Open Morning experience

[Stressed?Moi?]

[quote="Amber"]My Y7 has been doing tours at his school today. He came home sad because one family said they couldn't afford tutoring and he said the child would have 'really loved this school'.

Blimey, how cruel. Firstly to undermine his confidence by effectively saying that he would only pass if he was tutored and secondly, why send him to look if you don't believe he would get in anyway? Poor chap.

Ref showing around, my dd at Ribston also did a Year 7 show-around last year after only starting in September, which apparently was really good. Downsides however were that while some of the girls embraced it and it taught them valuable communication skills, others are less outgoing and hated it. Also, at that stage, they didn't really know much about the school themselves as they were only just learning how to get around the school, etc. Maybe Year 8 is the optimum year?

I personally prefer the look around whilst lessons are ongoing, although you have to feel for the poor teachers trying to conduct lessons whilst parents are listening in!

[DC17C]

Ref showing around, my dd at Ribston also did a Year 7 show-around last year after only starting in September, which apparently was really good. Downsides however were that while some of the girls embraced it and it taught them valuable communication skills, others are less outgoing and hated it. Also, at that stage, they didn't really know much about the school themselves as they were only just learning how to get around the school, etc. Maybe Year 8 is the optimum year?

!

I agree Yr8s would be much more likely to be able to do a school tour and really give an insight into it. My dd has so much more she could say about Ribston now she is at the end of yr7. I have to say she has had a great year and seems to be making good progress in all areas though she has subjects she enjoys more than others and is very happy there.

[Stressed?Moi?]

Likewise my dd loves it there. It has been a perfect fit for her and yes there are definitely more favoured subjects than others - a bit like when I was at school really!

[FluffyCat]

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[custard]

I've just been to look round STRS with my son. I liked the school but I wasn't as impressed with the head teacher's speech as I was with the one at Crypt. The new head of STRS, who starts in September, said that the most important thing is work and the second most important thing is behaviour and therefore punishment is very important. I preferred the ethos of Crypt where they said that the happiness of the pupils is the most important thing because unhappy children don't learn.

DS preferred Crypt too - he thought it had nicer feel about it.

[Amber]

I've just been to look round STRS with my son. I liked the school but I wasn't as impressed with the head teacher's speech as I was with the one at Crypt. The new head of STRS, who starts in September, said that the most important thing is work and the second most important thing is behaviour and therefore punishment is very important. I preferred the ethos of Crypt where they said that the happiness of the pupils is the most important thing because unhappy children don't learn.

DS preferred Crypt too - he thought it had nicer feel about it.

Sorry (and surprised) that Mr Morgan gave a bad impression. I have had dealings with him over the past 2 years and can only say he is the kindest, most sensitive teacher ever - with a fabulous way of dealing with the boys. He has been deputy there for (?) 5 years and when it was announced that he is going to be the head, both parents and boys - all the ones I know anyway - were totally delighted. He has been responsible for pastoral care while both my sons have been there and as I have posted on here before, it takes an awful lot to impress me but the standard of pastoral care (in which he has taken a personal lead) has left me speechless when we have needed it.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 16&t=30807" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; to prove it isn't just me


I know Crypt is a great school too: so I hope your son will be very happy there custard.

[cairo]

. The new head of STRS, who starts in September, said that the most important thing is work and the second most important thing is behaviour and therefore punishment is very important.

Goodness! Is that really what he said? I can't imagine him saying anything like that, so he must have been having a really, really bad day if he did.

Isn't it amazing how this thread proves yet again how different schools suit different children/families and therefore how important it is not to be swayed by statistics but to visit them before making up your mind. What I might view as boring and uninspiring might be viewed by another family as calm and well-ordered etc. I think the "feel" of a school is so important and people know quite quickly whether they like it or not (just like buying a house really).

[Parismum]

Have to second everything that Amber said about STRS Head - discipline IS tight and they come down heavily on 'first offences', but Mr Morgan, from our experience is the perfect, 'pastoral' head for me. He has been so supportive through a couple of problems and his concern has been genuine ongoing, long after the issues have been sorted out. Head's speeches are interesting, I think, in that the best public speaker in the world may not be the best head, and vice-versa. Difficult though, when that's obviously the first thing you get to judge the school on. Going back to my earlier moan about being shown round HSFG by a sixth former who had only just joined the school, we have just been shown around Pate's by 3 gorgeous Year 8 girls, who answered all our questions expertly and had lots of insights relevant to the primary age children. A big task, I know, but it does seem a much more sensible idea. Well done to all your children who have conducted tours, they should be very proud of themselves!

[Tolstoy]

Custard it was many years ago that I did the school rounds. I too was very impressed with The Crypt head and the boys who showed us around the school. At STRS we were showed around by a girl which was a waste of time as she had only joined the school at 6th form. Thankfully they have addressed this problem by using lower years. I was not so impressed with Mr Kellie's speech it lacked passion in my opinion relying totally on results to sell itself.

We went with my DSs decision at the time and factored in that it suited my DS2 better and it was easier to have both in the same school. I did and still do bitterly regret that. I should have gone with my instinct. I often think school choice is a double edged sword and would prefer not to have the responsibility. Having watched my youngest struggling with a decision to do with school classes recently and how upsetting he found it and the fact that should it not work out he might well blame himself I am becoming less enamored daily with so called choice.

That said despite my regrets Matthew Morgan gave up a lot of his time to support my DS and I am sure that had he been head then I would have had fewer regrets about the decision we made.

[Tolstoy]

Stressed Moi I can't answer your p.m because you have disabled your p.m function.

Happy to reply otherwise.