Decision Time

[ash14]

Thank you so much a friend recommended this site and it had helped us so so much! One gone one to go now

[Jellyicecream]

Ds1 is happy at Crypt and doing well academically, due to appeal ds2 is joining him in September.

Personally I wouldn't go on thoughts and feelings. I would go on facts. If both schools have the same journey time then what are the results like for the subjects your son is most interested in or will need for his future? It's a competitive world so I'd go with the best results.

I don't know much about Marling but we really liked it when we looked round, had it of been closer in distance I would've also been torn. However it was too far for us.

[Amber]

Personally I wouldn't go on thoughts and feelings. I would go on facts. If both schools have the same journey time then what are the results like for the subjects your son is most interested in or will need for his future? It's a competitive world so I'd go with the best results.

Just to give the opposite view - I wouldn't. I would go on how you feel about the schools and whether you could see your son thriving in there. The school with the very best results in Gloucestershire would not suit everyone - it is indeed a competitive world but there is so much more to education than exams, and to attain you need to be happy. There is a whisker between the results of these schools and you can boggle yourself with statistics. It is unlikely that the results your child attains will vary much whichever you choose; also not likely that at ten he will know where his future lies. That is why I said look at pastoral care.


Pleased to hear your news Jelly - hope your son is very happy.

[Jellyicecream]

Thank you Amber, ds2 is very pleased! I think most people would agree that pastoral care is more important than grades. At Crypt ds1 does AWE, aspire, wellbeing and something else I've forgotten...Seems to be pastoral related. I don't know if AWE is taught in every school but ds1 seems to enjoy it, he says they've done yoga and they learn how to manage stress etc he really enjoys it. He has 1 lesson a fortnight.

[DC17C]

I'd say gut feeling and logistics have to be considered- my ds is at Crypt and very happy there and he can get there by stage coach bus easily and he knew other boys going there and he liked it. Marling would have meant a car drive to the bus stop which I would have found difficult. My neighbours ds is at Marling because they are happy to do the car /bus thing..because their ds decided he liked it more and had friends going there....

[ash14]

Thank you all! i never expected to be in the situation so its completely thrown me as i have had spent most of time searching and focusing on Marling! for us its going to be a long bus route which ever school we choice but i think this is a decision im going to let my DS make. We have been looking at the pro/cons for both but i know where his heart is set! i just wanted to make sure we had nothing to worry about or think about in terms of concern!

[kenyancowgirl]

Surely if you appealed to Crypt, that is where you want to go?! Otherwise why bother going through the appeal...

I am not from the area so do not know either school but, a quick spin round their websites, it looks a little like you are splitting hairs. The results are not different enough to panic that one is worse than the other - you say your son likes the Crypt best - if that is where he feels comfortable, you have to consider that. Like Amber, (and being mindful of the discussion on another thread about St. Olave's), the MOST important factor to me would be the pastoral side. Find out about that side of it - do they support the boys well? What if something happens (like a long term illness) which could affect how well they do academically - how supportive will the school be? What if the boy doesn't settle well, how will the school integrate him? etc etc. Which one meets your son's requirements for sport/music/drama/his other interests, best?

And make the decision quickly and then move on - not least because other people will be affected by your decision and, I suspect, the schools will have given you a very short deadline to confirm.

[ash14]

We have made the decision and have notified the schools via email but we have decided with the Crypt! if there are any new year 7 Parents it would be great to connect!

[Mrsdevonshire]

Disappointing that no Marling parents commented!

Do agree with whoever said that they are all good schools. It's wherever your child will do well.

Great to hear movement so late in process as have dd1 sitting this year.

Mrs D

[cazien]

Great to hear movement so late in process as have dd1 sitting this year.

Mrs D

Movement happens all the time Last year my friends DD had a place offered on 27th August because she was next on list! Schools would rather have "bums on seats" than empty places.