Stroud or Ribston?

[Newshoes]

Oh what a great position to be in but a huge dilema and I really feel for you as was in exactly the same position last year

SHS - DD really wanted SHS, but our opinion was that the focus was on sport and she just isn't sporty although we were very very impressed overall with the school! It's a real shame there isn't a school bus from Cheltenham. The children were extremely polite and engaged no matter what lesson they were involved in.
Ribston - the head was lovely, she gave lots of advice and information. The environment very caring, school has lots of investment, all girls were polite although not the best presented. It was just the wrong side of Glos for us - again no school bus.
HSFG - see other post!!

It is a very hard decision to make, but given your concern and all of the options you are considering, you will make the right one.

[Milk]

Just to add that there IS a bus to Ribston to Cheltenham - it is a private bus company running it, and the current rate is £1200 a year. Don't be put off by the apparent lack of a public school bus - the transport is there.

[DebsB]

Realistically looking at the exam results of both schools, Ribston has performed better in the last year and the travel to school would be more convenient. Any friends made from the school would live within the Gloucester area and this would be easier for socialising events which my daughter may involve herself in.

If you want your offspring to make school friends who all live locally, then your only option is a comp that selects on catchment and/or distance from the school! Any grammar school in Gloucestershire will have kids coming from all over the county and beyond. If your daughter goes to Ribston that won't mean all her friends come from Gloucester, although probably some of them will. Likewise, if she goes to SHS she may make lots of friends who live near you and travel to school on the same bus as her. You just can't tell in advance.

But it shouldn't be a problem. When I was at school, I lived just round the corner from the school but my friends came from miles away. We managed to see each other no problem. Sometimes our parents drove us and sometimes we caught buses or trains.

[DC17C]

I would say part of the issue with short skirts at Ribston is down to the style of skirt allowed as uniform at the moment. DD has 2-3 skirts 1 longer and 2 a bit shorter. She finds the longer one harder to walk in due to the shape of it. She wears trousers as soon as she is allowed to in the winter. I understand there are plans to change the uniform next year so perhaps a different style of skirt will be part of that.

[stroudydad]

This appears to be an old thread but regarding the skirt length, Stroud High changed their dress code this year with regard to skirts, they are now only allowed to wear a pleated type skirt or the 'two pocket skirt' (and trousers), and are not allowed the pencil skirt. This was directly to counter the problems with overly short skirts, and all skirts must now be 'on the knee'.

[DC17C]

This appears to be an old thread but regarding the skirt length, Stroud High changed their dress code this year with regard to skirts, they are now only allowed to wear a pleated type skirt or the 'two pocket skirt' (and trousers), and are not allowed the pencil skirt. This was directly to counter the problems with overly short skirts, and all skirts must now be 'on the knee'.

Well spotted SD

[Stressed?Moi?]

Just to add that there IS a bus to Ribston to Cheltenham - it is a private bus company running it, and the current rate is £1200 a year. Don't be put off by the apparent lack of a public school bus - the transport is there.

Just wanted to back this up in case others are interested. There are two companies who from the Racecourse along the A40, Arle Court, Longlevens and then Ribston/Crypt. We moved from Express (also known as Dix) to Bennetts who are really good and a bit cheaper.

[Redlocks17]

Ribston is changing it's uniform for sep 2015 entry to pleated skirts. The current pencil skirts are snug but they do come in various longer lengths....since the beginning of time girls have shortened their skirts! I used to walk out of my house to school fairly respectable and by the time I had got to the school gates my skirt was 4 inches shorter!! Those were the days....

My dd said that the skirt length it always a topic between teachers and pupils at Ribston, I am guessing that why there is a change ahead! My assumption is they will be longer...

[Stressed?Moi?]

I would say part of the issue with short skirts at Ribston is down to the style of skirt allowed as uniform at the moment. DD has 2-3 skirts 1 longer and 2 a bit shorter. She finds the longer one harder to walk in due to the shape of it. She wears trousers as soon as she is allowed to in the winter. I understand there are plans to change the uniform next year so perhaps a different style of skirt will be part of that.

DD has seen the new uniform and apparently it is a pleated skirt (to stop the rolling up) and a striped blouse. I think they should get cracking on changing it (don't know why they didn't do it this September) as I don't think the current one is brilliant.

Beat me to it redlocks. I too used to leave home with skirt on knee and it was distinctly shorter by the time I reached school! It all pales into comparison with the Bourneside girls I pass in the mornings during the school run. I for one don't want to see next week's washing as my Gran used to say.

[DebsB]

Pleated skirts don't actually stop them rolling them up - they just make them look more obvious when they do! I found myself walking along behind a girl with a rolled up pleated skirt the other day and thought how ridiculous it looked!