STUDENTS from Whitton School and Hampton Community have been to Sweden for a preview of academy-style education.

Pupils from the two schools visited the Kunskapsskolan School in the town of Nykoping to learn more about the teaching methods employed by our Scandinavian friends.

Over there young people are given a greater say in their education, agreeing a work plan with their personal tutors and then taking responsibility for their own learning before their achievements are assessed at the end of every week.

Ten students from Hampton and Whitton spent two days with their Swedish counterparts, joining in lessons, tutorials and study times.

After sitting in on a tutorial with a Swedish student, Priya Hirjee, from Hampton's year eight, said: "Lily discussed her day and her workload with the teacher and she was encouraged to meet her goals and her target levels."

Abbie Prior, a year 10 Whitton student, said: "It's a brilliant way to learn, you arrange your own day and can spend longer on a subject if you feel you need to."

Sue Demont and Nick Jones, who will be principals at Hampton and Whitton respectively when the schools become academies later this year, both joined the trip. They both said they were impressed by the response of their own students and felt the trip was an important one to help smooth the transition.

From September, the schools will become Hampton Academy and Whitton Academy. Academies are government-funded schools which are run independently. They will be sponsored by Kunskapsskolan and managed by the Learning Schools Trust (LST).