Academic Excellence
“I&S provide a well-balanced education which places personal, social and emotional development at the centre.” – parent/carer feedback
Introduction and Ethos
We are proud to be a place of learning which values and promotes academic excellence. Students at Isleworth & Syon make great progress during their time with us. We know that all students have their own strengths, so the curriculum is matched to their needs. We offer:
- A personalised approach to learning
- A commitment to innovation, and
- A passion for teaching and learning.
Our students’ examination results are impressive. Out-performing boys in mixed settings is a pattern repeated across subjects in the school and leads to students successfully progressing to further and higher education, apprenticeships and their chosen careers. Our finely tuned academic mentoring system, alongside tailored career and university specific support in the Sixth Form, means that the school can offer individualised support with post-16 options.
You can find more information about the curriculum in the subject pages.
Beyond the Classroom
Our extra-curricular offer helps our students develop as individuals, broadening their horizons to allow them to contribute fully to the school community. This makes them more rounded and desirable to universities, colleges and to employers. We have an Extra-Curricular Coordinator who liaises with subject departments to develop a huge range of clubs and activities. These activities include subject-enhancing clubs, academic interventions, sporting teams, and performing arts ensembles. In recent years, they have also included opportunities to develop new passions, like:
Board Games Club- Creative Writing Club
- Current Affairs Club
- Food Club
- History Film Club
- MFL Cinema Club
- Performing Arts Tech Crew
- Reading Club
- Scratch Coding Club
There are frequent opportunities for visits to museums, the theatre and exhibitions, as well as the chance for overseas travel on language or sporting ventures or cultural visits. Partnerships with schools in the south of France have provided some wonderful cultural and sporting exchanges. Read more on the Extra-Curricular Activities page and the subject pages.
Rewards
At Isleworth & Syon, we praise students who achieve high standards by various means. Rewards are acknowledged on a daily, weekly, and termly basis. For examples, students can:
- Earn house points in lessons for “above and beyond” effort
- Receive ‘Academic Excellence’ and ‘Academic Progress’ awards at end-of-term assemblies
- Receive Trustee, Pastoral Leader and House Leader commendation awards at the end-of-year celebration events
- Be nominated for subject-specific cups, trophies, presentations and scholarships at our annual Junior Awards (Year 9) and Senior Awards (Years 11-13) events
- Receive specialist Academic or Progress ‘colours flashes’ and ties, to be worn with pride for a sustained contribution.
Success Stories
The school takes pride in its long tradition of outstanding success in public examinations which annually leads to the award of places at leading universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. This does not happen by accident but is the result of hard work and a commitment to getting the best out of students.
This year’s Level 2 and Level 3 results tell some fantastic stories from the 2024-25 academic year, including students heading to prestigious institutions like University of Cambridge, The Engineering & Design Institute, Purcell School and the BRIT School. You can also check out our list of university leavers going back over ten years, as well as our student profiles.
