MARION RICHARDSON PRIMARY SCHOOL in Greater London, Tower Hamlets

Education Centre Information: Marion Richardson Primary School:

Establishment Type:Community School
Phase of Education: Primary
Status: Open
Local Authority: Tower Hamlets
Boarders: No Boarders
Sixth Form: Does not have a sixth form
Urban/Rural Description: Urban > 10k - less sparse
Special Classes: No Special Classes
Religious Character: Does not apply
Nursery Provider: Has Nursery Classes
Total Pupils: 479
Number of boys: 248
Number of girls: 231
Age Range: 3-11
Gender: Mixed
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Background:

Founded in 1907, Marion Richardson School is a three and a half decker Edwardian building situated in an area of high social deprivation in the Stepney neighbourhood of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Almost 70 per cent of the pupils come from ethnic minorities, particularly the Bangladeshi community, and 71 per cent have English as a second language. Seventy-three per cent of the pupils have free school meals while 120 children are on the special needs register and six have full statements. This over-subscribed school aims towards the 'highest expectations in the continuing raising of achievement'. Children are encouraged 'to give their best and meet their fullest potential' and the school believes that 'everything that the children attempt in school should be seen as a source of pride to themselves and their families'. The school has made 'steady' progress with its SAT results and is now performing 'very well' against schools of a similar type. The school is 'well known' for its PE and launched the Government initiative for Top Sport in 1996. Twenty of its pupils are part of the Tower Hamlets dance display team which will be performing at the Albert Hall as part of the 50th anniversary of PE celebrations, and a further ten performed with other Tower Hamlets schools at a Kensington Philharmonic Orchestra concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in July 1999. The school runs 'numerous' after school clubs which are sponsored by the Fishmongers Company, and has applied for new opportunity funding from the National Lottery to enable it to run more clubs for the next three years. Barnardos and Glaxo Wellcome sponsor the school breakfast and cookery clubs, in order to improve the children's awareness of healthy eating while volunteers from the local community work in the school (aged from 18 to 82). The school is well-known in the area for its positive ethos and pastoral work.