Executive Principal’s Blog – 18.3.22 ’BMS Increases its Popularity in the Local Area’
Since coming out of the South West Herts Consortium Testing arrangements a few years ago, we have proudly stood alone on our superb reputation as a community school for children in the local area. Combining this with our successful collaborations across our Multi Academy Trust (currently Bushey Meads School, Little Reddings Primary School, and Hartsbourne Primary School) we have been able to give preference to children currently attending these two primary schools.
Over the past two years our admission numbers from the two local primary schools that know us best have increased by 51% – real testimony to the significant impact that our excellent school is having in the local area, especially for those pupils and families most closely connected with the school. Our catchment area has also decreased by 37% and is now only just over 1 mile in radius, demonstrating again the great popularity of our school in the local area – a real school of choice.
At the other end of the learning journey, this week more than ever, we have noted a significant increase in applications to our outstanding Sixth Form. Our dedicated Sixth Form Team have been busy all week interviewing increasing numbers of external candidates from a whole range of different popular schools in the area keen to study here at Post 16. Overall, we have seen a 45% increase in numbers to the Sixth Form since 2015.
All this means that we can offer more courses, more curriculum choice, greater breadth of opportunity and see firsthand increased engagement in learning at all levels. This was epitomised on Wednesday evening of this week at our hugely positive Year 9 Options Evening. The breadth of the curriculum offer at this level is second to none and no school in the local area offers such an eclectic range of courses and such a ‘free choice’ to students. One example is our growing reputation as a Centre of Excellence for Dance: https://busheymeads.org.uk/
We really do put students and learning first and offer a first-class education to all students. No wonder our popularity is at an all-time high!
On that inspiring note, do click on the link to read the rest of this week’s BMS News. With best wishes for a lovely weekend.
Jeremy Turner
Executive Principal
