - and now have unexpectedly moved up the other school's waiting list so I have to make a decision all over again!

EGA looks good in lots of ways - the teachers at the open day were impressive and engaging, the pupils are well-behaved - but the school is only two years old (the oldest pupils at present are year 8) so it's hard to see if their methods will work with older teenagers.

And their 'methods' do seem quite intense! According to the teacher explaining it on their website (as part of their BBC News Report), the children have to score on 45 tracking points per week (9 points a day) which I think are effort / behaviour related (?). All I can think of, is that if I had to be micro-managed like that at work, I would view it as a form of harrassment - but maybe 11 / 12 year olds actually enjoy that kind of constant assessment

[Ctherine]

Evelyn Grace is ARK's flagship school with the ambition of getting over 80% children 5 x A-C GCSE including English and Maths. ARK is the highest performing of the academy groups and have a track record of meeting their targets. Jump at a place if you can, this will be in the top 2% state schools nationally when their first year intake reaches GCSE.

[Dawntreader]

see this on Evelyn Grace Academy in today's observer

www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/oct/17/evelyn-grace-academy-review?intcmp=239

[psammyad]

Evelyn Grace School (or rather it's design) has won the Stirling Prize for Architecture!

Well done Zaha, and I hope the pupils are inspired by having their school recognised like this.

"RIBA president Angela Brady, who chaired the judges, said: "The Evelyn Grace academy is an exceptional example of what can be achieved when we invest carefully in a well-designed new school building. The result ? a highly imaginative, exciting academy that shows the students, staff and local residents that they are valued ? is what every school should and could be."

Separate issue - sort of - but it's always bugged me that they don't seem to have a Subject Leader (or even a teacher) for Art, listed on their website.

Their provision for music seems good enough, and surely you wouldn't have a Secondary school without an Art Department, especially if you have Headteacher who says:
"I'm sure there are students who will be inspired to look at design and perhaps at architecture through attending the building, but fundamentally they won't get there unless what we provide in our classrooms is of high quality for their learning."

I'm hoping it's just that their website hasn't been updated recently - can anyone enlighten me?

[RJsMa]

I've just been offered an allocated place here is there anyone who can give me some insight on the school why are the results so bad?

[Condemned]

Did you look round. I imagine that the results are due to the high level of deprivation in coldharbour ward. The school has high level of FSM and pupil premium. If you read their newsletters there are some students with 10 +. A or A* so some do incredibly well.