In a bold move three primary schools in Fulham are breaking away form the local authority to form the Brightwells Academy Trust. The schools are Sulivan, Queen’s Manor and Fulham Primary. The trust will formally come into being on September 1st in time for the new school year.

Brightwells was the name of the manor house of John Tamworth, privy counsellor to Queen Elizabeth I. It covered about 20 acres including what is now Eel Brook Common and was later renamed Villa Carey and then replaced by a new building called Peterborough House and owned by the  built on the grounds of the Earl of Peterborough. The houses built on the site – in Bovingdon Road, Chiddingstone Street, Chipstead Street and Quarrendon Street- were designed by the famous J. Nichols and is named due to each property featuring a stone lion up on the gable.

Chiddingstone Street, Chipstead Street and Quarrendon Street.

While there won’t be extra money – the per pupil funding is the sames – but the schools believe they will be able to make savings: “”As part of a multi-academy trust, we may also achieve greater efficiencies through increased buying power and joint commissioning of services; such as school equipment, catering and cleaning.”

There will be greater autonomy and “there will be assimilations between the schools and opportunities for economies of scale.”

There will be new opportunities for competitive sports and shared expertise – for instance with speech therapy and family support services.

Far from turning away from the local community it is hoped the new status will allow the development of new links with businesses and public services.

Teachers will be able to share ideas with joint INSET days.

There will be support for the new academy from the London Diocesan Board for Schools.

Queen’s Manor Primary School will continue to run the Special Needs Unit for pupils with moderate and severe learning difficulties. Fulham Primary School will continue to run the Unit at Queensmill for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The pupils at the schools will be able to start the new term with particular pride as the new chapter begins.

For Hammersmith and Fulham it is the latest example of how we are leading the way with innovation, school independence and parental choice as the way to drive up standards.