Hurlingham and Chelsea School is Now an Academy
Secondary set to be renamed after joining United Learning Group
The Fulham secondary school was put into special measures following an inspection by Ofsted in October 2013. However, since then it has made progress under an Interim Executive Board of governors and this month became part of United Learning, whose
Director of Secondary Academies - South is Dame Sally Coates, the former head of Burlington Danes School in Shephed's Bush.
That means the school now sits alongside the United Learning's other London academies in Lambeth, Paddington and Walthamstow and independent schools in Surbiton and Guildford.
The academy also has a new Executive Principal, Ben Parnell, who will work closely with Principal Craig Griffiths. Mr Parnell is also Executive Principal at Nova Hreod Academy and successfully led the Group’s Glenmoor & Winton Academies in Bournemouth until last term.
Jon Coles, Chief Executive of United Learning, says:
" We are delighted that Hurlingham & Chelsea has joined our successful academies in London. Mr Parnell is an extremely effective school leader and we are looking forward to supporting him as he works with Mr Griffiths, staff and students at the academy to ensure it reaches its full potential."
The Executive Principal started work earlier this month and has developed a new vision for the school.
The team has already spent a lot of time working on key priorities, primarily planning how to best prepare Year 11 students for their exams this summer and how to better stretch all pupils in the classroom.
Mr Parnell will be explaining this in more detail and setting out his vision for the school and the changes ahead at a meeting for parents early next month
Recently published statistics show the school is already doing well, with the school moving from the 80th percentile for all schools nationally in 2013 to around the 40th in 2014 for GCSE results – a very big jump in one year.
A report by Her Majesty’s Inspectors published last month stated that students at the school continue to make secure progress.
Now parents are being asked to choose a name for the new academy.
Cllr Sue Macmillan, Cabinet Member for Children and Education, says: " The Hurlingham and Chelsea School is changing more than just its name, it is completely overhauling the way it works to improve pupils' lives for the better.
" We warmly welcome Executive Principal Ben Parnell and look forward to the changes ahead."
January 29, 2015
