Essential Guide 2023 - South West London

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 1 SOUTH WEST LONDON INCLUDING OUR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO SCHOOL OPEN EVENINGS SEPT 2023

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 2

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 3 Welcome Welcome to the promising month of September, where anticipation fills the air once again. We are thrilled to present the much-awaited 12th edition of “The Essential Guide to Schools,” a true favourite among our readers. In this latest edition, we’ve packed together a whopping 64 pages, all geared towards guiding you through the crucial next phase of your child’s educational journey: the transition to secondary school. Focused on the exciting upcoming open events of schools and colleges, our Essential Guide is here to support you in the daunting task of selecting the perfect school or sixth form for your child. Whether it’s a cutting-edge virtual open event, a tailor-made tour, or a classic school open day, rest assured, we’ve got you covered. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our dedicated readers and our esteemed advertisers. This year, the response from schools has been nothing short of spectacular. We extend a warm thank you to everyone who has played a part in this endeavour. It’s important to note that with each new school that joins us, our magazine becomes an even richer source of information. Here’s to another year of exciting possibilities! www.focusmediauk.com To book space within The Essential Guide Please email your requirements to: [email protected] Lessons in Dyslexia 52 What to Look for at Open Evening 28 Talking to your kids about Mental Health 12 More than ever, mental health is a growing issue in our children and young people Choosing A Secondary School 20 Some tips and advice about things to consider Exam Nightmares 44 A student’s view Easing Transitions to Secondary School 36 Moving from primary to secondary school can be an exciting but daunting experience ABC or 123 4 The GCSE Grading System explained When it comes to enrolling students, secondary schools excel at showcasing their strengths and attributes What are the signs?

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 4 The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) grading system is used in the United Kingdom to assess the academic performance of students typically aged 14 to 16. GCSEs are taken in a range of subjects and are an important part of the education system in the UK, as they provide a foundation for further education or employment. As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, the GCSE grading system underwent a major reform in England in 2017, transitioning from the traditional letter-based grading system (A*, A, B, C, etc.) to a numerical grading system (9 to 1), with 9 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. Here’s a breakdown of the numerical GCSE grading system: Grade 9: This is the highest achievable grade and represents exceptional performance. It is considered to be higher than the previous A* grade. Grade 8: Also considered an excellent grade, it is often described as being equivalent to an A*. Grade 7: Equivalent to the previous A grade, this grade is a very strong indication of a student’s competence in the subject. Grade 6: Comparable to the previous high B and low A grades, this grade still signifies a good level of understanding and knowledge. Grade 5: Considered a strong pass and equivalent to a high C and low B grade. Grade 4: This grade is known as a standard pass, and it’s similar to the previous grade C. It’s often the minimum required for progression to further education or employment. Grade 3: This grade indicates a basic understanding of the subject matter but is below the standard required for further education. Grade 2: Still a pass, but at a lower level, indicating limited understanding of the subject. Grade 1: This is the lowest grade and is awarded for a very limited level of achievement. It’s important to note that in addition to the new numerical grading system, GCSEs have also been redesigned to be more challenging and focused on end-of-course exams rather than coursework. The reforms aim to raise the standards and better prepare students for higher education or the workforce. Keep in mind that grading systems and educational policies can change, so I recommend checking with official sources, such as government education websites or the specific educational institution, for the most up-to-date information on the GCSE grading system. ABC or 123? The GCSE Grading System

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 5 OPEN EVENINGS OPEN DAYS Thursday 5th October 2023 5:15pm - 7:15pm (Evening) Principal’s talks - 5:15pm, 5:45pm & 6:30pm Saturday 14th October 2023 9:30am - 12:30pm (Morning) Principal’s talks - 9:30am & 10:45am FIND OUT WHY AT OUR SIXTH FORM EVENT: Saturday 14th October 2023 9:30am -12:30pm Director of Sixth Form’s talks - 10:15am & 11:30am I’m going to Bolingbro Sixth Form in September. I CAN’T WAIT.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 6 Harris Academy Wimbledon We are an ‘Outstanding’ (Ofsted 2023) secondary academy, established in 2018 to provide an excellent education for children in Wimbledon. With our new Sixth Form set to open this September, we will soon have a full cohort of students aged 11-18. Two years after opening, we moved into our brand-new building which is modern, bright and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities in every area of the curriculum. We are oversubscribed and fortunate to have an amazing level of support from the community with waiting lists for entry into every year group of our academy. Our academy is an exceptional place to learn, providing an ambitious but happy and inclusive environment. As well as strong pastoral support, we offer an enriching extra-curricular programme with over 40 different activities that students can choose from each week. As part of the Harris Federation, a highly successful group of academies in and around London, our students also benefit from wider opportunities and resources - ranging from support from the Federation’s highly-regarded team of specialist subject consultants to participation in initiatives such as Harris Experience which aims to prepare the most academically promising students for entry to the top universities in the UK. We have high expectations of our students of all starting points and abilities. To this end, we offer a tailored learning experience so they can achieve their full potential, with students streamed according to ability. Students who need the most stretch and challenge are grouped together and follow a challenging academic curriculum, but we are ambitious for every kind of learner with provision that includes tutoring and small-group sessions for students who need extra support. All of our classes are in a mixed setting which encourages our girls and boys to work collaboratively and develop mutual respect. We know that our students will leave us academically successful, but we also want them to be well-rounded individuals with a highly developed social conscience, ready to lead in their communities and beyond. Our motto is ‘make a difference’ and our students and staff give nothing except their very best in pursuit of making a difference to their lives and the lives of others around them. Three words are crucial to how we guide students to be able to ‘make a difference’: independence, integrity and resilience. Independence means we support students to develop their skills and attributes, so they have everything they need to succeed. We set challenging targets and raise aspirations so every single one of our students reaches their potential. Integrity means staff and students must be fair and truthful and have the courage to take the right action in every situation, even when noone is looking. Resilience means we give students the tools to recover from difficulties. We show students how taking risks and making mistakes is all part of the learning journey. We also show students how hard work brings success, and support them to persevere with all challenges. Whether you are looking for a Year 7 place, a Sixth Form place or an occasional place somewhere in the middle, please do visit us on our open days and chat to our students and teachers about their experiences here. It really is a wonderful school and we would be delighted to welcome you. Open day for Year 7 entry 2024: Tuesday 19th September 2023 at 5pm. Open day for Year 12 entry 2024: Tuesday 10th October 2023 at 6pm. For further information, please visit our website: www.harriswimbledon.org.uk We have a specialism in Music and select 10% of our year 7 intake based on Musical aptitude.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 7 Part of the ‘Outstanding ’ (Ofsted 2023) Harris Academy Wimbledon, our new sixth form will have: • A dedicated team of teachers, all experts in their subjects • A brand-new building with amazing facilities • A partnership with King’s College Wimbledon • The backing of the Harris Federation, where sixth formers attend elite Russell Group universities at a rate of over DOUBLE the national average We have places for external candidates and welcome applications from anyone locally who wants to attend a sixth form with drive and ambition. More information on www.hawi6.org.uk www.harriswimbledon.org.uk Harris Academy Wimbledon High Path, London SW19 2JY OPENING SEPTEMBER 2023 AN AMBITIOUS AND EXCITING NEW SIXTH FORM

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 8 Liberty Woodland School Discover the Extraordinary: Unlocking Potential at Liberty Woodland School Liberty Woodland School is an independent co-educational small school, nestled in the breathtaking grounds of Morden Lodge. With a commitment to excellence, our school provides a truly unique educational experience for students aged 4 to 16 years. At Liberty Woodland School, we understand that a holistic approach to education is vital for nurturing well-rounded individuals. We place a strong emphasis on physical, emotional, and social well-being. Our comprehensive programs encourage personal growth, resilience, and empathy, equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. Academic rigour is at the heart of our educational philosophy. We are proud to follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme for secondary school, providing our students with a globally recognised education that emphasises critical thinking, inquiry-based learning, and a deep understanding of diverse perspectives. We are committed environmentalists, instilling in our students a profound sense of social responsibility. Through our initiatives and projects, students actively engage in sustainable practices, promoting environmental stewardship and cultivating a passion for creating a better future. Liberty Woodland School is a place where dreams take flight, where curiosity and creativity are nurtured, and where excellence is the norm. Visit us and discover how your child’s potential will be unlocked, their passions ignited, and their future shaped. Our school inspires a generation of lifelong learners and our mission is to develop those children who will be most likely to succeed in the 21st century.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 9 Life at Bishop Challoner is a seamless journey from nursery through to sixth form, and the experiences gained will have long-lasting value. Our Junior School offers a safe and happy environment where children love to learn. Pupils are confident, enthusiastic, and keen to make progress. Our families are supportive, and visitors are always given a warm welcome. We offer a wide and balanced curriculum that sparks curiosity, engagement, and challenges. Specialised teachers in music, sports, modern foreign languages, and IT enrich the educational journey for Junior School children. As they enter years 5 and 6, the introduction of Latin and specialised instruction in mathematics and science prepares pupils for their transition into the Senior School. This is made as seamless as possible as pupils are already familiar with the Senior School staff, school layout, and expectations. Staff will also know pupils well and have thorough records and assessment data that will be ongoing as they progress towards external exams and Sixth Form. From Nursery to Sixth Form, our Mission Statement is at the heart of school life and states ‘Through faith and a broad education, Bishop Challoner School strives to develop and nurture each child’s unique talents. To live, love, and learn like Christ and fulfil their true potential in an everchanging world.’ Whole-School Open Morning Saturday 23rd September 2023 9am-11:30am Head’s Speech at 10am At Bishop Challoner School, we believe in fostering a passion for learning and empowering young minds to excel. Our Whole-School Open Morning is the ideal opportunity to explore our facilities, meet our dedicated faculty, and witness rsthand the vibrant atmosphere that sets us apart. What to Expect Meet the Community: connect with our friendly sta, current students, and fellow parents, and get a glimpse of the warm and supportive community that thrives within our school. Guided Tours: Embark on a comprehensive tour of our campus, where you'll discover our modern classrooms, well-equipped laboratories, and a lush green campus that serves as a natural playground for young explorers - all designed to inspire curiosity and creativity. Interactive Sessions: Engage with our experienced teachers and learn about our innovative curriculum, aimed at fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Bishop Challoner School www.bishopchallonerschool.com/admissions/open-and-taster-days REGISTER YOUR INTEREST NOW Bishop Challoner School

