Pates

[cairo]

With my teaching hat on, I admire the concept of 3 years for GCSEs.

I didn't know Pates did this. Does that mean they have to choose their options in Y8? And do some DCs take some GCSEs early?

Could someone also fill me in on what (if any) help they get if they are struggling in one area? With one child already at STRS, I am confident that no-one there would be allowed to slip too far behind & extra help would be given to those who need it. Is it the same at Pates? Thanks for any advice.

[neveragain*]

aarrgg - Just to add balance - my DD turned down a Pates place in Year 7 and then again in year 12 (this year) over SHS and hasn't lost her sparkle at all. She is a real individual and has found fabulous teachers who really GET her. Thats not to say Pates don't do all that and more too, but just wanted to add my knowledge of SHS. She also got fab GCSE results and has done lots and lots extra curricular stuff - drama, art, debating, d of e etc and as she so academic she has stood out a bit more than she may have at Pates (in a good way) and been really encouraged! She had a ridiculously high score for Pates so we knew she's be really able - but are also really happy with SHS - especially the pastoral care. Go for whatever feels right of course but also worry not re SHS!!!!!! Well done your DD as well!

[cheltdad]

Ooops I just wrote a long worried post and pressed back on the mouse accidently so it's gone. Nevermind, it was probably boring anyway!

I have looked at the Bennetts coach that picks up around Gloucester to Pates and it is a possibility though it would mean a fairly long walk to get to. Does anyone know the cost of this or other ways to get over to Cheltenham? The public bus drops off at GCHQ but would be easier for him to get in the morning from the bus station. Does anyone know of other children who do this and then walk down Princess Elizabeth Way? He's such a young unworldy child that I still can't quite imagine he will mature enough over the next year to let him do this but it's the only way so he's going to have to learn and I'm going to have to get used to the idea!

He has asked me to find out if there is a chess club too. I'm sure that this sort of thing might be discussed on Thursday but I can't go and even if I arm my husband with these questions he will likely forget to ask them. I'm so annoyed that I can't go, it would have been lovely to meet you all and see the school from a different angle, when we went to the open evening we enjoyed ourselves but we didn't get attached because we didn't realise he would do well enough to get in!

There is a chess club and Nigel Hosken teaches at the school (Head of Maths), I know of at least 3 very talented chess players that have qualified this year so if he goes they will have a good chess team!

[Glos_Mum]

...

[lassett]

Thank you Cheltdad, my son is hardly an expert player but would like to develop so it sounds like there may be a chance of that.

Glos_mum, I have emailed Bennetts about the cost of the bus so will hopefully get a reply tomorrow and shall let you know.

[livviloo]

I have a DS in Y7. We are comfortably off but the bulk of our expenditure is on our house and foreign travel (but all my in-laws are in the USA and my family are scattered - USA, other parts Europe and Asia). We watch our pennies so we can have a nice place to live and visit our family on a regular basis. We certainly cannot afford all the activities on offer out of school for our kids and ski holidays are not on our agenda. We used to have a 4x4 but now have a skoda! We work in the public sector.
So far my DS says Pates is the "best school ever". He hated primary school and couldn't wait to leave. He constantly asked to be home schooled. He was never on any team at his old school. He isn't at Pates either but he is keen to try for Rugby and joined the club.We never expected him to be in the top 120 and last Easter (after he had got in to Pates) his primary school class teacher told us the reason he had not been selected for the SATS booster group was because he was a safe level 4b and only the 3a and 4a kids had been chosen as they stood a chance of moving up a level. So he certainly isn't a genius! He actually got level 5 in everything in the end. He is far from struggling with the content of the work but is, as many boys are I am sure, finding some of the organising challenging. He loses stuff all the time( this will happen anywhere). He commented that it is great that the whole class are able to grasp concepts at a similar speed especially in maths.
We have had to pay for a trip (£4) and tickets for house music (£5 each for parent) and send in a packed lunch. Occasionally he has some money to spend in the cafeteria ( max £3-4 per week) He hasn't said"everyone else..."
There is no expectation for them to have their own laptop but access to a home computer is essential.
We are, so far, very impressed with the communication from the school but above all else with how happy and unstressed our DS is. Every morning he looks forward to going to school. Honeymoon period, maybe ,but we are loving the experience right now.

[aargh]

Thanks neveragain* that is reassuring about SHS.

Maybe my pupils were always going to become more conventional at secondary. I apologise if I seemed insulting, that was not my intention and looking at it again I can see that the post did not post correctly and the meaning gets terribly distorted. Part of it seems to have got deleted somehow before I posted. I am appalled at what it turned into and have deleted that!
In the full version I said:
"I go past Stroud high every morning and see the girls going in looking self-assured and enthused so SHS must be pretty good. My own daughter needs to be pushed hard to keep her spark. That said, some of my pupils who were bright sparks who went to SHS became more conventional. " or something like that.
I was trying to say that I did not think my DD would keep her spark unless she is really pushed. She is wonderful, creative and bright but can be a bit blasé at times.

Thanks for the info regarding drama too. DD is hot on drama and I didn't know that SHS was.
We haven't made up our minds yet (like I say SHS is just around the corner). neveragain*, your info makes me think DD would flourish there too.
But she does want to do mandarin (maybe we could find an evening course).

We'll see after Thursday's revisit.
Great for you DDs GCSEs etc. Did you have a DD going for it this year?

Cripes it happened again. I've just had to edit this and repost it!

[Sabanna]

I can't really give much on the Pastoral support as she has only been there one term, but she did have to have a day off sick and the support for catch up was great.

She e-mailed all the tutors that day and they replied giving her information on what they were doing in that lesson and details of the homework. They all said that if there were any problems to see them and not to worry if she was confused as they would help her in the next lesson.

[turtleglos]

Ds1 loves Pate's. He wants to join chess club when it starts up and has discovered rugby! He has made a lot of new friends and looks forward to seeing them every day.
He travels on the bus at the moment although I keep dropping hints that he may prefer the train next yr I think that he would miss the social side of bus travel.
When we were making our decision, people who had dcs that "should have gone to grammar-in particular Pate's-but chose not to", were quick to point out every bad thing that they had heard(hothousing,bad manners,rude,that you need a lot of money etc), so far I have found that none of this is true.
In our experience Pate's has been fantastic for our Ds and I am so glad that we sent him there.

[aargh]

About the 3 year GCSE, I don't know all the details.

The idea I think is that the GCSE work is spread out across the 3 years instead of 2. So you do not miss any preparation, you just study your subjects in greater depth because you have more time to do so.
This way they also have the timetable flexibility to add in other educational goodies that you would never have time for in a 2 year GCSE timeframe. Sometimes whole school exploits like the rocket competition or Mini united nations enactment, sometimes extra study in your subject which adds value but is not on the GCSE set curriculum. This means also that you are not constantly on the serious strenuous stuff. research shows that breaks from serious study help students wellbeing and help the study too.