Twggs V Togs
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franticmum
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:16 pm
Re: Twggs V Togs
Re whether dippybaby's overheard negative comments are justified?
No, they are not.
My daughter is now in Y8 and tells me frequently she loves the school. It was the best decision we ever made.
Re enrichment, they cannot cover everything in the prospectus or it will be a massive hardback book that no-one reads. There is information on clubs and activites on the website under 'learning', 'enrichment'. There are numerous lunchtime clubs. Last year my daughter visited science club, japan club, orchestra and the animal house (now closed) and brought home one of the school guinea pigs for half term.
Only last week she spent the whole day doing music with two primary schools as part of the concert orchestra (lunchtime club) which also involves a concert tomorrow.
There is also the triple x (extend, explore, excel) which occurs every Wednesday afternoon and is basically when lessons stop early and they do extra curricular activities (like chocolate making, sports coaching, crafts, arts, etc), just like outside clubs or they can choose free activities run by the sixth formers.
Years 7 and 9 are going on a bushcraft/environmental/survival camping weekend which has been geared around whole-self learning.
There are many trips abroad such as the annual international maths challenge, international choir competition, skiing, all the languages (which frequently include language school lessons and exchange trips), geography trips, etc all to extend individuals.
Re the IB, if the IB is such a rubbish qualification then
1) why are so many schools switching to it?
2) why are the government copying its 'many subject' style by suggesting the english baccalaureate to replace GCSE's?
3) why have other countries still got it, especially as they have been using it longer than us?
Let's face it we're all used to A-levels since the year dot and people don't like radical changes. Although I mentioned a report previously, carried out for the IB, which I admit could be biased to the better points of it, but I also mentioned an article by a head teacher comparing the IB and A-levels. Both have their merits and the IB is not a worst option than A-levels. Put 'IB versus A levels' in the search and there's a wealth of articles. People will have to make their own minds up depending on your child. Unless we are able to clone ourselves and do two paths at the same time, how are we ever to know whether one path is better or worse than the other and whether we will get better results at one or the other. This goes for every major decision we make.
Unless your daughter is a very quiet type, then even if you are undecided about the IB, it is not worth ruling out a school by what it does in the sixth form as your daughter could have many happy years there prior to this stage. Alternatively, you could choose an a-level school only to find that by the time your child gets to sixth form, they have also switched. Many children change schools in the sixth form. In many comprehensives they have to do this already as they don't have a sixth form at their school. Its not unheard of and not the end of the world. It will get them accustomed to it prior to going to college or university, if that's what they want to do.
Personally, I quite like the idea of getting the hang of essays before having to do them at uni and also getting higher qualifications/knowledge in other subjects like a language, rather than specialising at an early age. She would not be able to take a language if she were to do a-levels as her choices would already be earmarked for what she wants to do . There's plenty of time to specialise at uni but it really does depend on your child. Just like the comprehensive/grammar debate, you can't say one is better than the other as its horses for courses.
No, they are not.
My daughter is now in Y8 and tells me frequently she loves the school. It was the best decision we ever made.
Re enrichment, they cannot cover everything in the prospectus or it will be a massive hardback book that no-one reads. There is information on clubs and activites on the website under 'learning', 'enrichment'. There are numerous lunchtime clubs. Last year my daughter visited science club, japan club, orchestra and the animal house (now closed) and brought home one of the school guinea pigs for half term.
Only last week she spent the whole day doing music with two primary schools as part of the concert orchestra (lunchtime club) which also involves a concert tomorrow.
There is also the triple x (extend, explore, excel) which occurs every Wednesday afternoon and is basically when lessons stop early and they do extra curricular activities (like chocolate making, sports coaching, crafts, arts, etc), just like outside clubs or they can choose free activities run by the sixth formers.
Years 7 and 9 are going on a bushcraft/environmental/survival camping weekend which has been geared around whole-self learning.
There are many trips abroad such as the annual international maths challenge, international choir competition, skiing, all the languages (which frequently include language school lessons and exchange trips), geography trips, etc all to extend individuals.
Re the IB, if the IB is such a rubbish qualification then
1) why are so many schools switching to it?
2) why are the government copying its 'many subject' style by suggesting the english baccalaureate to replace GCSE's?
3) why have other countries still got it, especially as they have been using it longer than us?
Let's face it we're all used to A-levels since the year dot and people don't like radical changes. Although I mentioned a report previously, carried out for the IB, which I admit could be biased to the better points of it, but I also mentioned an article by a head teacher comparing the IB and A-levels. Both have their merits and the IB is not a worst option than A-levels. Put 'IB versus A levels' in the search and there's a wealth of articles. People will have to make their own minds up depending on your child. Unless we are able to clone ourselves and do two paths at the same time, how are we ever to know whether one path is better or worse than the other and whether we will get better results at one or the other. This goes for every major decision we make.