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 10 Deptford Green School “Creativity is intelligence having fun” - Albert Einstein I could not be prouder to be Headteacher of Deptford Green, you only have to step through the doors to feel the difference, what will strike you first is the strong relationships between staff and students. We pride ourselves on being a fully inclusive, diverse school with creativity and community at its heart. Our GREAT values (Growth; Respect; Equality; Accountability; Togetherness) underpin all that we do to ensure our students are happy and feel safe so that they can flourish with their learning in every subject. As a school who champions The Arts students are able to fully express themselves through a multitude of opportunities in the arts subjects but also through the plethora of student leadership and voice platforms we prioritise. Rewarding effort and participation is central to our pastoral programme alongside our outstanding pastoral wrap around provision including non-teaching pastoral leaders attached to each year group. Our Place2Be counsellors support full-time in school alongside our first-class transition programme which enables our new year 7’s to start school feeling confident and fully-fledged integral members of our warm school community. Academic progress is key to student success and opens many doors for our students in their future, our focus on challenge for ALL results in lessons that are exciting, stimulating, and inspiring promoting curiosity and deep thinking. We work closely with many academic partners including an opportunity for year 9’s to study Latin at Colfe’s school and visits to Oxford and Cambridge universities as part of the Year 8 Brilliant Club programme. Through embedding our school motto ‘Catch the Wind in Your Sails: Explore; Dream; Discover’ Deptford Green students are encouraged to take risks, challenge themselves, unearth passions and inspire one another. Our aim is for our students to become powerful, expressive, resilient and confident people, who push boundaries and are ready to make a difference. Our offer is defined by creating opportunities and preparing for the future, laying the foundations for success and providing a platform for students to jump start their next adventure from. The only question is, are you ready to join us? Emma Thurston, Headteacher

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 11 Steering our journey towards becoming a leading Arts school in Lewisham and beyond with exceptional academic and pastoral provision inclusively for all Free music lessons for every child in KS3 First class pastoral provision including 5 full time non teaching pastoral staff Clear academic routes to some of the highest performing universities Diverse and creative school community Open days Monday 18th September 9.15-10.30am Tuesday 19th September 9.15-10.30am Monday 25th September 9.15-10.30am Tuesday 26th September 9.15-10.30am Open evening Thursday 21st September 5.00-7.30pm Reasons to choose us Open Season “Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve” Ofsted, 2022

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 12 Talking To Your Kids About Mental Health More than ever, mental health is a growing issue in our children and young people. Is there any surprise? With constant political flux, a pandemic and a cost of living crisis, our children are undeniably affected, whether they fully understand what is going on, or not. Throw into the mix the challenges that come with hormones, moving to secondary school and the tumultuous world that is growing up, and it’s clear that our children are facing a challenging world. While these challenges are undeniable, we’re fortunate to also live in a world where discussions around mental health and mental illness are growing. Let’s join in the effort to support our young people by ensuring we talk to our children about their wellbeing. At a loss on where to start? We’ve put together a guide on how to approach chats about mental health with your children. If you or your child need help urgently The first port of call is your GP - but if you have an immediate concern about your child’s safety, don’t hesitate to call emergency services to access support. The NHS advises the following helplines are available if support is required urgently: For children to reach out themselves directly, there are also: You can find your local 24 hour NHS mental health helpline here:https://www.nhs.uk/servicesearch/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mentalhealth-helpline Helpline Childline Childline 0800 1111 999 999 in a life threatening emergency Papyrus/HopelineUK Call 0800 068 41 41 Text 07786 209697 9am to 10pm weekdays and 2pm to 10pm on weekends Papyrus 116 123 Samaritans 24 Hour Line 116 123 “SHOUT” ‘SHOUT’ 24 hour text support, text “SHOUT” to 85258 CALM CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably, open daily . 5pm - Midnight 0800 58 58 58 )

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 13 It can feel overwhelming when facing tough conversations about mental health, but the best place to begin is working out where your child is currently at. Firstly we’re going to talk about supporting your child if they aren’t overtly struggling. If you aren’t seeing any major warning signs of mental illness, then a good place to start is open conversations, and connection. The first place to begin is with a conversation. You know your child best, and whether they will respond better to a sit down chat or a casual conversation. If things seem okay, a casual conversation may be your best bet. This could be on a walk to school, while kicking a football around, or even while eating dinner. General starters: • How are you feeling? • What do you want to talk about? • What was the best and worst part of your day? • If you could start today over again, what would you do differently? • What did you do today that you were most proud of? Serious starters: • What was the biggest problem you had today? • Do you want to talk about what’s going on? • How can I support you through [issue]? • Is there anything you need from me? Space, time to talk, time to do something fun… Fun starters: • What’s your favourite song at the moment? Would I like it? • If you were an animal, which one would you be? • If your life was a movie, which would it be? • What’s your favourite thing about school, and why? • If an alien landed in your class today, what would you have been embarrassed for them to see? Young Minds also suggests using ‘encouragers’ to support your conversation: • I love you, nothing can change that • You can talk to me, I’m here for you With all the conversations and activities in the world, sometimes further help is needed. The NHS advises that the following can be signposts for declining mental health in children and young people: • significant changes in behaviour • ongoing difficulty sleeping • withdrawing from social situations • not wanting to do things they usually like • self-harm or neglecting themselves It can feel overwhelming addressing mental health with your children - but it doesn’t have to be. With the right support and resources, you can be the first line of support to help your child stay mentally well. We hope this guide has helped - make sure to access the support available to you. Opening up When to get help Final thoughts • If you need to talk to someone else, that’s okay too • If you talk to me about what’s worrying you, I can do my best to help • Even if I don’t understand, know that I want to • We’re going to get through this together If your child does open up about how they’re feeling, Young Minds suggests: • Validating their feelings • Thanking them for sharing • Let them know you love them • Ask them if they need support • Spend time together • Let your child know about helplines and resources they can use • Remind them this will pass • Avoid conversations when your child is highly distressed

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 14 St Ursula’s Convent School Welcome to St Ursula’s Convent School and thank you for considering us as a school of choice for your child. Our students are challenged to excel in all aspects of their learning and we are extremely proud of our academic achievements. We are committed to helping every student push their personal boundaries and reach or exceed their potential. As an Ursuline school, we ensure that their experience is one of opportunity, positivity, happiness and high aspirations. The aspirations and ambitions of our students are nurtured by teaching and pastoral staff and their personal development is at the core of all that we do. All students and staff at St Ursula’s strive to reach the highest standards and that is reflected in the positive actions and behaviours that drive them to succeed. In order to develop our students fully, we place great emphasis on developing close partnerships with home. We support wherever we possibly can. We place our Ursuline ethos and faith formation at the heart of all that we do and all that we say. ‘Serviam’ is at the root of everything. We develop students that put their faith into action by being independent leaders, kind, forgiving, generous of spirit and persevering. Students who attend St Ursula’s are also part of a national and worldwide network of Ursuline schools. We firmly believe that once an Ursuline, always an Ursuline. Our aim is for our students to leave with the skills, knowledge, confidence and self-awareness that will prepare them for life outside St Ursula’s. We look forward to welcoming you to such a wonderful school. Ursula Norbert Headteacher

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 15 OPEN DAY FOR YEAR 7 ENTRY 2023 Saturday 16TH September 2023 School open from 9am-1pm Headteacher’s talks throughout the morning To book please email [email protected] See our website for more information www.stursulas.com/admissions/open-day/ @stursulas_sch Crooms Hill, Greenwich, London, SE10 8HN T: (0)20 8858 4613 F: (0)208 269 0237 E: [email protected] W: www.stursulas.com Visit our website

