hammersmith academy
Since we opened in 2011 Hammersmith Academy has been striving to do something
different. I founded HA because I wanted to create an inspiring school in the
local community that had a clear vision, fostered self-confidence in its
students and provided a Private School level of education for all. At HA we have
adopted the Growth Mindset: excellence isn’t given at birth, but earned through
hard work and determination. We focus on pushing our students to attain the
highest qualifications they can, but they will only do that if they also develop
a strong character. Qualifications open the door, but character gets you through
it. Our longer lessons, peer to peer leadership, and mandatory ‘Session 3’
extra-curricular programme, ensure a richer, more in-depth delivery of the
national curriculum, in which students take responsibility for each other and
have ample opportunity to embrace subjects and skills they feel passionately
about. We set high expectations and challenge our students to aspire to be
outstanding in all areas of school life. From their uniform, to their attitude
to learning, to their conduct in and outside of the classroom, we expect an
exemplary approach at all times. Students and staff adopt a professionalism that
would be standard in any job, to fully prepare our young people for the world of
work. Our students and our staff work exceptionally hard, and you can see that
in the sheer amount of quality work and experience that is achieved on a day to
day basis. You can see evidence of this in any of our termly newsletters, or on
our social media. In my experience of working in inner-city education, and my
own time at school, I sometimes saw an attitude that assumed some people ‘can’t
do’, and I knew this was wrong. I see that people, of any age, will respond to
clear boundaries and clear vision. If you show your students you have belief in
them and encourage them to have belief in themselves, their confidence grows and
they surprise themselves with what they can achieve. Our students will leave
school not only academically qualified, but confident, mature and ready to prove
themselves.
