Principal’s welcome
Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy is going from strength to strength and I am immensely proud to be its new principal. Since its inception, in its present guise, in September 2005, the academy has made great strides to improve the life chances of all our students and we reported our best results in August 2009. Knights Academy has progressed from 9% 5+ A* - C grades (2005) to 64% 5+ A* - C in an incredibly short period. In addition, we achieved 35% 5+ A* - C grades, including mathematics and English, and have removed ourselves from National Challenge status. Our examination results prove Ofsted's report that "Knights Academy is a rapidly improving school that provides a good education for its students.’
We are immensely proud of the achievements of our students in the past year, especially our first cohort of Sixth Form students, many of whom are shortly to embark on university studies. Our aim is to provide Knights students with an innovative curriculum that provides them with the keys to unlock their potential and their futures. Our students must be enabled to make the choices that enhance their life chances. We want university to be an option and an aspiration for all our students.
These achievements are gained through the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation. We draw on the support and expertise of Hatcham College, and the vision and ethos of the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation. This enabled Knights Academy to become the second most over-subscribed school in the Borough of Lewisham, after Hatcham College, one of the country’s top comprehensive schools.
The Aske's Vision is one where all students in the Federation are inspired to reach their full potential, regardless of ability or background; where aspirations and achievements are constantly raised through the highest quality academic, personal and vocational teaching and guidance, and where the students and staff at the three academies benefit from each other's strengths.
Our success lies in our strong ethos of ‘Mutual Respect’, ‘Responsibility’ and ‘Equality of opportunity for all’. We aim to ‘Promote Excellence.’ We value tradition and Knights' students are full members of the Haberdashers' family of schools. As well as this we work tirelessly to meet the needs and expectations of our students through constant innovation. Ofsted describes our curriculum as 'outstanding'. It provides a personalised approach whereby students are offered pathways appropriate to individual needs.
Our Sports Specialism has played a vital role in developing the self-esteem of the school and giving the academy a sense of its own worth. We play a pivotal role in the sports life of the borough, as the hub school of the Haberdashers' Aske's School Sport Partnership, serving 41 primary and 7 secondary schools as well as 1 college. Our students have had great success on local, national and international sporting stages. This has allowed Knights to develop a confident and aspirational culture for all our students.
From Year 7 onwards there are leadership opportunities, enhancing both the school community and cohesion between peer groups. We value our place within our local community, and our staff and students work hard to have a positive impact upon it.
Our most important partners are our parents. We hold parents evenings, consultations and information days and have a very popular and effective PTA. We keep in close contact with our parents through regular letters and invitations to events at the Academy.
Ofsted summarised the education at Knights in their May 2008 report “The Academy successfully enables students to develop as well-rounded, friendly and confident young people.”
I welcome the opportunity and the challenge to develop the school from the very encouraging position it achieved under the leadership of my predecessor, Mrs Yvonne MacCallum. I am happy to lead Knights Academy on its journey to greatness. This will be a great school, preparing young people from our local community, through a truly comprehensive education, to be citizens of the 21st century. The Knights’ Leadership Team and all the staff of the academy look forward to working with students and parents to achieve great things!
Please have a good look around our site and if you have require any further information please contact the Academy reception on 020 8698 1025.
Andrew Day,
Principal of Knights Academy