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 16 Sydenham High School Empowering girls to forge their own path at Sydenham High School A Sydenham High education is about so much more than an excellent set of results. A lifelong love of learning is fostered through tailor-made enrichment opportunities such as our Socrates Programme, Curioso Week and the vast array of Trustwide ventures across the Girls’ Day School Trust schools. The School’s original Anglo Saxon motto, ‘Nyle ye drede’, means ‘fear nothing’ and underpins everything we do, encouraging our pupils to have the courage to seize every opportunity that presents itself. Sydenham High is selective and diverse, welcoming girls with wide-ranging talents and backgrounds into a close community that is large enough to offer choice and flexibility but compact enough to ensure that no girl is overlooked. There is no mould for a Sydenham High pupil. Each child is an individual, encouraged to “forge her own path”, be that in the fields of STEM, sports or Creative Arts. Sydenham Alumnae have gone on to become climate change consultants, doctors, authors, scientists, artists, Grammy Award-winning musicians and even a horse-racing icon. They value remaining true to themselves and possess the self-belief to own their future and strive for their dreams. Sydenham High girls are encouraged to have a generosity of spirit, giving back to the wider community with regular charity fundraising, local partnerships and volunteering. Pupils have a strong moral compass, and are accepting and respectful of themselves and others. Girls at Sydenham High are ambitious and open minded, with the inner strength and self belief necessary to outstrip all expectations. They are also well rounded, intellectually curious, down to earth and happy. Discover more by coming to an Open Day or Taster Day. Book online at https://www.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 17 OPEN MORNINGS Please register online at www.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net Whole School Open Morning Saturday 16th September 2023 9am - 1pm Senior School Open Morning Thursday 28th September 2023 9.30am - 11am Senior School Open Morning Thursday 9th November 2023 9.30am - 11.30am

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 18 We are delighted to welcome you to Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys. We like to think of ‘The Poly’ as a family: we have a strong identity and know what it is to be and feel like a ‘Poly boy’, ‘Poly girl’ or a Poly member of staff, summarised in our conversational maxim ‘Poly and Proud’. Our vision is “Success for everyone” and we understand that success looks different for every individual, meaning that we want all students to leave our care with ambitious and achievable options for their future careers or academic study. This is what makes us such an inclusive school and why we are always eager to celebrate diversity, proud that our very mixed family brings us great things - tolerance, understanding and a celebration of differences. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum that leads to wider opportunities for our students. We offer an Extended Schools Programme every Saturday, often with over 350 students attending. Our work with our sister school, Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls, brings new ideas to us every day – we are stronger together and grateful for such a close partner. Please visit our website to find out more about our school, including full details of our admissions at Post 16. Mr Tom Lawrence Head of School Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 19 We are delighted to welcome you to Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls. Here at Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls, we strive to achieve excellence in all that we do. Our vision of “Success for Everyone” is one that applies to the whole school community. Our belief is that learning is infinite and having an open mind to learning new things is important to both academic progress and personal development, no matter what age or stage on your educational journey. Relationships are our greatest asset and are at the heart of the school’s success. We believe that an understanding of our girls and the world we live in helps us to provide the time and space to ensure they develop personally, socially, and emotionally. We want our students to be kind, empathetic and confident members of a diverse society, that will allow them to become successful women, whose voices are heard and respected so that they will become influential, successful, and happy members of society. Our Values - Care and Unity Our Pillars – Resilience, Leadership and Excellence We work closely with our partner school, Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys, in order to maximise the benefits of new ideas and collaboration. Ms Lizaan Williams Head of School Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 20 School performance for grades: exam results Before your research: questions to consider Where to get answers Before you visit a school, it’s vital to do your research. This covers both research on what your child is looking for, and the schools themselves. Before looking at the local schools available, it’s a good idea to start with thinking about what makes your child tick. What are they looking for in a school? Here are some questions to consider that will help you when narrowing down which schools suit them best: Once you have a list of questions to get answered, it’s time to think about where you’ll find this vital information. A good first place to start is looking at government measurements of a school’s performance and success. Let’s start with examination league tables, which are published annually, detailing the numbers of students entered for different subjects and the percentage of students gaining each grade. Schools will publish these results on their website, usually giving highlights and key positive points. It’s your job here to read between the lines and think about what might have impacted those figures, and what then means for the students. If, for example, a school has 200 students on roll, and only 170 students are entered for maths and English GCSEs, what percentage does this work out to? How does it compare to entrances for other subjects and other schools? Is it a good or a bad thing that 30 students weren’t entered? Many schools may only choose to enter students who they are certain will pass - while others may be keen to enter as many children as possible with the hope that all children get a chance at success, if the right supports are in place. Which of these matters to you more? Second to numbers of students entered into GCSE examinations is looking at the percentage of students achieving 5 GCSEs at grades 9-4, Choosing a Secondary School When it comes to choosing a secondary school, there are lots of factors to consider. From subject specialisms through to location and extracurricular activities, it’s a great idea to reflect on what makes a school the right choice for your child. We’ll break down our tips and advice on this in this article. • What are your child’s favourite subjects? Does the school have a good reputation for these? • What are their favourite activities or hobbies? Does the school have after school clubs or support to help them achieve their potential in these? • How far are you willing to travel, and what travel methods would you need to use to get to this school? • Does your child have any additional support requirements, such as learning differences, mental health needs or physical needs? How will these be supported in the school you are looking at? Once you have thought about particular questions to ask in specific relation to your child, it’s a good idea to think about generalised school factors that will impact your decision. The next questions you’ll want to ask include: • What are the school’s exam results? • What subjects are offered in the school, such as languages, sports, and music classes? • What is the Ofsted report like? • What is staff turnover like? • How big is the school? How many students are on roll? • What is the behaviour management like? • Are students happy, and do they enjoy their education? • What is the school’s anecdotal reputation locally?

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 21 Another source of detailed information is a school’s Ofsted report. With an Ofsted report, you’re able to get a great overview of a school’s teaching and learning as well as their provision for emotional support and extracurricular activities. Ofsted reports are usually uploaded within a few weeks of inspection, and the more up to date the better. Look at the details of how staff work with children, how subjects are taught, and how schools provide for the rounded needs of learners. What are schools doing well, and what do they need to improve on? Does any of the information offered ring alarm bells, or wave giant green flags? Reports will be broken up into subject and teaching information as well as holistic provision and safeguarding, so go through with a fine toothed comb and see what you find. Information on staff turnover is occasionally also referenced - this may also give you indicators as to how the school is doing, and whether staff enjoy working there. Remember to keep in mind the questions you have specific to your child, such as extracurricular activities, individual needs and talent. If school size and class sizes are important to you, Ofsted reports are a great place to find out this information too. Details of the number of students on roll will be included - and these should give you a picture of the school’s size. It’s worth remembering that a report more than a year or so old may be out of date, as schools typically complete a long round of improvements immediately following an Ofsted inspection. If you’re particularly concerned about an area of a report, you can always contact the school and ask to speak to a member of staff about how an issue or concern has since been addressed. Sometimes this information is already made readily available on a school website, particularly if there were clear guidelines from an inspector on what needed to be done. All this being said, going to visit a school in person can’t be beaten. Make sure to book in to as many open days as you can, and go prepared with the list of questions we suggested at the beginning of this article. Make sure to visit the teachers and departments that most reflect your child’s interests to be sure that they’ll meet your child’s needs. Ask about extracurricular activities, specialist equipment and departments like sciences or technology, and support for particular talents like music or sport. School achievements in teaching, learning and student support: Ofsted reports Nothing beats an in person visit… the government’s gold standard for GCSE results. How many students achieved this? Furthermore - can you see what particular subjects students achieved these 5 GCSEs in? Typically students require English and maths GCSEs to go forward into many further education courses. If students gained 5 GCSEs, but this didn’t include English and maths, does this truly meet a gold standard? All schools must report their rates of students achieving a pass (4) in English and maths because of this - so it’s a good idea to investigate these rates as well as the typical ‘5 GCSE’ mark.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 22 If you can, try visiting the school during the day to observe how the children behave. Do they seem happy? Excited to be at school? What is discipline and behaviour management like? Do teachers and students seem friendly and respectful, or too authoritative? Is the discipline enough for you, or too much? How do schools manage common issues like bullying? All these questions are great things to watch out for. Once you nail down a few specific schools that you and your child really like, try visiting at different times of day to get a really good gauge of the school’s usual running. If your child has any additional learning needs, it’s also a great idea to chat to each school about their provision and support for these areas. Do their responses feel enough to you? Another great tip here if you are waiting to visit schools in person is doing a short ‘drive by’. Park up near the school near pick up or drop off, and see what children are like as they go in or leave. Do they seem excited to go into school? How are they behaving? Are there any teachers visible at the end of the day, ensuring students leave safely and happily, or is it a mass exodus without much control? What is the school transport like - are children rammed into buses or is there a calm entrance onto after school transport? All these factors help you build up a picture of the school and its overall daily running. Finally, asking your local community about the reputation of the school, and the students’ experiences, is a great way to get a holistic picture of what the school is like. What do local people feel the school offers them? Is it a pleasant addition to the local area, or do they have negative associations with it? If you know individuals locally who have children who have attended the school, why not ask how they find it? It’s worth taking this with a pinch of salt and recalling that some individuals will have strong opinions or negative experiences regardless of the school’s overall feel - but hearing a broad spectrum of recent experiences will certainly help you build a picture of what to expect. Ask them about how their child feels at school. Are they well supported? Is bullying an issue? Getting a student and parent’s perspective of how schools manage common issues can really help you make your decision. There’s a great deal to factor in when deciding what school is right for your child. By combining statistics, Ofsted reports, in person visits and lived experiences of students, you’ll get a great picture of how a school fits into what you’re looking for. Remember to ask as many questions as you can, and always follow your, and your child’s, instincts! We wish you the best of luck in finding the right school for your child - you are sure to find a good selection of schools listed in this issue, which will help you start your journey towards this exciting step in your child’s education. Ask around Final thoughts