Unless your daughter is a very quiet type, then even if you are undecided about the IB, it is not worth ruling out a school by what it does in the sixth form as your daughter could have many happy years there prior to this stage. Alternatively, you could choose an a-level school only to find that by the time your child gets to sixth form, they have also switched. Many children change schools in the sixth form. In many comprehensives they have to do this already as they don't have a sixth form at their school. Its not unheard of and not the end of the world. It will get them accustomed to it prior to going to college or university, if that's what they want to do.
Personally, I quite like the idea of getting the hang of essays before having to do them at uni and also getting higher qualifications/knowledge in other subjects like a language, rather than specialising at an early age. She would not be able to take a language if she were to do a-levels as her choices would already be earmarked for what she wants to do . There's plenty of time to specialise at uni but it really does depend on your child. Just like the comprehensive/grammar debate, you can't say one is better than the other as its horses for courses.
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neurotic kent mum
- Posts: 970
- Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:40 am
Re: Twggs V Togs
My dd is at TGS. She has found the educational journey easy and thrives and enjoying all the school offers and care provided for her particular needs. She has never felt under any particular pressure. It has just been a genuinely enjoyable educational experience - and for the mother too!
Last edited by neurotic kent mum on Tue Oct 23, 2012 8:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Twggs V Togs
I have to be careful about identifying other people but I am aware of two pupils who have left recently due to bullying issues at TGS.
I know that this goes on in all schools to a degree but these parents felt that the schools pastoral care was severely lacking.
It is good to hear more positive stories as I must admit, all my local 'sources' say that it is not great for pastoral support and is very pressured.
I know that this goes on in all schools to a degree but these parents felt that the schools pastoral care was severely lacking.
It is good to hear more positive stories as I must admit, all my local 'sources' say that it is not great for pastoral support and is very pressured.
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franticmum
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:16 pm
Re: Twggs V Togs
This thread seems to be turning into anti-TGS (or may be I'm being over sensitive!).
You could go to every school in the country and you will find people with good and bad pastoral care experiences, high pressure/low pressure issues with workoad, etc, etc, within the very same schools. This is nothing new. It depends on the child, not necessarily, the school. I know of a couple of people where pastoral care has worked for them at TGS but I'm not going to go into the details for the above reason.
TGS is not pressurised. My daughter doesn’t get much homework but someone in her class thinks they do. It comes down to individual children. I also know other grammars and comprehensives in the upper sets with claims of being pressurised. Those that think they have pressure, are they a perfectionist, are they slow, unorganised, doing too much, etc, etc? There have been previous threads here on the pressure at TGS and TWGGS. They are inconclusive because of the individual child issue.
People are naturally quick to moan, not necessarily quick to praise. You will be more inclined to hear of bad experiences by a few than the excellent experiences by the many.
Go by your own gut instinct and your own child. The open evening is Wednesday and the open morning is Thursday I believe (check the website) so go and make your own mind up.
You could go to every school in the country and you will find people with good and bad pastoral care experiences, high pressure/low pressure issues with workoad, etc, etc, within the very same schools. This is nothing new. It depends on the child, not necessarily, the school. I know of a couple of people where pastoral care has worked for them at TGS but I'm not going to go into the details for the above reason.
TGS is not pressurised. My daughter doesn’t get much homework but someone in her class thinks they do. It comes down to individual children. I also know other grammars and comprehensives in the upper sets with claims of being pressurised. Those that think they have pressure, are they a perfectionist, are they slow, unorganised, doing too much, etc, etc? There have been previous threads here on the pressure at TGS and TWGGS. They are inconclusive because of the individual child issue.
People are naturally quick to moan, not necessarily quick to praise. You will be more inclined to hear of bad experiences by a few than the excellent experiences by the many.
Go by your own gut instinct and your own child. The open evening is Wednesday and the open morning is Thursday I believe (check the website) so go and make your own mind up.
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Essex2Kent
- Posts: 137
- Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2012 3:13 pm
Re: Twggs V Togs
From seeing both lady year my impression was TGS was run as a business with "managers" not "teachers" and Twwgs as a school that teaches balsa considering Twwgs takes all scores not just top they must be doing something right to have beaten TGS in league tables.
But it's not just these two. Judd and skinners are the same. Judd even throws kids out of sixth firm if the scores are not good enough.
All the grammars are great from my experience. But it cones down to what your son or daughter wants. We are letting them choose. Hard to bite younger but I'm not the one going there.
But it's not just these two. Judd and skinners are the same. Judd even throws kids out of sixth firm if the scores are not good enough.
