Sir Christopher Hatton

Website: http://www.chrishatton.camden.sch.uk/
Date of Visit:  March 2011
General Comments:   This school has a great Ofsted report - the best of all that I have seen. The school is overall pretty impressive and all the elements that matter to me where  
Number of children in class: up to 30 kids, two places allocated to kids who need special attention with English. 
Languages: French from year 3. Also spanish (I think), have afterschool clubs for Arabic etc.
Music: yes, dedicated teacher from year 2 or 3, have a  dedicated music room. Have a piano and violin teacher that parents can pay for separately. Music classes once per week.
Focus varies from teacher to teacher but has included a band or choir.
Art:   yes, no dedicated classroom. Part of the curriculum.
Ofsted Report: outstanding in most areas (but this could be down to the fact that lots of kids don't have English as first language and have a very steep learning curve).

Other Notes: The school is specially funded to support kids who need extra help with learning English. 76% children don't have english as first language, this includes 'Elite second language speakers' - ie. mixed highly educated couples for example.

Catchment Area:   last year (2010) average distance was 0.3 Miles. Should call Camden to check.

Afterschool Clubs:  No afterschool clubs in Reception as they feel kids would be too tired. School finishes at 3.30 pm. After Reception there are many different clubs - chess, arabic etcetc…

The Building:  A typical Victorian school building on many floors but excellent provision - lovely playground outside, opening a  roof terrace on 1st floor that will extend the Reception class so that they have more space.

Uniform: sadly, no. Some kids looked quite scruffy - not tough enough in the looks department in my opinion!  I would like for the schools to be stricter when it comes to the way kids are allowed to dress and to encourage them to look smart. A school is not a playground.
Food: cooked on site. Seemed very nice.
AOB: The kids are *very* ethnically mixed which is really great. Because the school has so many Muslim families they have been given a special exception from having religious classes, so they don't have to mention God at all if they don't want to. But encouraged to develop 'enquiry' and spiritual wellbeing of children.
Where to kids go onto:   Different schools, none of them in Camden. Several (I think 4) kids got scholarships to go to private secondary schools. The Deputy Head that was showing us around said 'But I don't know the names of those schools', which to me was a concern.  She said the kids had worked very hard to get those scholarships.I find it very problematic when state schools simply won't engage with the private sector. I would like to find a state school which is prepared to support kids and parents in whatever route they choose to pursue after primary school.