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 23 At Bishop Justus we centre our focus on the 6 virtues of Faith, Hope, Love, Courage, Wisdom and Kindness. As part of this, we are awarded behaviour points (which are bad) and virtue points which are good! These are when you try hard and are courageous, are kind to others, are wise in your choices and learning etc. You build your points up over the term and there are prizes for individuals and the form with the most points. You have to make sure you follow our rules because they are important and allow us to concentrate on our learning. The school likes us to wear our Bishop Justus blazer with pride and be proud of our school, and we are. We are proud of the amazing facilities in the school such as the basketball court, astros, drama and dance studios and the huge sports hall! Which you get to use in lessons and in the various clubs. The staff here are amazing; we do fun activities as part of our lessons and learn lots of new things. You don’t need to worry about starting here; you will love it and will make lots of new friends! If you need help you can ask teachers or people in the other years. Everyone is one community and we look after each other. Harry Yr 7 Success Through Faith, Love and Learning. Open Evening Thursday 21st September 2023 6:00pm - 8:00pm Open Mornings Monday 18th September 2023 9:00am - 10:00am Tuesday 19th September 2023 9:00am - 10:00am Wednesday 20th September 2023 9:00am - 10:00am Church of England School Bishop Justus

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 24 St Matthew Academy The Essential Guide to the SMA Media and Communication and Sporting Excellence Programmes At SMA, we are delighted to offer pupils in Key Stage Three the opportunity to enrol one of our two scholarship programmes: ‘Media and Communication’ and ‘Sporting Excellence.’ Media and Communication The Media and Communications programme is also an academic pathway designed for pupils in Key Stage Three. The Year 7 programme begins with an introduction to cameras and photography and leads into the first project of the year in which pupils will develop a vlog on a topic of their choosing. This project will include components for in-depth research, script writing, filming and editing. There will also be an opportunity to explore light photography and sound dubbing. In Year 8 and Year 9, pupils will take part in projects looking at the function and mechanics of film trailers and develop towards working in groups to create their own genre based film trailers from scratch. During all three years of the Media and Communication Programme, pupils will have a number of opportunities to take part in sessions led by industry professionals including camera operators and media executives. Pupils will also experience visits to professional film studios and take part in national film making competitions for example the Childnet Film Competition. Pupils could even have their work screened at the British Film Institute Southbank Cinema and might be invited to livestreamed events such as the one at Disney UK that SMA M&C pupils were lucky enough to be involved in this year. The Sporting Excellence Programme and the Media and Communication Programme have become an integral part of the SMA success story. Our pupils develop academic passions that mature into opportunities in higher education and possibly even careers in the world of sport or media. Sporting Excellence The Sporting Excellence programme is designed to identify, support and challenge pupils with a particular aptitude for physical education. The programme encourages pupils to explore a range of different sports and provides opportunities to achieve excellence in practical settings as well as to develop a deep theoretical understanding of sport. The programme also involves tailored strength and conditioning, at least 1 additional sporting opportunity per term, which might be in the form of seminars given by professional athletes; visits to a well-known sporting venues and of course, participation in sports teams representing St Matthew Academy. Further opportunities include looking at the science of sports nutrition; listening to guest speakers; understanding the concept of mental wellbeing; exploration of sport as an industry; analysis of sporting programmes and the psychology of sport. The pupils, who have been successful at the annual trials held in July, will participate in the Sporting Excellence Programme during Years 7, 8 and 9. They can then progress onto the GCSE PE course in Years 10 and 11. Further to this, these pupils will also receive support from the PE Department in exploring opportunities for PE in further education.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 25 St Michael’s Catholic College St Michael’s provides academic rigour within a caring, Catholic community for students from Year 7 to Year 13. The learning environment is tailored to meet the needs of all students, providing extra challenge for the more able and offering learning support for those in need. Our team of well qualified, dedicated staff work creatively and professionally to ensure that all students flourish and achieve. The modern buildings enable dynamic learning, with access to excellent facilities and resources. Safe, well ordered and with a professional approach to pastoral care, St Michael’s strives for academic and personal success for every child. Academically, we challenge students with a broad and balanced curriculum and college life is enriched by a House system providing diverse activities, designed to encourage experiential learning and foster enjoyment. A broad spectrum of sporting, musical, artistic and technological clubs are offered including Debating, Drama, Band, Chess, Computing, Engineering and History Clubs. Close proximity to the city allows for exciting opportunities for students involving, work experience, internships and mentoring at JP Morgan, Bloomberg, KPMG and Grant Thornton. Partnership working also enables students to access Russell Group University preparation, Cambridge University Summer Schools and University of London Maths and Science programmes. Catholic life is nurtured through active engagement in liturgical events and services, charitable endeavours and working with local parishes. Open Days www.stmichaelscollege.org.uk Monday 25th Tuesday 26th Wednesday 27th 9:30-11:30 & 4:30-7pm 9:30-11:30am 9:30-11:30am September 2023

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 26 Bacon’s College: A Church of England School and Sixth Form Focused on Academic Excellence and Care Bacon’s College is a distinguished Church of England School and Sixth Form that is dedicated to fostering high achievement within a compassionate community, rooted in Christian values. As we move forward into 2023, we would like to highlight our recent accomplishments and our ongoing commitment to providing an exceptional education. In the summer of 2022, Bacon’s College received official recognition from Ofsted as a good school. Since becoming part of United Learning in 2018, we have consistently received a ‘Good’ rating in every aspect of the Ofsted report. The report highlighted several key strengths of our institution, stating: “Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning, exhibiting excellent behaviour in their lessons. They quickly settle down and focus on their studies. Our teachers consistently implement the school’s behaviour policy, resulting in minimal disruptions. Students’ academic achievements are commendable, and our leaders possess a strong drive for continuous improvement.” (Ofsted, June 2022). In the past year, we have achieved exceptional results at both GCSE and A- Levels. Notably, students from Bacon’s College Sixth Form secured places at esteemed Russell Group universities, including Oxford, Manchester, Warwick, and King’s College University of London. In terms of A-Level results, over two-thirds of our students achieved A*, A, or B grades. Furthermore, an impressive 83% of our students studying BTEC and CTEC courses obtained Distinction or Distinction* grades. At the GCSE level, a remarkable 82% of our Year 11 students attained grade 4 or above in both English and Maths, with 64% achieving a grade 5 or above in these subjects. Our institution is unwavering in its commitment to supporting students in reaching their highest academic potential while adhering to a well-established value system and promoting the best in everyone. One of the notable strengths of Bacon’s College lies in our shared ethos, which permeates throughout our diverse school community, fostering high-quality relationships among all members. We are proud to offer excellent facilities encompassing creative arts, media, and IT, as well as a spacious sports centre. Bacon’s College

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 27 Ark Evelyn Grace Academy is an 11-16 mixed secondary school, located at the heart of the London Borough of Lambeth. We are a community school, with high aspirations, working with and for our families to empower our students to be the voice of their future. We enable all our young people to have choices over the direction of their lives by providing: • A nurturing environment, • A high-quality education • A wide range of experiences and opportunities At Ark Evelyn Grace we believe there is no limit, with hard work, optimism and perseverance, to what our young people can achieve. We want our young people to be heard, be seen and be their best, making significant progress in school and securing high quality destinations so that they reach their full potential. Our mission statement is based on the belief each young person is different and difference should be embraced. It is based on the belief each young person has a unique contribution to make and should be given a voice. Through finding their voice, young people can lead empowered lives where they have choice, agency and influence. Supporting our mission is our Culture Compass which sets out the values that drive the work that we do creating a shared sense of purpose. We are focused on the future as we want our young people to be the face of it. Ark Evelyn Grace Academy

