Secondary Schools

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ranmis
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 4:40 pm

Secondary Schools

Post by ranmis »

The following schools - Parmiter's School, Watford Boys' Grammar School, Watford Girls' Grammar School, Rickmansworth School, Queens' School, Bushey Meads School and St Clement Danes School - all have a common admission test (is it the 11+ exam for grammar schools?) for entry into the secondary school.

Can someone tell me what is the difference between these schools and a proper grammar school. Are they as good as grammar schools.
newgirl
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:40 am

Post by newgirl »

Entrance to the schools you mention isn't through the 11plus, they use their own exam, called The Herts Test. The sticky above explains in quite a bit of detail how it works. The schools are called "comprehensive" but actually select some of their intake on academic ability(each different amounts 25% Watford, 25% Parmiters, 10% Clement Danes etc) based on the Herts Test scores and some on musical aptitude (two tests) and I think a couple may also select on sporting ability.

They all do very well and probably do compare well with Grammars but some of the schools percentage of academic intake has been reduced in the last couple of years and things like the Cross-sibling rule (with Watford Boys and Girls) has gone this year, so just perhaps their high performance maybe be slightly reduced. Who knows. Anyway, all good schools and so all hard to get in to!

Hope that helps.[/quote]
watmum
Posts: 192
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:32 am
Location: Herts

Post by watmum »

Yes, they are indeed good schools, with good results, and they are very hard to get into:

Parmiter's 2008 GCSE A*-C results 93%
Watford Boys 97%
Watford Girls 96%
Queens 73%
Bushey Meads 66%
Clement Danes 71%
Rickmansworth 75%
tense
Posts: 679
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:02 pm
Location: Herts

Post by tense »

As newgirl has explained the schools you mention are partially selective - we don't have "true" grammars here in Herts which can select 100% of their pupils.

You asked whether they are good schools. By that people usually mean are the exam results impressive (not saying that's what you meant!) and they are, as Watmum has said. My DD is in Year 7 at Parmiter's. Yves has a child there too & once wrote "I have been pleasantly surprised what a lovely, WELL ADJUSTED place it is, and I put that down to the careful mix of selective entries, siblings and local intake. There is an almost perfect balance of high expectation, good morale, genuine acceptance of ALL abilities and strong family ethos". I totally agree - not only is Parmiter's academically strong but it has so much going for it. I am very happy with the mix.

I'm sure parents at the other schools will tell you similar stories. And despite the percentage of the academic intake being reduced I think they will all stay good schools for many years to come.
Sressed but survivor
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:00 pm
Location: Hertfordshire

Post by Sressed but survivor »

I have just seen Parmiters has published the numbers accepted against each criteria for 2009 - hope the link works!

http://www.parmiters.herts.sch.uk/welco ... sions.html
ranmis
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 4:40 pm

Secondary Schools

Post by ranmis »

Thanks for your response.

This means that even Watford Grammar is not actually a grammar school since it does not take all students based on the admission test. Am I right?

Can u tell me which are the proper grammar schools that students from the Watford/Garston area can go to?
tense
Posts: 679
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:02 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Secondary Schools

Post by tense »

ranmis wrote:This means that even Watford Grammar is not actually a grammar school since it does not take all students based on the admission test. Am I right?

Can u tell me which are the proper grammar schools that students from the Watford/Garston area can go to?
1. Yes - it is only allowed to select 25% of its intake on academic grounds.

2. Not sure...if you have a son QE boys perhaps or HBS for girls, both in Barnet, very popular & oversubscribed. Depends how far you are prepared to travel. But if you live in Garston / Watford I'd have thought Parmiter's or Watford Grammar a good option. Remember you will only get three choices of school - I'd advise you to think carefully before only listing grammar schools in other areas.

Remember this area not only has some of the best schools in Herts but the worse too :roll:
ranmis
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 4:40 pm

Secondary Schools

Post by ranmis »

Thanks! Do u know if QE gives preference to students living nearby or do they also take students living in garston?

Any other grammar schools for boys living in garston?

By the way, do u mind telling me which are the really bad schools, just so I'm aware.
C. J.
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:06 pm
Location: West Watford

Post by C. J. »

All of the schools in the area run open evenings during October for children entering the following year. It is definitely exhausting going around them all (!) but it is the only way you will get a true feeling for which are going to be the best schools for your child. And most of all your child will get a feeling of where he / she will fit in.
WP
Posts: 1331
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:26 am
Location: Watford, Herts

Post by WP »

C. J. wrote:All of the schools in the area run open evenings during October for children entering the following year. It is definitely exhausting going around them all (!) but it is the only way you will get a true feeling for which are going to be the best schools for your child. And most of all your child will get a feeling of where he / she will fit in.
Indeed. Start a year or two early if you can. Some of the less popular schools may change dramatically in a short time though.
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