Exciting times ahead for Rivers Academy: School in line for Govt-funded makeover to improve facilities for students

A popular west London school has been selected for a government-funded, state-of-the-art facelift to improve facilities for students.

Rivers Academy West London will see one or more of its buildings refurbished or replaced by the Department for Education.

At this stage it is expected the Gym and Humanities blocks at the Tachbrook Road, Feltham school will be upgraded but plans are still in the process of being finalised.

The overhaul will be funded by the government’s School Rebuilding Programme and the new buildings will be net zero in operation.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “This is such a great project for Rivers Academy West London. Well done to the school for being successful in its application.”

A feasibility study to assess what improvements are needed to the blocks will begin this month (Sept) and could take up to six months to conclude. It is expected the building work could take two to three years to complete.

Andria Singlehurst, outgoing Principal of Rivers Academy in Tachbrook Road, Feltham, told the Hounslow Herald: “This is such an exciting project for the academy and one that will allow us to improve the facilities offered to our students.

“The new modern buildings will be sleek, provide cutting edge technology and allow teachers to enhance the transdisciplinary element of teaching provided at Rivers Academy.

“I hope our Year 12 students who will be completing their Aspirations Employability Diplomas’ will have the opportunity to work alongside architects and have a say in the future of their learning and leave a legacy for future generations.”

The School Rebuilding Programme aims to replace (or significantly refurbish) 500 schools across England with the new buildings being greener to help meet the government’s net zero target.

This is yet another bit of exciting news shared by the school. The school has recently also revealed that west London students with a passion for STEM subjects now have a unique opportunity to follow a ‘Space Pathway’ to academic excellence. 

Year 7 students in Feltham are being given the opportunity to attend two schools on one site to hone their talents for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Rivers Academy West London and Space Studio West London (SSWL) sit side-by-side on the Aspirations West London campus. Both provide supportive environments in which to learn and allow academic brilliance to flourish.

Students begin their secondary education journey at Rivers and then make a seamless transition to Space Studio West London in Year 10 where they focus on project-based STEM learning. This ‘Space Pathway’ – which currently has 30 places on offer – is nurtured at Rivers during the first three years of secondary school through six dedicated Applied Transdisciplinary Lessons (ATL) each week.

Year 7 STEM projects students engage in include Python Programming and planning the colonisation of Mars. The lessons are sewn into a timetable that follows the government’s National Curriculum and ensures students still complete all milestones and targets set by the Department for Education.

The ATL sessions focus on projects that sew in elements from different science subjects and involve students spending time at SSWL each week. This gives students the chance to build a rapport with teachers at SSWL and become familiar with the STEM lessons that will be taught from Year 10 onwards.

To find out more, email Luke Homer, Acting Principal of Rivers Academy: lhomer@rivers-aspirations.org.