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 28 Presentations and Tours Student Engagement Prior Information and Registration You might have already received valuable insights into school selection and registration procedures. Adhering to the designated deadlines is crucial, but before making a significant decision, it’s essential to experience the school environment first-hand. We recommend visiting at least two secondary schools to facilitate comparisons, even if your child has a specific preference. The optimal time for such visits is during a school’s open evening. This article will outline what to focus on during your visit and how to evaluate whether a school aligns with your expectations. During the open evening, you’ll likely have the chance to attend a range of presentations, encompassing talks by subject specialists and details about extracurricular offerings such as sports or clubs. Leadership talks, especially by the headteacher, are also common. When attending these talks, pay attention to the educators’ demeanour. Do they radiate enthusiasm, a genuine attachment to the school, and a passion for their subjects? Are they involving students and providing real-life examples? These cues provide insights into the school’s ethos. Whenever feasible, aim to participate in presentations by the school’s governing body or Parents’ Association. Even if no formal presentation is scheduled, these representatives might be present, indicating the school’s emphasis on fostering relationships with parents and guardians. If they are absent, consider enquiring about their involvement with the school. Amidst the presentations, you’ll likely be guided on a school tour. These tours might be led by staff or senior students, or a combination of both. Don’t hesitate to ask questions during the tour, especially regarding resources, student comfort, and any curiosities you have about what you observe. If interaction is limited during the tour, jot down your questions for addressing later. Assess whether the school resonates with your child’s sense of belonging and affinity, which might not be immediately verbalized. In cases where tours are not structured, classrooms might be accessible for exploration, with staff available for discussions. Seize this opportunity to acquaint yourself with the school’s layout and atmosphere. Student perspectives can offer candid and captivating insights. Observe if students are involved in the open evening, giving tours or presenting subjects. Do they exhibit pride and enthusiasm for their education? Engaging them in conversation can provide crucial indicators of the school’s adherence to its principles. Initiate conversations with students, addressing topics such as homework, behaviour systems, their favourite subjects, overall feelings of safety and happiness, and available support for challenges. Their responses can trigger further exploration and guide your decision-making process. Pre-Event Sign-ups and Information Some schools offer advance sign-ups, potentially providing you with information about the school and the open evening’s schedule. Whether you receive this information in advance or on the event day, anticipate receiving a map and timetable for presentations to help navigate your visit and optimize your time. You may be offered a guided tour by staff members or even students. Additionally, various subject talks, year leads’ insights, and the headteacher’s address are typically part of the programme. Attending as many sessions as possible is advisable, with a focus on core subjects like English, Mathematics, and Science, as well as any subjects of particular interest to your child. Upon arrival, expect to encounter diverse displays showcasing various subjects and students’ work. Take a discerning look at these displays. Are they inclusive of different abilities and age groups? Do they reflect genuine student involvement and a passion for learning? What to Look for at an Open Evening When it comes to enrolling students for September intakes, secondary schools excel at showcasing their strengths and attributes. Open evenings offer an insightful opportunity to meet teachers, subject leads, and explore state-of-theart facilities. In this article, we’ll delve into the key aspects to observe during an open evening, helping you make an informed decision about the right school for your child.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 29 Resource Allocation and Technological Integration Engaging with Staff The Crucial Considerations The school’s resources play a pivotal role in its educational environment. Evaluate the quality of resources, ranging from technology and furniture to stationery, sports equipment, and scientific tools. These physical assets offer insights into the school’s governance and external funding. While exploring various subjects, especially hands-on disciplines, scrutinize the displayed resources. Enquire about the frequency of resource utilisation and overall subject resourcing. Consider whether students across all age groups access high-quality resources and whether shared equipment is prevalent. Assess the equipment’s condition and maintenance. If the school specializes in a certain field, examine how allocated funding enhances relevant equipment. Technological integration is vital in today’s educational landscape. Evaluate the school’s technology, from computers to tablets. Enquire about the extent of technology’s role in learning – is it effectively integrated, or is it merely superficial? Student input can provide valuable perspectives on technology access and its impact on learning. Furthermore, assess the condition of school furniture. Are students using well-maintained, contemporary chairs and desks? The state of the furnishings can offer insights into the school’s overall upkeep. Engaging in one-on-one conversations with staff members provides a glimpse into the school’s dynamics. While modern equipment is important, the enthusiasm and contentment of the teaching and governing staff are irreplaceable. Interact with teachers, governors, leaders, and support staff to understand the school’s collaborative atmosphere. Conversations with educators of varying experience levels, from seasoned leaders to newly qualified teachers, can offer diverse insights. While school presentations offer insights into staffing, direct conversations provide a more comprehensive understanding. Engage teachers in core subjects and those aligned with your child’s interests. If your child requires specialised support, such as from a special education needs coordinator or a mental health professional, discuss their approach to nurturing student growth. Enthusiasm, passion, and pride in their work signal content staff, reflecting a positive school environment. Whilst exploring a potential school, similar to buying a new home, look beyond superficial aspects. Direct your attention to fundamental aspects: Does the school emanate positivity and joy? Do students and staff radiate enthusiasm, eager to share the school’s merits? These enquiries overshadow immaculate displays or resource-sharing scenarios. Above all, remember that what suits one student might not suit another. Enter the open evening with a clear understanding of your child’s needs and preferences. Prepare questions tailored to your child’s educational requirements, ensuring satisfactory answers before concluding. Involve your child throughout the process, as their perspective is invaluable. Best of luck in your school selection journey!

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 30 Shirley High School Performing Arts College “Striving for excellence” Shirley High School is a proud multicultural school with an established reputation of integrity and excellence. Our school is at the heart of a vibrant and diverse community, with over 1000 students benefitting from our fabulous site and leafy surroundings. Along with our clear vision and values, this helps to create a positive learning environment for both students and staff. Our aim is to develop successful global citizens. Through our vision, values and high quality teaching, we want all students to fulfil their potential and believe that they can be the best in the world at whatever they want to achieve. We aim to: • Challenge all students to fulfil their potential in all aspects of their lives • Provide opportunities for all students to achieve academically, morally and socially • Provide a safe environment for all to strive for excellence • Work in partnership with students and families • Provide the best education possible for our talented and diverse community • Offer a broad curriculum that meets the needs of all our students. Mr Myton Principal “Leaders’ ambitions and high expectations of pupils, teachers and parents cascade throughout the community” - Ofsted Report Our Vision: December 2022. To develop aspirational learners who strive for excellence academically, creatively and culturally, benefitting from a wide range of opportunities led by inspirational educators. Our Mission: Shirley High School’s mission is to offer a high-quality education to all learners within an inclusive and respectful environment. An environment where all are consistently challenged and supported to be successful well-rounded global citizens. Safe, Happy, Successful

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 31 SHIRLEY HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS COLLEGE “ Striving for Excellence” OPEN EVENING THURSDAY 5 OCTOBER 2023 BETWEEN 5.00 pm & 7.30 pm OPEN MORNING EVERY MORNING, WEEK BEGINNING MONDAY 9 OCTOBER2023 9.00 am (By appointment only) Weekly tours of the school with Mr Myton (Principal) are available every Thursday at 9.00 am by appointment only. To book, please email [email protected] Our Mission: Shirley High School’ Please note: Sixth Form Open Evening will be held on Thursday 9 November 2023

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 32 Ark Globe Academy is a mixed all-through school with students ranging from 4 to 18, located in Elephant and Castle, Southwark. At Ark Globe Academy we have the highest aspirations for all our children, ensuring they are prepared for university and inspired to be leaders in their community. Supporting our mission is our Culture Pyramid embodying our purpose, our beliefs and our values. This sets the expectations for our students, staff and parents in our daily lives and creates a shared sense of purpose. We offer a first-class education based on high quality teaching as well as experiences outside of the classroom - as a result, our students attain excellent academic outcomes and make significant progress. This year, every sixth form students at Ark Globe Academy received an offer of a university place, with 80% of those being a top 3rd university. We expect every Ark Globe Academy student to graduate from our academy with the qualifications, skills and confidence to achieve their ambitions and go on to higher education or their career of choice. Our curriculum therefore encompasses the total experience of the student, covering a range of activities from learning in the classroom to our expectations of how our students carry themselves, and make decisions, outside of it. We also offer a wide range of enrichment opportunities that help to develop our students’ confidence - this enables them to make a wider contribution to our school community and beyond. Students are able to pursue their passion in a range of areas from performing arts to academic research and sports. Consequently, Ark Globe Academy is recognised for embedding a strong sense of belonging and for achieving national success, especially in sports. For us, education is much more than a qualification; it is a way of being that results in an empowered young person who is able to secure a life of purpose and meaning. We recognise that attending university is often key to this. We believe succeeding at university provides our young people with more choices. However, we also recognise that there are high quality alternatives to university, and we help students to secure these too. Whatever choice is made, we want it to be an informed one, where our students determine their own futures and leave a legacy that inspires our next generation of learners. Matt Jones OBE, Executive Principal Harper Road, London SE1 6AF 020 7407 6877 arkglobe.org Executive Principal: Mr Matt Jones OBE [email protected] @ArkGlobeAcademy Executive Principal's Speech and Tour Thursday 28 September 2023, 9:00am-10:30am Thursday 5 October 2023, 5:00pm-6:30pm Tours Only Tuesday 3 October 2023, 9:00am-10:30am Secondary School Open Events P r e p a r i n g o u r s t u d e n t s f o r u n i v e r s i t y a n d t o b e l e a d e r s i n t h e i r c o m m u n i t y Ark Globe Academy

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 33 Borough Academy – a Haberdashers’ education in the heart of Southwark We opened our doors in 2019 and are honoured to blend our approach with the rich culture of our communities to create a unique school experience. There are so many special things about this area, its history and its people. We know that they contribute to the life of the school and help make it a fantastic place that will serve local families for years to come. Part of the Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South, a family of nine schools in and around south-east London, we have an established history of providing education for almost 150 years. Merging old and new, we have state-of-the-art facilities in a beautiful traditional building, right in the heart of London. Learning beyond the traditional classroom is important to us. Our Haberdashers’ Advantage programme ensures character-building opportunities for all students to enrich what is taught in classrooms and to harness the skills needed to successfully navigate life beyond school. Our transition programme ensures that our new starters feel comfortable and positive about starting at Borough. Our staff, curriculum, facilities and extra-curricular activities together create an environment that is welcoming and helps children develop into confident young people, ready for their next steps. Join us for an open event or visit our website for more information: www.habsborough.org.uk Haberdashers Borough Academy Open Evening Thursday 19 October, 4–7pm Open Mornings 27 Sept, 4, 11 & 18 October, 9–10.30am Borough Academy is a thriving secondary school providing an Haberdashers’ education in Southwark, SE1 For more information visit www.habsborough.org.uk Together, stronger Follow us @habsborough Join us!

