Richmond Park Academy

Richmond Park Academy is a key member of Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), the operational arm of the Greensward Charitable Trust, which is a federation of academies created to provide thousands of students/pupils with the best possible education.

AET aims to provide the opportunity for all young learners to fulfil their real potential, broaden their horizons and become active, prosperous and successful citizens in the world around them. AET believes that all young people deserve to become world class learners - to learn, enjoy, succeed and thrive in a first rate educational environment, with the best facilities, the best teaching and the most up to date resources available to them.

AET is committed to doing everything it can to ensure that young people are able to, in the future, compete on the world stage with the skills, confidence and flair to generate new ideas, new initiatives and thereby make a full contribution to tomorrow's world.

Since new legislation in September 2010, all secondary school admissions, including both Year 7 admissions and mid-term admissions, are processed through the student’s home local authority.Mid-term admissions need to complete an In-Year Admission Form, obtained from and returned to the student’s home local authority. These will, in turn, be forwarded to Admissions Officer at Richmond Local Authority who will process the application and send details to RPA Admission Officer, Terri Nardoni. Thereafter, parents and students will be invited to RPA to meet with the relevant Year Leader.

RPA achieved an overall outcome of Outstanding in its recent Annual Health and Safety Audit. A huge thank you to our hardworking team who take the health, safety and welfare of all our students, staff and visitors very seriously. We work very closely with staff to ensure activities/lessons are risk assessed, not to curtail the learning and teaching experiences of our students, but to ensure they are carried out in a safe and secure manner. We also strive to ensure the building and all the equipment on site are maintained by competent and suitably qualified contractors.

The management of health and safety is not just driven by the site facilities team, colleagues have worked extremely hard to create and nurture a positive culture.Our new redeveloped academy poses different health, safety and security challenges which we will continue to monitor and manage. As parents and carers, we welcome your support in reinforcing to your child the importance of following procedures and our health and safety policies to ensure they conduct themselves appropriately.

All our students enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum. English, maths and science are set in Year 8 and 9 with all other subjects taught in mixed ability classes. Year 7 are currently taught in mixed ability classes across all subjects. A very high percentage of RPA students are High Prior Attainers (HPAs) so research has shown that this is the most appropriate way to structure the school to give all students the best chance of achieving positive outcomes. Within the mixed class environment, teachers differentiate work to stretch the ablest and encourage those who are having any difficulty. For Year 7 students teachers have the full incoming data set to assist them in that differentiation.

All students have a right to a broad, balanced curriculum, relevant and differentiated to develop their abilities and maximise their potential, to provide stimulating, satisfying and progressive educational experiences and to equip them for adult life.The Governing Body and staff of RPA welcome students of all abilities.All members of staff at RPA are aware of their role and the responsibility they share for identifying and making effective provision for the additional educational needs of all students.

Richmond Park Academy regards its behaviour policy as pivotal to developing each child as an individual and to develop their potential to the fullest. The policy makes clear which members of staff have specific responsibility for key areas of sanctions, and for promoting good behaviour on and off site.

At Richmond Park Academy we are committed to promoting the welfare of each and every student and to ensure that bullying and/or discrimination does not take place. In particular, we are aware of the needs of some children who may need special and/or additional support for modifying their behaviour. Vulnerable students, including looked-after children, children with SEN, physical or mental health needs, will receive additional support according to their behavioural need.

We not only have over 10,000 books but, also, newspapers, magazines, games, brainteasers, computers and internet access - all available between 8 am and 4 pm every day. Everyone at Richmond Park Academy has the right to use the library and borrow books. We encourage students to use the library often for reading and studying so they produce excellent homework. Almost all books are available for students to borrow and take home for two weeks and everyone is automatically a member of the library when they join the school. We ask that books are looked after and returned on time or renewed if needed for longer.