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11 December 2018
St Augustine’s Priory has been selected by an expert panel of judges as a Highly Commended school in both the Girls School of the Year and the Green Award categories in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2018. With over 200 applications for the awards from schools spanning across the country, St Augustine’s Priory stood out as a key player in the industry due to the depth and breadth of their offering as highlighted in their entries. It is the only school in Ealing to receive Highly Commended in the awards, and one of a select few schools in West London to be recognised.
The awards were created to celebrate student experience and give independent schools a platform to tell their story and educate a vast audience on how, each day, they are helping their pupils experience more, understand more and achieve more. The impact St Augustine’s Priory is having on their pupils is evident, achieving Highly Commended in extremely competitive categories alongside the top independent schools in the country and household names such as Eton College.
Many do not know that St Augustine’s Priory has its own farm hidden within their 13 acres of land in Ealing, complete with chickens, micro-pigs and an endangered variety of sheep. On the farm, girls become farm managers, they care for the animals – including weekends and holidays. It is believed to be the only school in London to host a farm.
Sheep are rotated around the grounds reducing the need for using lawn mowers; pigs’ “black gold” becomes manure in the allotment where girls, parents and staff grow vegetables. The produce grown on the allotment is sold or picked for families. The Farm encourages all members of the school’s community to share in the mental well-being it brings through its animals, the allotment and the meadow.
Sixth Formers preparing for Veterinary Science applications are learning problem solving in animal husbandry including lambing. Local schools bring their nursery children to visit. Visiting Primary Schools learn of sustainability and they weave in whatever they are learning – like the school who brought 3 forms over two days to enhance their study of Charlotte’s Web.
David Moncrieff, Vice-Chair Independent School Parent said “Independent School of the Year 2018 gives schools the chance to tell their stories and publicise what a brilliant experience they give their students.”
St Augustine’s Priory is also the only school in Ealing to be shortlisted in the national Tes Awards. The category is ‘Whole School Community Initiative of the Year’ of which the focus of their entry is the Priory Farm.
Mrs Sarah Raffray, Headteacher at St Augustine’s Priory said “Our grounds provide food for thought, mental space and ways of living sympathetically with our environment. In a world of advancing technology, social media and globalisation, the Priory Farm provides a space for girls to care for animals. No matter what the weather, our girls are committed to the farm and its inhabitants. Science proves that time spent outdoors increases emotional wellbeing. We are encouraging green time, not screen time. We want to share our wonderful farm with as many schools as possible and would be delighted to welcome more local primary schools and nurseries to visit.”
Please contact [email protected] to book a visit to the Priory Farm.
