Are the Tiffin Schools that much better than other grammars?

[dlb]

This may be a little controversial - but, are the 2 Tiffin Schools that much better than other (fairly local!) grammar schools such as slough consortium grammars, nonsuch, Sutton etc?? Or is it just the hype surrounding Tiffin boys & girls that cause huge applications and their branding as "super selectives"??

[whichwitch]

They are definitely good schools but better than the other GS I'm not so sure. There is a lot of hype which results in them getting a ridiculous amount of applications. The best way to check would maybe to compare their value added scores against the other schools in the relevant league tables. I'd be interested to see that comparison.

[Hedwig]

No is my opinion. They are undoubtedly good schools but they simply have a larger proportion of entrants at the upper extremes which leads to and sustains a feeding frenzy of applicants.

Other schools may have a slightly wider ability band, but that does not mean that your child would do better at Tiffin and worse elsewhere. It simply means that there is a fractionally wider band of ability. Each child sits somewhere in that range and within reason they will reach their potential in many schools.

I think there is a mindset where parents think that entry to a particular school is an absolute guarantee of success.

[tiffinboys]

I totally agree. If we were living nearer to any other grammar, we would have chosen that school.

[SunlampVexesEel]

This may be a little controversial - but, are the 2 Tiffin Schools that much better than other (fairly local!) grammar schools such as slough consortium grammars, nonsuch, Sutton etc?? Or is it just the hype surrounding Tiffin boys & girls that cause huge applications and their branding as "super selectives"??

Just look at the league tables. The answer is clearly "No".

The figures are hugely distorted by people taking multiple entrance exams.

However, if your local school is weak and you are prepared to travel then one of these schools may be your only option due to their huge (in practice almost unrestricted catchment).

Nonsuch in particular has amazing results given it has a partial distance criteria.

Regards
SVE

[One_Shot]

This may be a little controversial - but, are the 2 Tiffin Schools that much better than other (fairly local!) grammar schools such as slough consortium grammars, nonsuch, Sutton etc?? Or is it just the hype surrounding Tiffin boys & girls that cause huge applications and their branding as "super selectives"??

I don't believe the number of applications for tgs were too different from nonsuch or wallington girls? In fact, just look at the number of posters who have posted results for nonsuch compared to tgs and it is clear that there are more people interested in nonsuch than tiffins

[TiffinGirls]

I don't think the schools - well at least Tiffin Girls' - is that great in itself. What they have is a very high proportion of very able girls. I think the results to an extent are propped up by tutoring. Most teaching is adequate to GCSE but I think at A level in general you need a good teacher - not just a young graduate with impressive qualifications who can't actually teach - to get an A*. Unless you hire a good tutor.

FWIW my dd who is in year 13 was blown away by the caring teachers on Educating Essex and Educating Yorkshire. Something she feels is lacking at TGS. School is very controlling. There is nowhere for girls to study in free periods yet they are not allowed to leave the school premises. The Sixth Form is an extremely stressful environment. The lower school less so, but some girls do crack up under the pressure.

[tiffinboys]

Your post is eye opener for many of us - the parents of potential candidates for TGS.

But I wonder, why then the girls don't move to other Schools in large numbers for A level? Secondly, are things getting better or worse at TGS? I remember you or some one else posting about TGS not being able to provide for the recommended number of lessons at A levels.

[TiffinGirls]

I think a lot of people stay because the school gets good A level results and I assumed that the Sixth Form would be fairly relaxed and the cliques would disintegrate. That seems to be the case at most schools. The truth became evident a few weeks in and another school was prepared to take DD but the exam specs were different so she decided to stay. Quite a few girls left; a couple more left at the end of year 12. Even last week I gave DD the option of leaving now and starting year 13 again at another institution, as she hates it.

Yes the school does have less teaching hours at A level than some others. I don't think this makes much difference. There is currently no where for private study and the girls are not trusted enough to leave the school during the day. While most girls are friendly some are quite nasty and immature the school leaves them to it.

DD and her friends think the school only cares about results and not them! DD has very high predictions for A level so it is not sour grapes. She was however seriously considering not applying to Uni in case it is the same hothouse, unpleasant atmosphere. Her chosen career is graduate entry though.

There are positive things about TGS such as the trips and the extra curricula stuff but the trade off is being part of the A* production line.

[One_Shot]

DD and her friends think the school only cares about results and not them! DD has very high predictions for A level so it is not sour grapes. She was however seriously considering not applying to Uni in case it is the same hothouse, unpleasant atmosphere.

That does sound a bit worrying.

Would you recommend a child studying there till gcse and leaving at A levels for a different school or should one consider an indie over tgs at 11+ itself?