Graveney School is a secondary school and sixth form with academy status in the Furzedown area of Tooting, southwest London, England. The school has a partially selective admissions policy. In the beginning of 2015, the school was assessed in an Ofsted inspection report as outstanding.
History
Graveney School can trace its origins back to a school founded in the late 1660s by Sir Walter St John, 3rd Baronet, in Battersea, and the modern Graveney was established in 1986 as an amalgamation of Ensham School (for girls) and Furzedown Secondary School (mixed). Furzedown was formed in 1977 as an amalgamation of Battersea Grammar School (for boys) and Rosa Bassett School (for girls).
Created as a standard comprehensive school under the control of the local education authority (initially the ILEA, later Wandsworth), a significant change occurred in 1991 when Graveney became a grant-maintained school, giving far greater control to the school governors. Following the changes resulting from the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, which abolished grant-maintained status, the school preserved a degree of independence by electing to become a foundation school.
The school achieved Technology College status in 1995 and also moved to a partially selective admissions policy in September of that year. From the introduction of selection the school was permitted to choose up to 50% of pupils by ability; however, this was reduced to 25% in 2000, increased to 30% in 2001 and reduced back to 25% in 2004, where it remains in 2008. Graveney School converted to become an academy on 1 August 2011.
Years 7 to 11
When students begin their education at Graveney in Year 7, they are placed into sets depending on their Year 6 SATs, their Wandsworth test result and the recommendation letter of their previous teacher. Students can either be put into Extension (4 classes), Enrichment (3 classes) or Endeavour (2 classes). Students can be moved across sets depending on their ability. However, most remain in their assigned stream. Students in one Endeavour class receive personal mentoring by the school and their tutor often is a member of the special needs department.
Years 7 to 9
Extension and Enrichment study one Modern Foreign Language. These could either be French or Spanish. From Year 8 onwards, there is an opportunity to study an additional modern foreign language e.g. German, French or Spanish.
Years 10 to 11
After Christmas of year 9, usually February or March, students pick their GCSE options. English Language and Literature, Maths, Science and PE are compulsory for the two years. Up to three additional subjects are usually chosen, depending on predicted potential, with high-attaining students given the option to do 'Twilight' Drama, or Astronomy as an extra out of school GCSE.
Most students do the Triple Science award - a GCSE for Biology, Chemistry and Physics, whereas some do the combined science award.
The results of the Year 9 exams determine what sets the students will be in.
The Sixth Form
Graveney School has a large sixth form college, offering a range subjects to study at A-level. The sixth form is open for application to both internal students (students that studied at Graveney School), and external candidates (students that received their secondary education elsewhere).
The sixth form offers a range of subjects that were not available to take at GCSE level, such as Film Studies, Government & Politics, Further Mathematics, Philosophy, Photography and Psychology, though some of these subjects will only run if a substantial number of students apply. Students can also retake GCSEs. The sixth form has minimum entry requirements of 5 A*-Cs at GCSE level for internal students, and 7 A*-Cs for external applicants. For a student to graduate from year 12 to year 13, they must have attained minimum grades of two Es at AS level.
The sixth form does not have a uniform policy, however students must wear their ID card visibly at all times.
Site and buildings
Graveney initially operated on both the former Furzedown and Ensham sites; however, the Ensham building was closed and the school now occupies what was Furzedown Secondary School on either side of Welham Road in Tooting, south west London.
The part of the site on the southern side of Welham Road is the former Rosa Bassett School, the main building of which was opened in 1913. The larger area to the north of the road is the former Furzedown Training College (a teacher training college), which was opened in 1915. The buildings surround a tree-lined campus and include Furzedown House, a Grade II-listed Georgian house, built in 1794.