'Great facilities and great teaching staff'

BASED in idyllic grounds and recently named in a list of the 250 best schools in the country, Fonthill Lodge is going from strength to strength.

The learning centre, based in Coombe Hill Road, is even home to chess champions who represent our country. Reporter SIAN HEWITT went to meet a few pupils and the headteacher, to learn about the secrets of the school's success.

What is your favourite thing about the school?

Maddie Simons, 10, said: "It is just a really nice place to be. The environment and the teachers make it fun coming to school."

George Southgate, 10, added: "The food is really nice here, my favourite is the spaghetti bolognese at lunchtime.

"Everything is really good. I am going to miss it a lot when I leave."

Jack Morgan, eight, said: "All the teachers are nice and the lessons are fun. We do a lot here."

Lucy Simmonds, nine, said: "I came here in Year Two and I really like it."

If you could have anyone in the world teach you for a day who would it be?

Lucy said: "I would have Angelina Jolie. I want to be an actress when I grow up so it would be good to learn from her."

Jack said: "I would have an inventor come in. That's what I want to be when I grow up. I have already done some inventions of my own. I'd like to make a teleporter."

Maddie said: "I would have Mr Willcock, even though he is already a teacher. He is really funny and makes me laugh, but sometimes he can be strange."

George added: "Me too. I would have Mr Willcock. He is really funny and a good teacher. I learn a lot from him but his jokes are really bad."

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Maddie said: "I want a job in design. I don't know what type yet, maybe house or clothes.

"Art is my favourite subject so I think this would help."

George said: "I want to be a sportsman.

"Probably rugby, although I do play other games like tennis here at school."