Our Patch APRIL 2016
H
ammersmith Academy
may still feel like a new
fixture in the borough,
but the co-educational
secondary school
will celebrate its fifth
anniversary this year. The nondenominational academy opened in
September 2011 as a new-build school
in Cathnor Road, Shepherds Bush, with
government funding and sponsorship
from two livery companies, The Mercers
and The Information Technologists.
Headteacher Gary Kynaston explains
what makes Hammersmith Academy
different:
How did you become involved
with Hammersmith Academy?
I have a strong connection with west
London. I was born in Paddington, and
worked at Phoenix high school many
years ago. The academy was a fantastic
opportunity to start something new
after 20 years of teaching. I joined in
April 2010 and that gave me the chance
to really get to know the sponsors and
expectations of the academy, which
came about through a desire for more
school places locally.
What changes have you seen at
the school since it opened?
When we opened in 2011, we began
with a group of Year 7 children – who
we call our founding students – and
Year 12. We now have 742 pupils, the
original Year 7s are coming up to their
GCSEs now and have had a voice in all
aspects of the school’s development.
We elected our first head girl,
Tyler Morgan, and head boy, Amari
Drysdale, in September 2015. We’ve
also had great success outside school.
For example, Year 11 students Soren
Harrison and Amir Hossain represented
the school in an educational trip
to New York City after winning an
a