Postby PattyGno » Tue Apr 04, 2017 7:18 pm
Hi,
I am also Italian and have been living in Clapham for 17 years. My eldest child goes to Bolingbroke Academy, he is 15 years old (Year 10) and my youngest son will be starting next Sept. I don't know where you have read bad reviews about the school, but they must come from parents who disagree with the school policy. The school must be firm with the pupils, as it's a mixed ability school, non-selective, and it's important that every child has the opportunity to learn in a calm and organised environment. My son is very happy there and my youngest son cannot wait to start in Sept. The school is local to most families; it takes my child only 15min to walk there, whereas there are a lot of children who have to travel far to reach their schools. It's very much a community school and the Parents Association is very strong, which is quite unusual for most secondary schools.The teachers are absolutely fantastic, so dedicated. Bolingbroke is part of ARK Network which runs about 26 schools in the country. This means that the school can draw from experience/resources of the ARK network. We had a pupil who came from Italy 2 years ago without speaking a word of English and the school was so helpful...and now he is doing better than the mother-tongue pupils. How old is your daughter? Places always become available during the year. You would be surprised how many families move homes! I think you will be fine, you just need to find a place very close to the school you choose. By the way, Bolingbroke is located in a great area for families! If you need any more help, please let me know. If you get a place, I would be happy to meet your family and introduce you to the Bolingbroke community. Good luck!