KEHS offer process??

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Jackdaw1
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2016 9:59 pm

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by Jackdaw1 »

Hello any news from KEHS yet today? Our postman is a late roun, so wondering if the letter will arrive today and whether to go home at lunchtime!
mum1115
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2014 1:05 pm

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by mum1115 »

our postman comes quite late too, sometimes around lunchtime but has been as late as nearly 4pm :(

Good luck to everyone waiting for envelopes x
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by um »

I'm aware of one child receiving happy news by post today, so hopefully everyone should have their letters by tomorrow latest.
mum1115
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2014 1:05 pm

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by mum1115 »

my post just included junk mail.
Hopefully a letter tomorrow, although out all day so it's going to be a long wait
Guest2014
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2014 1:44 pm

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by Guest2014 »

Letter arrived today offering a place at KE High School. My daughter did well in the 11+ so KEHS was just an 'insurance' choice. However, I would like to know if the school offers value for money. £12K per year so over 7 years with inflation and other bits thrown in it is min £95K. I would welcome views on whether this is value for money and EXACTLY what does that £95K buy over and above a free grammar school.
GuidingStar
Posts: 61
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:25 pm

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by GuidingStar »

Guest2014 wrote:Letter arrived today offering a place at KE High School. My daughter did well in the 11+ so KEHS was just an 'insurance' choice. However, I would like to know if the school offers value for money. £12K per year so over 7 years with inflation and other bits thrown in it is min £95K. I would welcome views on whether this is value for money and EXACTLY what does that £95K buy over and above a free grammar school.
Congratulations to your dd!

My niece is in year 10 at KEHS with scholarships+AP.

It's a fantastic school.

Whether it's value for money that depends on individual circumstance and individual child's efforts. It certainly offers tremendous facilities and opportunities, it's up to the child and her family how much they utilise them to develop themselves and achieve full potential. My experience is that what your dd will do at home will be more crucial than what she will do at school. Most girls perform outstandingly, but I do know 1 or 2 girls who did not perform that well as one would expect from being in such a top school.

Also your financial situation is a deciding factor. £100k is nothing to worry about for a multimillionaire to try a different experience, but ordinary families like us have to think 10 times before committing such. At least 50 out of your dd's year will decide it's worth it!

If your dd qualifies for KE Camphill, then it's very close call, not much difference between these two schools. It's then just a matter of your finances. If you are a millionaire, go for it. Otherwise I would go for KE Camp hill and save up for her university instead may be by investing in a property.

Not sure if I managed to explain properly as half-asleep at 4 o'clock...
mum1115
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2014 1:05 pm

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by mum1115 »

My dd's letter arrived today.
She's received an AP place.

So proud of her. I think we may have a dilemma come march. She may be a point or so short for Camp Hill depending on this year's cutoff and depending on the cutoff score may depend whether she can get a place on the waiting list.
Knowing where she would fit better is another thing to ponder, as well as the financial commitment.
Guest2014
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2014 1:44 pm

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by Guest2014 »

RE: Guidingstar

You explained it very well, thanks. I guess it all boils down to how easily one can pay the fees. I'll go along to the school on Feb 8th and see if they can convince me to part with my money. Also, I agree with your point about what a child does at home being extremely important, I take it you mean studying, parental support and extra-curricular stuff
crazycrofter
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:10 am

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by crazycrofter »

Well done to those with offers/APs! I've been thinking about what the school offers and whether it's worth it, as my daughter is there on an AP. We turned down a grammar school, but part of the reasoning was to do with distance as she didn't get into our nearest grammar.

It's difficult to say what the school adds compared to a grammar as I haven't had a child at one. I suspect it's mainly to do with extra curricular, broader curriculum and smaller classes. My sister was at Camp Hill (but she left 15 years ago so this is out of date) and she was reasonably musical. However, she didn't join a single club or activity whilst she was there. She says the music was very elitist and she wasn't good enough. I also assume that there wasn't a push from the staff for them to get involved in anything.

At KEHS the music (and sport, and drama) is undoubtedly very high quality. There are some very gifted musicians, dancers and actors there. My daughter isn't particularly gifted in any of these areas, but she's keen. There is a big emphasis on them joining clubs, such that there is a separate page in the end of year report dedicated to extra curricular, and the form teacher definitely encouraged them last year (year 7). There is so much going on and so many opportunities to perform that there is room for everyone. So whilst my daughter will never take part in the lunchtime recitals, she was able to join the lower school choir and sing in Symphony Hall last year. And although she's not really a dancer, she was able to take part in the unauditioned class dance in the dance performance last year. She wasn't in the junior production but she's joined drama club and will get a chance to perform in Ruddock Hall. You get the picture....

Also, the standards are really high, the performances are very polished and professional as they put so much time (and money!) into them. I think it's great for my daughter to be pushed to come out of her comfort zone, do new things, work hard and be inspired by some very talented peers. Being around talented and committed peers has actually encouraged her, rather than discouraged. Yes, she still spends some lunchtimes meeting boys or taking photos for instagram! But she also goes to music practice rooms to sing duets with friends or goes to the dance studio to practise their moves (when she's not in organised clubs).

Someone with a girl at Camp Hill may come along and say it's exactly the same there! I think the other benefit is freedom from the national curriculum and the government's targets. Whether that actually impacts the girls I don't know. Good luck with your decisions anyway! We haven't heard from KES for our son and I'm assuming no interview means no AP so it looks like we won't have a choice to make!
GuidingStar
Posts: 61
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:25 pm

Re: KEHS offer process??

Post by GuidingStar »

crazycrofter wrote:Well done to those with offers/APs! I've been thinking about what the school offers and whether it's worth it, as my daughter is there on an AP.


We haven't heard from KES for our son and I'm assuming no interview means no AP so it looks like we won't have a choice to make!
I have a STRONG feeling based on observing KES/KEHS offer process during last 10 years that, the KE foundation is very unlikely to offer AP to more than 1 child per family. This is one important point families with more younger children to go into secondary school in following years need to have in mind when making a decision about the current child. If the current child qualifies for a top grammar school and s/he has younger siblings who may not perform as good, then taking on any AP offer for the current child and forfeiting the good grammar place unnecessarily might reduce options for younger siblings in future. I have yet to come across any family who got AP (KES+KEHS combined) for more than 1 child. They manage things jointly and keep records forever...
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