All the grammars are great from my experience. But it cones down to what your son or daughter wants. We are letting them choose. Hard to bite younger but I'm not the one going there.
Re: Twggs V Togs
This thread was not active for a few years now. I wonder any one with daughters could provide more personal experience/ opinion about this topic, so not-so-familiar-mom like me, could shed some light?
Many thanks for all contributors.
Many thanks for all contributors.
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franticmum
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:16 pm
Re: Twggs V Togs
I'm happy to update and share my experiences and welcome others' views but let's not turn this thread back into an anti-TGS or anti-TWGGS. Let's just report our own good or bad experiences with our DC's with no hearsay, 'someone I know' or suggestions of what might be.
Anyway, my daughter is still in TGS, now in Y12, having excelled herself in her GCSE's and loved her previous years. It's not all about girls getting As and A*s as there are plenty getting Bs and Cs and lower. I am happy that my DD was encouraged sufficiently to achieve her full potential which is all I can ask of a school. The enrichment and extra curricular activities have been numerous and varied.
As for the IB, last year was TGS's greatest number of diploma passes ever with 157 students and more enrolling each year since the sole-IB decision. Some do leave TGS it is true but I think this is very much the grammar/Kent ethos for 6th form. Many new faces this year have come from other Kent grammars and both Kent and Sussex comprehensives. Therefore, I don't think you should necessarily choose the school now for the sixth form as it is quite acceptable to change schools then.
The IB is challenging. That is not denied but there are plenty of unis which take lower pass marks as the IB offers many good points which they like, namely continuation in English and maths and the extended essay to name a few. The IB is very good for people who don't know which subjects to specialise in as it offers great flexibility once the course has started. With the 6 subject requirement, it has allowed my DD to do a greater number of the subjects which she enjoys, including one new one. It is also well suited to those who are good all-rounders. There are other threads in the sixth form section, I believe, about the IB and A-levels.
Anyway, despite all this, each parent knows their own child and should make their decision on what feels right for them.
Anyway, my daughter is still in TGS, now in Y12, having excelled herself in her GCSE's and loved her previous years. It's not all about girls getting As and A*s as there are plenty getting Bs and Cs and lower. I am happy that my DD was encouraged sufficiently to achieve her full potential which is all I can ask of a school. The enrichment and extra curricular activities have been numerous and varied.
As for the IB, last year was TGS's greatest number of diploma passes ever with 157 students and more enrolling each year since the sole-IB decision. Some do leave TGS it is true but I think this is very much the grammar/Kent ethos for 6th form. Many new faces this year have come from other Kent grammars and both Kent and Sussex comprehensives. Therefore, I don't think you should necessarily choose the school now for the sixth form as it is quite acceptable to change schools then.
The IB is challenging. That is not denied but there are plenty of unis which take lower pass marks as the IB offers many good points which they like, namely continuation in English and maths and the extended essay to name a few. The IB is very good for people who don't know which subjects to specialise in as it offers great flexibility once the course has started. With the 6 subject requirement, it has allowed my DD to do a greater number of the subjects which she enjoys, including one new one. It is also well suited to those who are good all-rounders. There are other threads in the sixth form section, I believe, about the IB and A-levels.
Anyway, despite all this, each parent knows their own child and should make their decision on what feels right for them.
Re: Twggs V Togs
I can only speak about my experience of TGS. DD had a fabulous year 7 last year. She was challenged academically, loved all the clubs and "action" and made plenty of friends.
I think the only downside is that they seem to want the girls to mix with as many different people as possible which I think can make it difficult for friendships.
In year 8, they have shaken up the learning communities and classes and DD is having to make new friends after being split up from her established friendships. I can imagine this being quite hard for the less confident, shy girls.
I also think that because everyone there came in with high scores, it's easy to lose perspective and not realise how well you are doing. The school is keen to emphasise that everyone there is a high achiever and therefore to focus on grades and improvement and not to compare with others too much. Having said that, DD has been inspired by the challenge and stimulation of working with intellectual equals.
I think the only downside is that they seem to want the girls to mix with as many different people as possible which I think can make it difficult for friendships.
In year 8, they have shaken up the learning communities and classes and DD is having to make new friends after being split up from her established friendships. I can imagine this being quite hard for the less confident, shy girls.
I also think that because everyone there came in with high scores, it's easy to lose perspective and not realise how well you are doing. The school is keen to emphasise that everyone there is a high achiever and therefore to focus on grades and improvement and not to compare with others too much. Having said that, DD has been inspired by the challenge and stimulation of working with intellectual equals.
Re: Twggs V Togs
Okay, well I can use my personal experience now as my daughter got in to TGs and went there for year seven. It wasn't the right school for her and we moved her. It clearly suits some girls and not others.
