Article for SENine.

SEnine writer and university student SARAH HAYES was invited to spend a day at the new Crown Woods College.
Like many in Eltham, I’ve watched Crown Woods turn from a large construction site into a beautiful new college. After spending a few hours there I discovered it’s something the community can be proud of.
Before my day began I had no preconceptions, apart from a suspicion that Crown Woods College would be the old school in a new building. I was very wrong. Not only has the building changed, but so has the atmosphere. It quickly became clear that this is a whole new Crown Woods.
As I first entered the school, I noticed how beautiful the architecture was. Head, Michael Murphy, believes the architects have brought his vision to life.
The college is separated into four discrete schools, supported by three other buildings; for Art and Design, Music and special needs, and sports. It is a miniature version of a University campus. Each building has spacious airy rooms, views of pleasant gardens, and gorgeous high atriums. This is no dilapidated, grey, dowdy school, with 30 students crammed onto tables, fighting for a view of the white board. This is on a completely different level. I feel a bit jealous. I wish I’d had the opportunity to study in these surroundings.
The four schools, named after the Royal woods (Delamere, Sherwood, Ashdown and Arden) house 90 students from each year. Delamere teaches the higher academic students, while Ashdown and Sherwood have students of all abilities. Arden is the college’s 6th form, and has the same template as the other schools on a bigger scale.
As I walk around the college, everyone looks neatly dressed in their new uniforms. No squiffy ties or an untucked shirts in sight.
But does dividing up pupils into separate schools help? It seems so. When I speak to students, they all tell me that although at first it was difficult to get used to, they now have a much better scholastic experience.
Declan Hutchins, Head Boy of Sherwood, not only tells me that they have a better relationship with the teachers now, but also that he prefers the whole experience.
“I prefer going here compared to the old Crown Woods; I feel like we’re really learning something properly. There are fewer students in each school so the teachers have more time for us”.
When asked if there were any cons, he tells me “it was difficult at first; in the old school, we were always on our phones. To be honest there was no respect for the teachers. Now there are strict rules, no phones in lessons, uniform has to be correct...but it has created a much nicer atmosphere”.
Madeline Springer, Sherwood’s Head Girl, interjects: “Even though we’ve been put into smaller houses, we’re more of a family; it’s a tight knit community within our school”.
Ashdown’s Head boy Matthew Birmingham agrees: “Teachers have the space and the time to focus on individual students now, but at the same time we’re treated more like adults”.
Madeline agrees: “There’s a mutual respect between teachers and pupils”.
Mr Murphy wanted to separate the students into schools for this very reason. “The purpose is to benefit from the small scale; none of the pupils will feel alienated or lost”, he said.
Enjoying the pleasant atmosphere I go into a Delamere English class, perhaps a time for scribbling on tables or taking a little nap? Happily, everyone seems rather interested. An occasional whisper here, a little smile there, but you can tell they’re listening.
As I walk around, I am shown the Art and Design building, named after William Morris. I’m impressed to find the college offers a GCSE in construction; plumbing, building, plastering.
Mr Murphy tells me the reason the College has incorporated trades, arts and sports into the new school. “We want to provide a broad liberal education that includes technology, the arts and humanities. Part of our job is to equip students for the next stage and if that stage is a job we have to make sure they have the skills.
“If you have a trade you have it for life.”
But didn’t many schools nowadays only concentrate on just trying to get their students into University? Mr Murphy responds philosophically: “We want to provide a school that caters for all aptitudes and interests”.
The school definitively seems to do that. Not only is there a room dedicated to building walls (yes, a whole room) but there is a dark room for photography, an exhibition room for art students, the 2012 Sports Centre, that has the capacity for a 450 strong audience, a sound proofed recording studio for budding musicians, a Visual Impairment Unit and Special Needs building, and soon also three full sized sports fields and a floodlight pitch, which will be used by the community. Oh and let’s not forget the rather spacious library.
There are so many facilities, so much room; it is hard to believe there’ll be parents in SE9 who won’t consider the College for their children.
Teachers seem particularly dedicated. New building, new rules. Yet the pupils don’t feel restricted or patronised. Head Boy of Delamere, Mike Nahimana says: “It’s a fresh start. Now the schools are smaller, you’ll have a year 10 talking to a year 7. That wouldn’t have happened in the old school”.
Both Ashdown and Sherwood’s Head Girls want to go to 6th form here, though they were not so sure before. The new school has changed their minds. Mike laughs as he tells me “My mum is ecstatic”.
With exam results set to go up as well as applications for entry, the teachers of Crown Woods College must be very pleased with their new facilities and new school. But what I can’t help but notice is how happy the pupils are too.