Reach Academy Feltham - UK

Since opening in 2012, Reach Academy Feltham (RAF) has transformed what's possible for children in one of London's most diverse communities. This all-through state school in Feltham serves 1,000 pupils aged 2–18 with a singular vision: every child leaves with the skills, attributes and qualifications to enjoy a life of choice and opportunity. That vision is being realised — RAF consistently sits in the top 1–2% of schools nationally, and ~97% of alumni progress to top universities, compared with just ~20% of young people locally.

At the heart of RAF's success is a revolutionary commitment to teacher development. Led by CEO Rebecca Cramer — nominated for the Global Teacher Prize in 2019 — RAF treats high-quality professional development as the highest-leverage tool for pupil success. Every teacher receives weekly instructional coaching, daily deliberate practice, and bespoke Continuous Professional Development (CPD) grounded in cognitive science. The results speak for themselves: in 2025, 90% of pupils achieved the Expected Standard in Key Stage 2 SATs versus 62% nationally, and Year 4 multiplication scores averaged 24.4/25 against the national average score of 21.0. At GCSE the average Attainment 8 score for pupils was 60.8 compared to 46.1 national average.

RAF's pioneering Reach Teacher Training programme, launched in 2020, has trained 79 teachers who have gone on to make a real and lasting difference in their own community, and beyond. RAF recruits from the local community — including parents and teaching assistants — providing philanthropically-funded means-tested bursaries and supporting Foundation Degrees to diversify the profession. 22% of trainees come from global majority backgrounds compared to a national figure of 16.2% (GOV.UK, 2025). One standout story: Dawn, a local parent, began as a reading volunteer, completed a foundation degree, and is now a qualified Early Career Teacher — her daughter, a former RAF pupil, is completing her own teacher training journey and will soon take up a permanent role at a Reach School.

RAF's impact extends far beyond its walls. Through its Reach Out programme, RAF hosted 570 visitors from other schools and trusts between September 2025 and April 2026 alone, from countries including Singapore, India, Germany, Chile and the USA. The school's practice was featured in StepLab's documentary Great Teaching, Unpacked.

Staff wellbeing is treated with equal rigour. RAF was a DfE-appointed Flexible Working Ambassador School from 2023-2026, offers teachers up to 5 days of term-time annual leave, pays inner London pay scales despite being in outer London, and provides subsidised wraparound childcare for staff with children attending the school. In a recent survey, 97% said they felt content at work, up from 85% the previous year, and 95% said CPD had made them a better teacher than a year ago. Staff retention is strong — 30% have been at RAF for 5+ years.

In 2017, RAF launched The Reach Children's Hub, a cradle-to-career model now replicated by ~70 place-based clusters nationally through sister charity The Reach Foundation, reaching over 500 schools.

In 2022 RAF opened the doors of it's innovative and pioneering sixth form partnership, Feltham College. The partnership with Hampton School and Lady Eleanor Holles allows teachers from all three schools to learn from each other, sharing feedback on observations, CPD sessions and currricla development.

RAF is a shining example of what happens when a school invests as rigorously in its teachers as it does in its pupils — and proof that excellence in education can transform entire communities.