Advice needed on state secondary schools around Wycombe...

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mamai
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:34 pm

Advice needed on state secondary schools around Wycombe...

Post by mamai »

Hi All,



I stumbled across this forum late. I'm making a final decision on which schools to shortlist for our DS (with his input too), who has just taken the 11+. I'm in catchment for RGS & JHGS, but remain undecided about state secondary schools (excluding private schools). I'd welcome the input of any of you who have experience, insight or testimonials of others, concerning different schools in the area. Looking at some of the league tables for non-grammar school options is leaving me decidedly unsettled about those schools, but I need to make sure of provisions in case he doesn't pass the 11+, so am aiming to include 3-4 schools which aren't grammars.

I'm browsing through the many threads here from the past, but would be grateful for a steer and or any advice.

Thanks in advance. :o)
andyb
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Advice needed on state secondary schools around Wycombe.

Post by andyb »

When it came to putting down Upper schools we went with our gut feelings (and those of DS). There was one that we were considering that he took an instant dislike to when we looked around so it didn't go on the form, although parents with children already there thought it was great; and another that we dismissed for DS1 but would have suited DS2 so it did go on his form.

Of the 60 children who took the 11+ with DS1 and the 60 that took it with DS2 I know of only 2 who have changed secondary school for reasons other than a family move or a successful 12+, which suggests that the majority are happy with their choice (or maybe not sufficiently unhappy to warrant starting afresh somewhere else).

What I'm saying is: what is right for one child may be completely wrong for another so it is a decision only you and your child can make.

Good luck.
drummer
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: South Bucks

Re: Advice needed on state secondary schools around Wycombe.

Post by drummer »

mamai wrote:Hi All,

Looking at some of the league tables for non-grammar school options is leaving me decidedly unsettled about those schools, but I need to make sure of provisions in case he doesn't pass the 11+, so am aiming to include 3-4 schools which aren't grammars.
Regarding League Tables, remember that the academic cream has been taken off the top for Upper schools so you really need to look beneath the superficial league table result that the papers publish. To properly compare the upper schools I would look at the Performance Tables on the Department for Education website http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/

I would look at the proportion of high and middle achievers within the cohort and also the proportion of those high and middle achievers making expected levels of progress. If you think your child is borderline grammar school material then they would probably be classed as a 'high attainer'.

I wonder if the proportion of 'high attainers' in a cohort could also affect timetabling options for GCSE (adversely if there are very few wanting to take traditionally academic subjects).

For example, look at the difference between Chalfonts Community College http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/sch ... urn=110529 with 23% 'high attainers' and the Cressex Community College http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/sch ... urn=110500 with only 6% 'high attainers'. Note that schools that have recently become an Acadamy are treated like a new school and you have to look at their historic results (under the non-academy name).

PS. I am not suggesting that Chalfonts is a Wycombe school, I just picked it for a comparison :wink:
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