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.
Gary Kynaston, Headteacher