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 34 St Mary’s Catholic High School St Mary’s Catholic High School in Croydon takes great pride in the opening comment of its latest Ofsted inspection which rated the school as good, stating that: “St Mary’s Catholic High School is a deeply caring community. Its pupils and staff live up to their core values of being welcoming, serving others, and working hard.” St Mary’s Catholic High School, founded in 1851, is one of the oldest Catholic state schools in the country with an unbroken record of service educating generations of families from the local and global community. At a time when many schools are reporting a fall in pupil numbers, St Mary’s has seen an impressive increase in applications as parents now view the school as one of choice due to its very strong inspection reports, along with academic results showing that pupil progress is significantly above both the local and national levels. This year, for the first time in many years, the school has waiting lists for entry to all year groups. Patrick Shields, the school’s Headteacher states, “I believe parents are the first and most important teachers of their children. Furthermore, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. As such we continually strive to find ways to communicate and build on our strong and valued relationships with our families and wider community.” From high academic standards to excellent behaviour; aspirational goals and strong traditional Catholic ethos; the school offers an education that treats its students as individuals, teaches them respect for themselves and each other, and encourages them to emerge into the wider world as well-educated, well-rounded, ambitious, and confident young adults. The school’s latest Diocesan Section 48 inspection stated that: ‘The good behaviour of pupils contributes to the good learning attitudes of the pupils which together creates a harmonious Catholic community where everyone is respected no matter whatever their background. This in turn supports the clear mission of the school, which is to welcome, serve others and work hard.’ The school’s curriculum is broad and balanced, offering students and staff the opportunity to participate in a wide range of enrichment and extra-curricular activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Academically, the school is providing a high standard of education, with students achieving above their expected targets levels, allowing them to successfully progress to post-16 education, with several former students attending Oxbridge and Russell Group universities. As a Catholic school, St Mary’s has well established links with the local parish and Catholic primary schools, but most importantly it welcomes applications for children of all faiths. The school is in a well-connected location, just a few minutes walk from East and West Croydon Stations and other reliable local transport hubs connecting the region, including local bus and Tramlink services. If you would would like to consider your children joining the St Mary’s school community, please visit the school on one of its special open events, contact the school on 0208 686 3837, or email office@ stmaryscroydon.co.uk. For more information, please visit the school’s website at www.stmaryscroydon.co.uk Open Evening: Thursday 5 October 4.00pm - 6.oopm. Open Mornings: Monday 25 September, Tuesday 26 September, Monday 09 October, Tuesday 10 October, Monday 16 October, Tuesday 17 October, 9.15 - 10.15am.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 35 Open Evening Thursday 5 October 4.00pm – 6.00pm Watch our Welcome Video A thriving co-educaaonal secondary school in the heart of Croydon, welcoming applicaaons from Catholics and children of other faiths.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 36 Easing Transitions to Secondary School Just when you have got used to your little ones being at school, change is rearing its head again! Whether your child is in year five or six, the time is soon coming where your usual days of after school clubs, book bags and lunchboxes will be turning into school buses, ties and new friends! Whether we as parents are ready for our children to move on to secondary school is one thing - but in this article we’re thinking about the children themselves. Moving from primary to secondary school can be an exciting but daunting experience. At 10 and 11, children have got rather used to being the oldest, and certainly the bigger fish in a small pond. They’ve had one teacher for most subjects each year, and the same 30 children around them Monday to Friday. This is all they’ve known of school life, and suddenly, things are going to look very different. For many children this is a time of fun, but equally, a time of fear and emotional strain. The good news is there is a great deal we can do as parents to support our not so little ones in this big life step. Here we’ll share our top ideas for helping make this move an exciting one! Talking about it It might seem straightforward, but keeping an open dialogue about the move up to ‘big school’ is really important when it comes to supporting our children emotionally. This doesn’t need to be one, big, sit down at the dinner table chat, but a continuous conversation about upcoming change. When our children feel that the conversation is open at all times, they are much more likely to share their feelings with us. Here are some great questions to ask here and there to encourage children to share what is coming up for them. We think a combination of positive steered questions (what they are looking forward to) and more emotion based questions (what are they worried about) work well. • Have your friends or teachers talked about secondary school lately? • What are you looking forward to about secondary school? • Are you looking forward to visiting X school? • How do you think your uniforms will look? How is that different to primary school? • Are there any questions you would like to ask about secondary school? • What are you excited about for secondary school? • What subjects are you looking forward to learning about? • Is there anything you are worried about when you think about secondary school? • What are you thinking about most when it comes to secondary school? • What will you miss about primary school? On the run up… The best way to prepare most children for a big life change is thinking about the change long before it comes. Getting lots of discussion in and making the change feel positive is key to setting our children up for success when it comes to navigating moving to secondary school. Our two key tips here are open conversations, and prepping via visits. We offer a range of scholarships and means-tested bursaries. For more details, to learn about life at Alleyn’s and our next open events, please visit our website. CO-EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN A CARING COMMUNITY For children aged 11-18 www.alleyns.org.uk 020 8557 1500 • Townley Road, Dulwich, London, SE22 8SU #AllWeCanBe

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 37 Most secondary schools will offer open days, evenings and afternoons to prospective students. In the early days, you are likely to visit multiple schools to get a feel of what sits right with your family, and what choice will work best for your child/ren. Initial visits are great opportunities to gauge what your child is looking for in a school, and what kind of school sits right with them. It’s a great idea to maximise each opportunity when visiting schools to help your child prepare for this new stage, even if they decide a school isn’t for them. Giving them plenty of agency when looking around will help them feel empowered and in charge of their own future. Try talking about some key questions or must-haves beforehand to help your child make their own decisions about what will make a good school for them. Here are a few examples of prompts to give your child: • What are my favourite subjects at primary school? What are the teachers of that subject like at the schools I’m visiting? • What do I wish was different about primary school? Is that something that secondary school could offer me? • Is it important that schools have lots of after school clubs and sports available? Is my favourite club/sport covered? • What do the current students act like? Are they friendly/quiet/ outgoing? What would I like the people I go to school with to be like? • Do I feel comfortable at the school? Visits and familiarisation • Do I feel like the teachers and staff will make me feel supported and safe? • Does it feel like this school is fun, and I will enjoy learning there? • Are there lots of school trips for me to go on? • How will I get to this school? Will I need to take a bus, and am I ok with that? Once your child has selected their school, the next step is encouraging them to engage in as many further visits as possible. If school tours, summer clubs or sample lessons are available, these are a fantastic way for children to familiarise themselves with their new place of learning. They may even make a few new friends on the way. If the school has an attached leisure facility or sports area, why not try visiting this over the summer holidays to make the school setting a really familiar place?

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 38 The summer before… Preparing Practice A lot of what we fear is based on unknowns and uncertainties. While we can’t avoid all uncertainties when it comes to joining a new school, there is a lot we can do as parents to help our child feel prepared and ready for this exciting new start. The most important thing here is to keep on top of any letters or information schools send out in advance. This may give key information on uniforms, resources your child will need and any projects your child can complete over the summer. To make this a fun and exciting experience, encourage your child to have agency over what they need, and need to prepare. While as parents we have to have an overview, we’ll set up our children for success when we encourage them to make their own lists of what they need to prepare for the big move. Think everything from maths and science equipment to resources for new subjects like food technology and music. Alongside this, children usually need their own stationery unlike primary school - so make stocking up a fun, exciting experience! Uniform shopping can be much the same - encourage your child to work out what they will need each week, and go shopping together. They could even give you a fashion show when they get home! So your child has all their resources, knows when they start and is almost ready. The next step is to think about their new upcoming routine. If you can encourage your child to practise new steps like getting ready for the day and getting to school on time, this will pay dividends later on. A common focus of anxiety for new secondary school students is school transport. Previously school may have involved walking or perhaps a drop off and before school club. Many children used to a village setting may now need to take a bus to get to school which is further away from their home, so it’s a great idea to start preparing for this. Some children may have never caught a bus alone, so if you feel it’s safe to do so, now might be a good time for your child to practice! If you don’t feel comfortable letting your child go on public transport alone, why not board a bus one stop before them, but encourage them to board alone the next stop along, and pay for their fare? While chartered school buses will be slightly different, encouraging children to prepare mentally could really help them later on. Next, think about their usual routine of preparing for the day. If their new school is further away than their primary school, your child may need to get used to an earlier wake up time. Equally, while a lunchbox and book bag were the usual carry ons for a year 6, there will be a lot more to think about in preparation for a school day at ‘big school’. Once your child has all the books and equipment they need, why not encourage them to practise prepping their bag for different subjects, such as food technology, or prepping for set PE days with the right equipment? When the time comes… So, you’ve prepped, you’ve practised, and it’s time! Once your child starts secondary school, the focus moves to routine, and you guessed it - continuous conversations. While a child’s biggest routine - going to school - has suddenly changed, it’s vital to keep as much routine as possible outside of school hours. Keep up those family weekend rituals and their favourite after school activities. If they are missing old friends, support them to keep in touch if they want to. Beyond routines, keeping an open channel for sharing feelings is the biggest thing you can do to support your child’s emotional needs. Whether it’s during a car journey home or over dinner, keep checking in with how your child is getting on. Perhaps revisit the questions they asked when they were deciding what school to go to and reflect on how they feel school is playing out. Being a present and empathetic parent is the backbone to a child’s successful education and transition. You’ve got this parents!

