A Quick Guide To The Schools In W6
If you’re choosing a primary school in W6 for the first time, there is a lot to think about. Firstly, do you know what is important in primary school? After all, you only want the best for your child.
Primary school is a crucial experience, and so, whichever one you choose, you need to make sure it meets your child's needs from the start, offering them all the opportunities possible to succeed.
Granted, academic progress and OFSTED reports can be reassuring. But there are other things to look out for too.
Primary schools should provide an environment where your child has the chance to think analytically, learn about technology and develop values, not to mention make friends and develop their communication skills as well.
Making sure your child's primary school is the right one for them is crucial. They will become more confident and independent and gain many skills that will help them succeed in life.
Of course, things like maths and reading are important. But life skills are equally key. So, the primary school experience should teach your child the basics, like knowing right from wrong, sharing with others, and following basic instructions.
Above all though, when you choose your child's primary school, ensuring they have a happy and safe environment to go to each day is a top priority.
What can I expect from my Child’s Primary School?
As we’ve mentioned, ensuring your children are safe, happy and healthy is the most important expectation. Plus, it’s important your child is enjoying their experience as well.
So what other things should you expect from a great primary school? The teaching staff is an important consideration. After all, only great teachers are able to encourage children to the best of their abilities.
Therefore, you should make sure that the teaching staff have the right attributes - nurturing, passion and fun. Making sure you know what’s going on at school is another essential expectation. Communication from the school should be regular. This gives parents a chance to respond to potential issues and extend their child's learning at home.
What Should I Ask the School Before Applying?
Although we encourage you to ask as many questions as you deem necessary to school staff, there are some things you can work out yourself by simply visiting a school's website or by visiting the school to gather a first impression of it. So, go down to an open day, see what the atmosphere is like, and remember to check the school's recent OFSTED report as well.
The main questions you’ll then want to consider are:
? How long have the staff been there?
? How does the school communicate with parents?
? Are there opportunities for parents to get involved at school?
? What does the school do to meet the needs of more or less able students?
? What are the lunchtime arrangements?
? Are extracurricular activities available?
? Are there before and after-school clubs offered?
Primary Schools Available in West London
Thomas Jones Primary School St Mark’s Road, London, W11 1RQ OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
St Augustines RC Primary School Disbrowe Rd W6 8QE OFSTED Rating Good
St Peter’s Primary School 33 St Peter’s Road, Hammersmith, London, W6 9BA OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
Miles Coverdale Primary School Coverdale Road, Shepherds Bush, London, W12 8JJ OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
Belmont Primary School Belmont Road, Chiswick, London, W4 5UL OFSTED Rating: Good
Ark Priory Primary Academy Acton Ln, London W3 8NR OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
Holy Family Catholic Primary School Vale Lane, Acton, London, W3 0DY OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
St Mary Abbots CofE Primary School 2 Kensington Church Court, Kensington, London OFSTED Rating: Good
Choosing a Secondary School in W6
Secondary schools share a number of similarities with primary schools. They emphasise good behaviour, are inclusive and aim to provide the best start in life for your child so they are able to find good employment opportunities and develop within their chosen career.
Equally though, there are many things which are different, as well. Children at secondary school have the opportunity to learn in-depth about a number of different subjects, including art and sport, where they will have a chance to develop their physical abilities and work in a team.
Another thing to consider is that secondary schools are more segmented than primary schools, which means that pupils are divided into different classes based on their abilities.
Aside from lessons and subjects, going to secondary school will also give your son or daughter a chance to develop a peer group, learn how to keep healthy, and also learn about society and different cultures.
What can I expect from my Child’s Secondary School?
Again, expect many of the same things that were required of your child's primary school. So, committed and effective teaching staff, a safe environment, and good communication from the school, as well as an environment that suits all abilities.
In addition, there are a few extra things parents should expect from their child's new school. Their child should have the opportunity to develop social competencies, which means the ability to make friends, behave well in certain situations and treat others with respect.
Finally, parents should also consider cost-effectiveness. In other words, what does their son or daughter's school offer for any fees they are paying? While this is obviously more of a concern with a private school, it’s something worth thinking about with a comprehensive school as well.
What Should I Ask the School Before Applying?
It is good to ask secondary schools about their curriculum and subjects, as this can be quite different to primary school.
Be sure to ask what subjects are offered, particularly when it comes to GCSEs. Many schools are now offering the English Baccalaureate, which is a continuation of core GCSE subjects into A-Level.
They are great qualifications, as they can help your son or daughter improve their performance in English and Maths, and are proven to improve chances of students staying in full-time education.
You’ll also want to inquire about whether your chosen school offers standard GCSEs, or IGCSEs, which are less about coursework and more about exams.
And finally, while we are on the subject of subjects and curriculum, be sure to find out if your chosen school puts students into sets, as this provides a good insight into how your son or daughter's abilities will be assessed early on.
Other things you might want to ask about include:
? Whether your chosen school allows pupils to bring their mobiles into school
? How many students stay on at the 6th form after they complete their GCSEs
? Which aspects of the school need to be improved
Secondary Schools Available in West London
The London Oratory School Seagrave Road SW6 1RX OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
Sacred Heart High School 212 Hammersmith Road, London, W6 7DG OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
Phoenix Academy Hammersmith and Fulham, W12 ORQ OFSTED Rating: Good
Twyford Church of England High School Twyford Crescent, London, W3 9PP OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
The Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School Greenford Road, Greenford, UB6 9AW OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial RC School 89 Addison Road, London, W14 8BZ OFSTED Rating: Outstanding
St Paul’s School Lonsdale Road, Barnes, London, SW13 9JT OFSTED Rating: Good
Written by John Rigg
Source London Estates
