[Search & Destroy]

Anyone else going through the 'where to send the kids in year 7' conundrum?

[Sabreman]

Search and Destroy, on 15 September 2016 - 07:42 PM, said:

Anyone else going through the 'where to send the kids in year 7' conundrum?

All depends on your catchment area

[firedodger]

Search and Destroy, on 15 September 2016 - 07:42 PM, said:

Anyone else going through the 'where to send the kids in year 7' conundrum?

Is your local school no good then?

[Search & Destroy]

Heritage in Clowne
32% of students achieve at least 5 A to C GCSEs
National average is around 54%

Useless really.

This post has been edited by Search and Destroy: 15 September 2016 - 09:41 PM

[firedodger]

Search and Destroy, on 15 September 2016 - 09:14 PM, said:

Heritage in Clowne
32% of students achieve at least 5 A to C GCSEs
National average is around 54%

Useless really.

Hmm never really looked into the league tables and percentages, got to admit our kids were both born when we lived on Avondale road, but before school age we moved to ashgate road and we've always been very happy with Westfield, old hall and Brookfield.
I wouldn't like the dilemma, are you considering moving house?

[Search & Destroy]

No, I don't think so, there are other schools not in the catchment area we could still apply for.

Netherthorpe has a good reputation, went to their open day this evening

School bus runs past our house en route as well

[fishini]

Do the kids have any say? Are their opinions asked for and listened to?

[valemadness]

Search and Destroy, on 15 September 2016 - 09:14 PM, said:

Heritage in Clowne
32% of students achieve at least 5 A to C GCSEs
National average is around 54%

Useless really.

We went to the Bolsover School last night for their evening. They were saying their gcse results had 4-36% more students passing with A*-C grades than the local schools. Higher than national average too. My eldest has just finished there with 10 b and c grades this summer, youngest will be going there from June next year too. They do an early transition period from June half term that allows the kids to go in for 6 weeks and get their bearings for the school. Adapt to the 1 teacher, 1 classroom to various teachers and different rooms for each lesson. Means they settle in before the summer holidays and start the new school year running.

[firedodger]

fishini, on 16 September 2016 - 05:44 AM, said:

Do the kids have any say? Are their opinions asked for and listened to?

Tricky one isn't it? I doubt most kids would want to go elsewhere they will have their mates from juniors and just want to carry on with them. But that isn't always the best option if as an adult the school gives you that much concern that maybe you need to make that choice for them.

[Limestone Cowboy]

Search and Destroy, on 15 September 2016 - 10:02 PM, said:

No, I don't think so, there are other schools not in the catchment area we could still apply for.

Netherthorpe has a good reputation, went to their open day this evening

School bus runs past our house en route as well

Two of my Grandchildren go there, my daughter is very happy with their progress.

This post has been edited by Limestone Cowboy: 16 September 2016 - 08:15 AM

[brianclose]

Its difficult nowadays because the results vary so much year by year. I went to Hasland which was distinctly average at the time but was last year the best locally in terms of results (think it even beat St Marys).

Even Parkside is now claiming on the radio that it is one of the best in the district!

[Cartman]

brianclose, on 16 September 2016 - 08:36 AM, said:

Its difficult nowadays because the results vary so much year by year. I went to Hasland which was distinctly average at the time but was last year the best locally in terms of results (think it even beat St Marys).

Even Parkside is now claiming on the radio that it is one of the best in the district!

Hasland's results were terrible when I went!

On schools, how do we expect the 'below average' schools to improve if all the clever kids in the catchment area ****** off to other schools?

[firedodger]

Cartman, on 16 September 2016 - 10:00 AM, said:

Hasland's results were terrible when I went!

On schools, how do we expect the 'below average' schools to improve if all the clever kids in the catchment area ****** off to other schools?

Catch 22 isn't it? How do you expect clever kids to go to their crap local school?

[Town_Fan]

Step lad has just got 9 GCSE's at A or A*, he's been supported in his education by the Royal Society and he has opportunities abound as he enters sixth form. My 5 year old has just started Year 1 in a class size of 15 and he has 1 to 1 teaching available to him.

My missus wants to move up north, I think she's mad.

[Search & Destroy]

Cartman, on 16 September 2016 - 10:00 AM, said:

Hasland's results were terrible when I went!

On schools, how do we expect the 'below average' schools to improve if all the clever kids in the catchment area ****** off to other schools?

Big call for a parent is that.

There's a good school locally and a poor one.

He or she is clever so I'll send him/her to the poor one in order to help drive to drive it forward.

Or just apply to the good one.

[Search & Destroy]

fishini, on 16 September 2016 - 05:44 AM, said:

Do the kids have any say? Are their opinions asked for and listened to?

They'd surely just want to go with their mates are going and I understand that.

However, as a parent, your job is to set them up for life, a ten year old doesn't necessarily think like that.

[hilly81]

It's pre-school for us currently. Just waiting back on an application on the best one in the area which normally gets you a place at the school once they start properly. Fingers crossed as we are marginally outside of the catchment area.

[brianclose]

Search and Destroy, on 16 September 2016 - 11:57 AM, said:

Big call for a parent is that.

There's a good school locally and a poor one.

He or she is clever so I'll send him/her to the poor one in order to help drive to drive it forward.

Or just apply to the good one.

Most parents would presumably pick the latter option. No guarantee that one clever kid is going to drive a school forward - just as likely they will be dragged down to the riff-raffs level.

[CFC91]

fishini, on 16 September 2016 - 05:44 AM, said:

Do the kids have any say? Are their opinions asked for and listened to?

I seem to remember I did. Alot of my mates went Tupton or Highfields so I wanted to follow suit. Wasn't in catchment area for either (Mortimer Wilson was my designated school I think) so applied for those two instead. Got reufsed for both initially but eventually got accepted to Highfields.

Dont think my parents wanted me to og to Morts or Swanick Hall because of the rep/results so there is truth in the point about bad schools struggling to improve cos more normal kids go to the better schools elsewhere..

[firedodger]

CFC91, on 16 September 2016 - 01:35 PM, said:

I seem to remember I did. Alot of my mates went Tupton or Highfields so I wanted to follow suit. Wasn't in catchment area for either (Mortimer Wilson was my designated school I think) so applied for those two instead. Got reufsed for both initially but eventually got accepted to Highfields.

Dont think my parents wanted me to og to Morts or Swanick Hall because of the rep/results so there is truth in the point about bad schools struggling to improve cos more normal kids go to the better schools elsewhere..

Mate if you are who I think you are, you just want to be happy you didn't get your academic prowess from your dad!