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 39 Secondary School Our inclusive Catholic ethos warmly welcomes students from all walks of life, regardless of their faith. As our guiding principle, we firmly believe that our offer of a Catholic all-girls education will positively impact every one of our learners, instilling self-confidence, promoting compassion, celebrating achievement and inspiring aspirations. At La Retraite, education is defined by creating opportunities and opening doors. We want our students to join our lasting legacy of tenacious, empathetic, courageous, and powerful young people, who push the boundaries to make a difference in tomorrow’s world. Co-Ed 6th Form College We are proud of our broad curriculum which will enable students to explore their academic passions. This is complemented by an extensive enrichment programme, an outstanding careers provision and a Scholarship Programme that offers access to an array of inspiring opportunities. These offers will enable students to develop an impressive portfolio of skills and knowledge, while learning from experiences along the way to ensure success in a competitive world. As Winston Churchill said, ‘with opportunity comes responsibility.’ You will be challenged to take control, make life-defining decisions and grow as an individual. Personal support is always on hand and our small class sizes, strong and inclusive community, and network of experienced and dedicated staff will provide students with every possibility to make a success of their studies. La Retraite RC Girls’ School SATURDAY, 23rd SEPTEMBER 2023 9.15am -12.30am La Retraite 6 (Sixth Form College) THURSDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2023 External applicant slots: 9:15am – 12pm and 4pm-6pm Internal applicant slot: 1.30-3pm La Retraite School OPEN EVENTS www.laretraite.co.uk 1-4 Atkins Rd, Clapham Park, London SW12 0AB La Retraite School

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 40 Kingsdale Foundation School FAC OMNIA GLORIAM AD DEI Kingsdale - First Class and Top of the Class! ‘Pupils are rightly very proud of their school. They really enjoy their learning and talk with enthusiasm about the school’s culture of mutual respect and inclusivity.’ Ofsted 2023 Kingsdale is Outstanding in every area (Ofsted 2023) and presents extraordinarily rich opportunities to challenge students of all abilities including providing options to study Latin, Economics and Psychology. There is also the choice to learn two languages from the start of Year 7 for gifted & talented linguists. Kingsdale attracts many able students and operates a diverse, expansive curriculum to meet the particular needs and aspirations of all of our students and their families. The school offers a wide variety of academic subjects including 4 or 5 optional courses selected by each child in addition to co-curricular activities every day. ‘Pupils achieve exceptionally well in a wide range of subjects and attain highly at GCSE and A level.’ Ofsted 2023 Kingsdale is rated as a very high performing non-selective school. It has a very impressive track record of being one of the foremost schools, in the locality, for outcomes at Key Stage 5 with some truly outstanding academic results. ‘Leaders aim to nurture the talents of pupils through their scholar programmes in mathematics, music, art and sport.’ Ofsted 2023 The school has one of the best pupil to teacher ratios of any mainstream secondary school in South London. ‘Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary…At break times, pupils use the space available to them sensibly. They chat with friends, have lunch together, read or play sports outside.’ Ofsted 2023 Subsidised excursions to amazing destinations such as Malaysia, Namibia, Brazil, the USA and the French Alps are an essential element of the school’s Trips of a Lifetime programme. Kingsdale is a dynamic, remarkably popular and progressive school that has invested over £30 million to develop an award-winning educational learning environment. For further information, please visit www.kingsdalefoundationschool.org.uk

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Essential Guide Magazine 2023 42 Lilian Baylis Technology School LBTS aims to “Educate, Empower, Excel” and we do this through our 5 school values: • Achievement • Aspiration OPEN DAYS Come and join us for our open mornings/ evenings on the following dates Monday 18th to Wednesday 20th 9 - 11am Monday 25th to Wednesday 27th 9 - 11am Thursday 28th Open Evening 4:30 - 7:30pm September www.lilianbaylis.com [email protected] 020 7091 9500 323 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QY Monday 2nd to Wednesday 4th 9 - 11am October • Resilience • Responsibility • Respect Students are provided with an ambitious curriculum as well as a number of enrichment / extra curricular activities. This includes Basketball, Football, Dance, Anime, Coding, Languages, Cooking, Debating, Drama, and many more! Students can also opt to study a musical instrument free of charge. At GCSE, students can study options in Geography, History, Sociology, RS, Art, Sport Science, Music, Drama, Business, Computer Science, Food Technology, Child Development, Design & Technology, Textiles, as well as separate GCSE Sciences (Biology, Chemistry & Physics) for those that wish to pursue a career in fields such as medicine or engineering. Students can also study Portuguese, French and Arabic as additional GCSEs. In our school 6th form, students can opt for a variety of both A Level and BTEC choices. From here they progress into top universities and Higher Level Apprenticeships. We work with a number of universities directly to provide mentoring, experience days and help with applications. These include Cambridge university, Goldsmiths and Kings, amongst many others. We have also been awarded “Investors in Careers” due to our partnership with major businesses, including St Thomas’ Hospital, Citywire, IBM, Microsoft, Berkeley Homes, White & Case, Penguin Publishers, and many more. These businesses provide mentors, inspirational speakers and work opportunities. In addition, our students take part in arts and sports projects with leading national organisations, including Tate Modern, the Royal Festival Hall, the Globe and professional sports clubs, such as Arsenal and Surrey County Cricket Club.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 43 We believe an inspirational and well-rounded education is the birthright of all young people. Our purpose is the Exploration of Life which guides every student’s education. From Year 7 to Year 13, they will be immersed in the best of all that has come before them and inspired with a sense of responsibility to shape what will come next. Rated “Good” by Ofsted in 2021, our Secondary School and highachieving Sixth Form boast incredible facilities and opportunities: • Exceptional music and sports facilities, including a nationally acclaimed Basketball Academy • Adventure learning including Duke of Edinburgh • A comprehensive educational enrichment programme including daily character education session as well as a daily taught reading • Excellent careers provision with extensive links with businesses and universities, as well as a dedicated careers coordinator at both lower school and Sixth Form. City of London Academy Open Evening Thursday 21st September 2023 4:30pm to 7:30pm Open Mornings Tuesday 26th September 2023 9:00am to 10:00am Wednesday 27th September 2023 9:00am to 10:00am Friday 29th September 2023 9:00am to 10:00am Sixth Form Open Evenings Thursday 2nd November 2023 4:00pm to 7:00pm Wednesday 8th November 2023 4:00pm to 7:00pm Integritas Ambition Resilience Duty www.citvacademy.co.uk

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 44 Exams Nightmares: A Student’s View *Beep beep beep* - your 6.30 alarm goes off. The temptation is there to slam your hand on snooze, but you can already hear your parents up and about downstairs, and they’ll soon be up to remind you what day it is if you try and roll over in bed. Last night you didn’t sleep so well - first you dreamt that you forgot your pens, then you forgot your timetable, then you forgot where exactly the school hall is, the list goes on. There’s no stopping time now though, today is your Maths GCSE, and it’s time to get ready for school. You pull on your tie and blazer, looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror. You’ve revised as best you can, though that algebra puzzle is still confusing. Some of your friends are ‘winging it’, some have spent the last 3 months revising every day - and you’re somewhere in the middle. Your teachers have told you how important this GCSE is for your future, how all the jobs, courses and employers will be asking if you have your Maths GCSE, and it’s all come down to today. It’s scary, but you’re just about as prepared as you can be. Downstairs you go. The rest of your family are having breakfast, trying to act nonchalant like it’s not one of the biggest days of your school career so far. Dad has put some toast on and Mum is making eggs because ‘they’re good for your brain!’. Your sibling is sat on their phone - lucky thing, they’ve got three more years before they need to think about all this stuff. You chomp down your eggs, feeling queasy and only eating to be polite. Good to eat though - you already feel faint enough, no need to be fainting because you didn’t eat breakfast properly! You help clean up, Dad giving you a pat on the back, Mum telling you you’re going to smash it - you know they mean well. Was it like this when they did their GCSEs? Did they even do GCSEs? Was it such a big deal then? Don’t think about it. Just focus on today, focus on getting to that hall one step at a time…

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 45 “Have you got your bag all packed? Pencil case ready? Is it see through like they said it needs to be?” Mum shouts from the top of the stairs. She’s taken the day off work so she can pick you up afterwards. You wanted to go in on the bus though, so you could see your mates on the way. You head out the door, bag on, legs feeling wobbly. The steps towards the bus stop feel like they go on for miles and miles. You plug in your headphones and listen to your favourite playlist to get you in the zone, but nothing will quiet those nerves until you hand your paper back later. The bus pulls up and your mates are sat on the top deck, looking equally sheepish. One has the maths textbook out, desperately trying to cram in that last bit of information. One has a revision app open on their phone. One is staring out the window ignoring all of it - in denial or just well prepared? Who knows. You chat to them - they seem nervous, but accepting that what’ll be will be. If only you could be so chill! The closer the bus comes to school the stronger those butterflies in your stomach grow. After what feels like 30 seconds, and hours on end, the bus pulls to a stop. The year sevens hop off the bus ready for another school day… you don’t miss year seven, but you seriously miss the carefree days of single geography lessons! Off you get, your mates gathering around you. You’ve got 20 minutes until you need to be at the exam hall, so you sit together for a last minute pep talk. It’ll be fine, we’ve (well some of us have) prepared, we can do this, the list of positives go on. Nothing really helps, but before you know it, it’s 9.15. You’re glad you didn’t have to go to form this morning, because sitting in a giant room full of people who all have different feelings about this exam would have been way too much to cope with. You take your steps towards the exam hall. Time to put your bag in the bag store – you avoid listening to everyone’s hushed and nervous conversations and just focus on getting your bag away. Pencils at the ready, pencil case zipped, student lanyard out, phone ready to put in the lock box (and definitely turned off, because who wants to be that person?). You remind yourself of your seat number and the line you need to join, and move back towards the lines to go in. Everyone looks nervous, you included. You look into the hall window - you can see the tables and chairs lined up, invigilator at the front… it’s all starting to feel really real. How is it that you were doing PE in that room a few months ago, and now you’re taking one of the most important exams you ever will, and you’ve only been on the planet for 16 years? Time to go in - your feet feel really wobbly, but you’ve got this. In you go, marching towards your seat. You sit down. The invigilators are just normal people but they look so… intimidating! They hand out the maths papers, face down… the temptation to look is crazy, but you know that’s the daftest thing you could do right now. You look around without moving your head, so that they don’t think you’re trying to communicate with someone. They read out the exam instructions… does the clock in here normally sound that loud? Why is it so hot in here? Is it just me? Focus! Before you know it you can hear them saying “the time starts now, you have one and half hours”. Now or never. Let’s do this. …

