A radical new school is opening in Croydon this year, where pupils aged four years apart will be taught in the same class.Appropriately called The New School, it will open on the former site of the Virgo Fidelis Primary School on Central Hill, near Gipsy Hill station, in September 2020 and is currently accepting applications for primary school age students.
Successful applicants will be divided into four age groups - consisting of ages four to five, five to nine, nine to 13 and 13 to 16 respectively - with opportunities for these classes to mix together throughout the day.
Headteacher Lucy Stephens, who has spent years researching her progressive education model, also says the school will have an emphasis on play rather than testing, with no SATs and with optional GCSEs.
She said: “Education is too focused on passing tests at the expense of the mental, physical and emotional needs of our children.
"When I was teaching, too many children were struggling in the current system – simply square pegs trying to fit round holes with no way of demonstrating their skills and talents.
"Our school will allow every young person to be involved in decision-making about their education and we will support their preferences.
"Research has shown that adopting practices like these help lay a more solid foundation for young people to reach their full potential."
Ms Stephens explained that she left teaching because she "didn't have the time or freedom to make a difference" and was concerned by "rising mental health issues, bullying and disengagement".
Asked for more detail about the school's policy on testing, she explained that, while teachers would have the freedom to assign short tests to measure their student's understanding, there would be no attainment quotas or end of year tests.
The number of GCSEs older students take would be decided on a case by case basis, depending on their individual goals and what qualifications they need for higher education.
The school will have a ratio of one teacher for every 15 students, with a goal to hire at least half the team from black or minority ethnic communities to "reflect the Croydon population".
"Teachers at The New School will have more time to work with each child, will have greater scope to include every young person in learning, and will focus on culturally-relevant teaching," Ms Stephens said:
"We hope our model will decrease inequality, disempowerment and disadvantage amongst the young people of Croydon.”