Visiting schools
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Re: Faith Schools Admission
Well if it makes you feel any better, you can't do Spanish at A' level at Judd!!
As a scientist by training, the triple science issue is mystifying. I can't why it isn't offered by more schools, but also there seem to be many schools where the triple award is not on offer but students still go on to do science degrees. A relative of mine at an independent did only two GCSE's worth of science (three sciences was not available that year, and that was at an independent!!), but is now doing a chemistry degree at a top uni. It did not seem to cause any problem whatsoever at A level. The whole thing is v. confusing.
In a county unlike Kent without the 11+ I would expect a comprehensive to offer a very broad range of subjects at 14+ - both academic "hard" skills, academic "softer" skills, and vocational. I suppose the non-selectives in Kent all have quite different intakes from one another, and from true comprehensives in other counties. Because Bennett is a church school, and some parents have made quite a significant effort to attend church even though that is not what they did before they started thinking about schools, it probably does not have the same cross-section of pupils as a typical Kent non-selective so both its results and the subjects on offer would be atypical of many Kent non-selectives.
This makes it a great school for pupils who want an academic curriculum, and are of average ability and above. But it probably would not serve quite as well the remainder of the population. Maybe this is why OFSTED made the comment they did. But probably people who want the more vocational curriculum will not be using the school, and there are other schools in the area that do provide this, so it's not really a significant problem .... only if the head wants to be criticism free!!
As a scientist by training, the triple science issue is mystifying. I can't why it isn't offered by more schools, but also there seem to be many schools where the triple award is not on offer but students still go on to do science degrees. A relative of mine at an independent did only two GCSE's worth of science (three sciences was not available that year, and that was at an independent!!), but is now doing a chemistry degree at a top uni. It did not seem to cause any problem whatsoever at A level. The whole thing is v. confusing.
In a county unlike Kent without the 11+ I would expect a comprehensive to offer a very broad range of subjects at 14+ - both academic "hard" skills, academic "softer" skills, and vocational. I suppose the non-selectives in Kent all have quite different intakes from one another, and from true comprehensives in other counties. Because Bennett is a church school, and some parents have made quite a significant effort to attend church even though that is not what they did before they started thinking about schools, it probably does not have the same cross-section of pupils as a typical Kent non-selective so both its results and the subjects on offer would be atypical of many Kent non-selectives.
This makes it a great school for pupils who want an academic curriculum, and are of average ability and above. But it probably would not serve quite as well the remainder of the population. Maybe this is why OFSTED made the comment they did. But probably people who want the more vocational curriculum will not be using the school, and there are other schools in the area that do provide this, so it's not really a significant problem .... only if the head wants to be criticism free!!
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Hardworkingmum
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:46 am
Re: Visiting schools
Mystery do you actually have any children?mystery wrote:Yes, "seeing" schools is a difficult thing to do. Are they still running open evenings? I'm probably odd, and probably won't get away with it with my own children, but I think I would try to take the approach of going to see lots of schools myself, during school hours, without a child, and then tell the child afterwards which schools are going on the CAF and why. And I would explain still then that they might not get any of the CAF choices. It is not guaranteed for anyone.
I would show her lots of good stuff about each school you are putting on the form, and the websites. I would explain that the CAF is only about expressing a preference. I would say there's no point in wasting her time taking her round lots of schools - she might choose school X, but you might get a place at school Y. It isn't possible for a prospective pupil to see a school properly as the only way of seeing a school properly is during school hours, and by going into lessons. Even then you're not going to see exactly what your child is going to experience as every teacher, group, set is different.
Going on an open evening only allows your child to select by the look of the building and a few pupils and teachers who are put out "on show".
Re: Visiting schools
I really did laugh at that comment.Hardworkingmum wrote: Mystery do you actually have any children?
Re: Visiting schools
Yes - plenty - even more than you might think! 
This thread was resurrected at a good time for me.
Predictably, I went on an open morning with a child of mine in tow very recently - a year early really but she had asked to go several times. It didn't help me find out anything really but I didn't see anything to put me off the place so I suppose that was good. Child enjoyed morning off primary school so wants to do some more - might do one more if have to - choice from here is unpredictable - two possible grammars one of which is superselective and several non-selectives many of which may not be possible from our address apart from one very poor one which would be a dead cert.
I don't know how one finds out the real stuff about a school without teaching there or going there. It was good going a year early as I wouldn't want child to set heart on a particular school close to the 11 plus exam and then not pass, and visiting after results but before form filling sounds manic.
Still feel child could not / should not make the final decision. I guess this depends on your short list and the child concerned.
This thread was resurrected at a good time for me.
Predictably, I went on an open morning with a child of mine in tow very recently - a year early really but she had asked to go several times. It didn't help me find out anything really but I didn't see anything to put me off the place so I suppose that was good. Child enjoyed morning off primary school so wants to do some more - might do one more if have to - choice from here is unpredictable - two possible grammars one of which is superselective and several non-selectives many of which may not be possible from our address apart from one very poor one which would be a dead cert.
I don't know how one finds out the real stuff about a school without teaching there or going there. It was good going a year early as I wouldn't want child to set heart on a particular school close to the 11 plus exam and then not pass, and visiting after results but before form filling sounds manic.
Still feel child could not / should not make the final decision. I guess this depends on your short list and the child concerned.
Re: Visiting schools
I agree with a lot of the things you say Mystery. A child would choose a school based on anything that attracted them on the day. I did take my son to all the grammar schools one year before the exam to motivate him to study for the exam. As I am very conscious that he may end up at our "satisfactory" comprehensive, I was very careful not to take him there in case he loved it and also in case he didn't. I did take him this year and he said it would be "okay" to go there.
It did help that most of his friends were preparing for the test. I did visit some other local schools which he never saw. I am sure you have done all this. It is a difficult one. When it came to the actual CAF, he was disappointed by our choice. His top one was our 3rd one. Although his third choice is a very good one, it is the harder to get to for him and we are looking at the overall picture. He may still get it though and then I don't know what we will do. He has always known what he wanted and I almost want to trust him on this. He did have all the arguments some parents made on this thread, including "I'm the one going there!". He felt so strongly that I contacted Admissions to see if I could change the order, they said yes, as it was on 31st, but my husband reminded me that we were the parents and that we had thought a lot about it! So, we didn't change it and I still feel unsure we did the right thing!
The truth is that, as you say, the choice may be done for us. I did speak to the teachers and asked them how the subjects were taught. I have tried to match this information with my child's personality.
It did help that most of his friends were preparing for the test. I did visit some other local schools which he never saw. I am sure you have done all this. It is a difficult one. When it came to the actual CAF, he was disappointed by our choice. His top one was our 3rd one. Although his third choice is a very good one, it is the harder to get to for him and we are looking at the overall picture. He may still get it though and then I don't know what we will do. He has always known what he wanted and I almost want to trust him on this. He did have all the arguments some parents made on this thread, including "I'm the one going there!". He felt so strongly that I contacted Admissions to see if I could change the order, they said yes, as it was on 31st, but my husband reminded me that we were the parents and that we had thought a lot about it! So, we didn't change it and I still feel unsure we did the right thing!
The truth is that, as you say, the choice may be done for us. I did speak to the teachers and asked them how the subjects were taught. I have tried to match this information with my child's personality.
