LABOUR’S candidate to be Thurrock’s next MP visited Hathaway Academy last week (June 10th) to hear about the improvements at the school.
“It’s impressive to see a school that is really working to turn itself round for its students. The Academy has seen a massive improvement in its attendance figures and is very excited about this summers results. It looks like a combination of discipline and hard work, plus encouraging students to enjoy learning and be ambitious is already starting to pay off.
“But I am aware schools in Thurrock experience some serious challenges, not least when ministers get obsessed with structures of schools rather than the quality of learning. I am keen to meet all the headteachers of the schools in the Thurrock constituency to find out from them what would make a difference at national level to raise the ambitions and achievements of our young people here in Thurrock.”
Headteacher James Howarth said “I am quietly pleased with the progress we have made at the Hathaway Academy, in terms of the children’s achievements and the focus we can bring to specialising in subjects that will enable our students to thrive.
“Our young people deserve the best facilities to support their learning and I will fight to achieve that. I look forward to having further conversations with Polly, alongside my colleagues from other schools, about what will benefit current and future students in Thurrock.”
“It looks like a combination of discipline and hard work, plus encouraging students to enjoy learning and be ambitious is already starting to pay off”
Hardly ‘rocket science’! A monkey’s uncle could have identified these basic priorities years ago! In fact I did…but my advice fell on deaf ears…because they were not all singing and dancing ideas!
Get well soon James! Make a speedy recovery and spearhead the revolution once again!
All the very best to James. get well soon. It will be a long road for Hathaway. Hopefully this years results will sign post the way to future success. Making up for past mistakes will take time. Re-opening the school library and appointing qualified staff to work in the new Skills centre will help. Much can be learned from other schools who have embraced change. Hathaway are in a better place already but the gap between them and other local schools is still very wide. A safe pair of hands will be needed to deliver future progress. Hopefully Mr Howarth will return soon to an improving school to deliver even more success. Fingers crossed.