Orleans Park is situated on a secluded 16 acre site close to the River Thames and the centre of Twickenham. The school was opened on the existing site in 1973 and a new block was added in 1993. We are a thriving and successful mixed 11-16 comprehensive of over 1,000 pupils. We have a standard admission number of 200, but our excellent reputation is consistently reflected in heavy over subscription. There are regularly over 900 applications for places each September.
Our intake is fully comprehensive and we are committed to providing an education which allows all pupils equal access to a wide range of appropriate opportunities. Orleans Park pupils achieve excellent examination results, at all levels. In 2011, 73% of Year 11 achieved at least 5 GCSE A* to C grades (70% including English and Mathematics). 36% of pupils achieved the criteria for the English Baccalaureate. In September 2003 we became a specialist Maths & Computing College and were re-designated in October 2007. We have been named as a High Performing Specialist School and took on a second specialism in Languages in April 2008.
The November 2010 Ofsted Inspection Team said, “Orleans Park School is outstanding. This is because it delivers an excellent quality of education which has enabled students to reach high standards during recent years, through making good progress from their starting points, so their achievement is outstanding. There is a strong sense of community and pride in the school felt by students and staff. It offers its students a wealth of opportunities to help them develop into confident individuals and equips them exceptionally well for their future.”
We have established a friendly, caring, but purposeful atmosphere, which is based on a respect for the individual and for the community as a whole. We set high standards of behaviour and the vast majority of our pupils keep within the very clear boundaries we have established. There is a very effective pastoral system, based on Tutors and Heads of Year, which monitors pupil progress and behaviour, in conjunction with subject teachers and Heads of Faculty. A regular dialogue is maintained with parents and the Student Planner is an effective vehicle for this, in addition to more formal processes and opportunities.
We are fortunate in the quality of the teaching and support staff we have at Orleans Park. Their expertise and hard work is a fundamental element in the success of the school, as an educational organization and as a community. The school offers a range of extra-curricular activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Orleans Park has an unrivalled reputation for sporting success within Richmond and Middlesex, winning the Borough Athletics Championships, for instance, for the last 30 years. We also enjoy a strong tradition of music, drama and art at school. Every year, there is a wide range of visits and trips arranged, both in Britain and beyond.
Relationships within the school, and with the wider community, are excellent. Support from parents, informally and through the Orleans Park School Association, is a source of strength. The Governing Body is equally active and supportive.
We play a full role in the education system of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, maintaining good links with our main feeder schools, other secondary schools and the Tertiary College.
Ms J Longhurst
Headteacher