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 46 Well, that wasn’t too bad… you think? The paper had stuff on it that you recognised, and your fear didn’t get the better of you. You remembered the key things, and you managed to get to the end of the paper. Nothing was too much of a surprise - but that last question on algebra definitely threw you. It wasn’t too many marks though, so you’re not too worried. You even managed to have time to check your answers, which you were surprised by. The revision was worth it, you think. You hand back the paper, with a serious feeling of relief as you do it. You might not know the result, but at least there’s nothing more you can do now. Once the paper is back, you look around the room, trying to work out how everyone else feels. Some people look relaxed, calm, and relieved. Others look pretty rough. This is definitely one of the hardest things you’ve had to go through at school so far, and that’s saying something. Out everyone files from the exam hall. You promised yourself you wouldn’t overthink how it went, especially when talking with your mates. You can hear people dissecting the whole paper, asking what the answers to different questions were, hearing groans from some and celebrations from others as they realise they got their questions wrong, or right. Over at the bag store you can see some people celebrating and others in tears - you’re somewhere in the middle. It’s hard to work out how you did - some people are certain they’ve got 9’s, some people feel like they should already book their re-sit… the list goes on. There’s not much you can do now though, so you try to distract yourself on your phone. Time to find Mum - they let everyone have the rest of the day off since this was such a big exam. You wander through the car park and feel a huge relief when you spot her car. You expect her to ask you millions of questions at once – how did it go? Did you manage the whole paper? Did the things you were worried about come up? But she doesn’t. She’s outside the car, and comes up and gives you a giant hug. “You’ve done brilliantly however it went, love”, she whispers in your ear. Just what you needed to hear. You don’t feel like talking about how it went, and she turns the music on, driving towards your favourite fast food chain for some well deserved lunch. This was one of the first of your big exams. It felt scary, but now it’s over, it feels so long ago. There are more to come, so you know this feeling of nervousness will come back again and again, but somehow you feel a little less scared about them. You’re just glad you’ve got your family around you to distract you, and a massive burger to eat for lunch! — Did this remind you of your exam days? Sometimes it’s hard to remember how our children are feeling in preparation for these big tests - so we thought we’d help you get into their heads and return to the tough old days of revision, clear pencil cases and post exam discussions. This learner most benefited from a family that supported them, and gave them space. We’re sure you agree it’s the best way forward.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 47 Join us at our next Open Morning on Saturday 30th September at Babington House School. Deciding where your child will go to school is one of the biggest decisions you will make as a parent. We all want the best for our children, and providing them with a first-class education in a school where they’re happy and excited to learn, is one of the greatest gifts you can give. Babington House School is located in South East London and offers children a nurturing environment for children from 3-18 years. Join us at our next Open Morning on Saturday 30th September, and discover what makes Babington House School the right choice for your child’s education. Speak with current pupils and teachers about life at Babington and take a tour of the school. Book your place today babingtonhouse.com/open-days or call 020 8467 5537 We inspire Register for our next Open Morning on Saturday 30th September 2023. Book your place babingtonhouse.com/open-days Inspiring teachers, inspiring children Babington House School

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 48 Post 16: 28th September 2023 Key Stage 4: 18th October 2023 Sign up to visit: joinbrit.eventbrite.co.uk #theplacetobeyou Follow @TheBRITSchool The BRIT School Located in Croydon, South London, The BRIT School is the leading Performing and Creative Arts school in the UK for young people aged between 14 and 19 and is free to attend and open to anyone with a passion for the arts. This Autumn we are hosting two Open Events to meet you- the next generation of creative talent who wish to study here at Key Stage 4 and Post 16. This is a chance to see the school and discover if this is the place for you. Book a timeslot at one of our Open Events for Post 16 Entry on Thursday 28 September or Key Stage 4 Entry Wednesday 18 October 2023. Whether your goal is to be a performer, technician, designer, musician, artist, teacher, facilitator or a business professional, studying at The BRIT School is the best way to prepare yourself for the future. Those attending the BRIT School have access to a pioneering creative curriculum, alongside a full academic programme of GCSEs and A Levels. The school has nine strands of focus: Film & Media Production, Interactive Digital Design, Production Arts, Visual Arts & Design/Fashion Styling & Textiles, Applied Theatre, Dance, Music & Music Technology, Musical Theatre and Theatre. The school is ever evolving and growing in line with creative sectors and we offer a new Fashion, Styling and Textiles Route at Post-16 under Visual Arts & Design as well as the popular Interactive Digital Design course that produces app and web designers, game makers and animators. In 2022, 98% of students went on to higher education at top universities studying a diverse range of subjects, or to leading vocational drama/ dance schools and music conservatoires and/or full time employment. The BRIT School can boast a wealth of talented singers, musicians, technicians, filmmakers, performers, designers, games-makers, set-makers, community arts practitioners, actors, producers, authors DJs, composers, visual artists, poets, entrepreneurs, digital designers, theatre makers and even a stuntman amongst those who have left the school. Notable names include, Adele, Jessie J, Kae Tempest, King Krule, Katie Melua, Rex Orange County, Ella Eyre, Leona Lewis, The Kooks, Dan Gillespie Sells, Cat Burns, Tom Holland and Cush Jumbo OBE (The Good Wife). You can apply online at www.brit.croydon.sch.uk/apply to join in Autumn 2024.

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 49 The John Roan School: Cultivating Ambitious Learners Situated in the heart of London, we are nestled within a rich tapestry of cultures, experiences, and histories. This unique location affords us a vast array of influences, helping to cultivate a global perspective in our students. We stress the importance of cultural appreciation, ensuring our students emerge not merely as Londoners, but as global citizens. Our aim is to ignite a fervour for intellectual exploration through our meticulously curated curriculum, kindling a lifelong passion for learning. Beyond the traditional classroom boundaries, we encourage our students to connect their learning with real-world contexts, fostering discerning minds that critically engage, analyse, and innovate. However, at The John Roan School, we recognise that education extends beyond academic rigour. Our robust Character Education The John Roan School OPEN MORNINGS 9:00 - 10:00am Tuesdays: 19th 26th 3rd 10th September September October October OPEN EVENING Wednesday 11th October 6:00 - 7:00pm Book Online at thejohnroanschool.org.uk TheJohnRoan @TheJohnRoan programme instils resilience and tenacity in our pupils, preparing them to adeptly handle the ebb and flow of life. Through a variety of initiatives, our students mature not only academically but also on personal, social, and emotional fronts. Complementing our curriculum, a range of extra-curricular activities awaits each student. From drama to sport to music, an array of opportunities ensures every student discovers their passion, hones their talents, and forges bonds that last a lifetime. Join us at The John Roan School - where aspiration, education, and PRIDE converge, moulding future leaders poised to leave an indelible mark on society. Embark on this transformative journey with us, witnessing how we shape today’s pupils into the trailblazers of tomorrow. The John Roan School, Westcombe Park Road, London, SE3 7QR t: 0208 516 7555 e: [email protected]

Essential Guide Magazine 2023 50 Blackheath High School GDST takes great pride in preparing and empowering girls for the future. We foster well-rounded individuals instilling not only academic accomplishments but also resilience, confidence and compassion recognising that education extends beyond the confines of the classroom. Cherishing our distinctive girls-first ethos, at Blackheath High we celebrate individuality honouring the uniqueness of each student. Here our students flourish and are encouraged to explore their intellectual curiosity, develop critical thinking and express their creativity freely. Blackheath High’s commitment to excellence is reflected by our ‘Excellent in all areas’ rating by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) validating our dedication to providing an outstanding education that nurture all aspects of a student’s development. From early years to Sixth Form, we offer a seamless educational journey tailored to ensure your daughter’s growth and success. Our recently appointed Headteacher, Natalie Argile, passionately asserts, “At Blackheath High School, we place our girls first celebrating their individuality and empowering them to reach for the stars. We prepare each of our students to transcend boundaries, achieve greatness and make a lasting positive impact on the world.” Blackheath High operates under the Girl’s Day School Trust (GDST) and is an Independent Day School for girls aged 3-18. Book a visit to our Junior School Open Morning and Senior School Open Morning on Saturday 30 September or Sixth Form Open Evening on 11 October to experience first hand the possibilities at Blackheath High School: https://www.blackheathhighschool.gdst.net/3282/open-mornings Blackheath High School