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Maidstone Grammer School

Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:02 pm
by pheasantchick
Just been to Maidstone Grammer school and wondered what other people thought of it? I was impressed with the place. All the lads I spoke had positive things to say about the place, and when asked what they didn't like, couldn't think of a negative.

I felt that Oakwood tried harder to sell itself, whilst MGS was more relaxed about the whole affair. Both open evenigns were good. Both schools my son liked, so it'll be a hard choice for him.

Re: Maidstone Grammer School

Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:27 pm
by dadofkent
pheasantchick wrote:Just been to Maidstone Grammer school and wondered what other people thought of it? I was impressed with the place. All the lads I spoke had positive things to say about the place, and when asked what they didn't like, couldn't think of a negative.

I felt that Oakwood tried harder to sell itself, whilst MGS was more relaxed about the whole affair. Both open evenigns were good. Both schools my son liked, so it'll be a hard choice for him.
My DS guided around a "nice family" and a "rude family". I hope you were the nice family. He loves the place by the way.

Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:35 pm
by familyinthevalley
I just got back as well.....had a very nice young man showing us around. Boys were very pleasant. I would've liked to have seen Year 7 work on display though, and not year 8 and 9 work. But I guess they put out what is available to them. My son's choice ultimately as to where he feels comfortable, and we have a very close relationship with another grammar due to another son there, and my 10 yr old is still favouring it. But....thought I'd show him the options. The other has been absolutely fantastic over the last 7 years and I can't fault it - and it feels like a second home :) But I did get the same sense of 'what you see is what you get' and no hardsell on the school itself from Maidstone. Never went to Oakwood due to references from other parents.

Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:00 pm
by MasterChief
Very impressed. Just as well really as it was the one we were hoping to be impressed by. DS was interested in the CCF before we went-even more so now.
I just thought the whole place exuded an atmosphere of calm and authority and all the students we spoke to(and not just those showing us around) were confident,well rounded characters who really seemed to like the school.The facilities were impressive(we especially liked the labs,ICT and refectory),the work on show was a high standard and we felt the library was the best we have seen
So a 5 minute walk to school for DS-he won't have to get up until 8!!!

Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 3:33 pm
by dadoftwo
Funny, my wife was there last night with my yr5 son, to allow him to check out the place. My eldest was also there as a year 7 tour guide.

My wife couldn't believe how rude some parents were being to the year 7 guides. It is clear, some of the pushy parents don't realise they are only 10/11yrs old! She heard one mum say to the guide..."yes yes, I know what a classroom looks like, we want to get to...." The child didn't quite know what to do. Unfortunately what that mum doesn't know is that the lads have tour routes they are meant to follow.

Still saying all of that, MGS don't really need to sell the place, the behaviour and attitude of the lads does it for them. Yes they are very strict on appearance and also behaviour, but hey, they are there to learn, not muck around :-)

My son certainly loves the school.

Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 2:22 pm
by pheasantchick
Thanks for all your replies.

Dad Of Kent - we didn't knowingly meet your son as we were our tour guide's third tour of the evening, so we were thankfully not his rude family.

Dad-of-two - Hopefully we weren't your rude family either(I don't think we were). Our year 7 guide was helpful, informative, friendly to my sons, didn't seem to mind answering my questions, and was a real credit to the school.

I'm glad your sons have settled in the school. Its easy to see the positives of the school - good reputation, nice buildings/grounds, good academic record etc but are there any negatives you can think of? Is there anything the school could improve on?

Familyinthevalley - you said you didn't go to Oakwood due to references from other parents. Good references or bad references?

Just think, we could have all passed one another in the MGS corridors. Maybe when this 11+ saga is all over, we could have a 'coming out' party. ie. my name is Joe/Josephine bloggs, and I live in Timbuctoo and ...I am a 11+ parent!

Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:35 pm
by MasterChief
I suggested on another part of the forum that we should all have worn name tags with our online id's on them.