Open season!
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Open season!
Hi all, Open Days are here again (I'm sure I know a song about that). Was anyone else at Camp Hill Girls last night?
Mike
Mike
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DIY Mum
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- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:08 pm
- Location: Not in a hole in the ground but in a land where once they dwelt-the Beormingas
Re: Open season!
No, we intend to visit in September. How did you find it?
On another note, how do parents find BV? Any feedback is appreciated.
On another note, how do parents find BV? Any feedback is appreciated.
Re: Open season!
Well it was certainly much, much less crowded than it will be in September! There was enough space to go round the wrong way (our first guide wandered off and left us behind after two rooms which didn't impress me at all, but we picked up another one - and much more helpful - later).
No surprises, I don't think; much less impressive than the boys school, and seemed to be a lot smaller despite the larger intake - it must be quite crowded in school time. Not a lot of Y7 work on show, and the standard wasn't really what I would have expected, except in art (nice to see but not that useful). Quite a lot of work going back many years which I never like to see - what people were doing in 2000 isn't that relevant to our school choices this year.
One warning - the head's speech bit goes on a bit (head plus head girl plus head of lower school) and witters on a lot about pointless things like Healthy Schools accreditation, another point against in my book - there really ought to be more important and impressive things to talk about in a supposedly top acdemic school.
Overall, nothing major to persuade me not to put it on our list (and probably 1st) but not very inspiring, certainly doesn't have the elan of the boys school. Mrs and Miss 1880 went to KEHS last week (I saw it last year) and CHG is very insipid compared to that as well (I know money and freedom from NC makes a difference there, but I never felt CHB suffered much in comparison with KES).
I shall be interested to see how I feel about it in September after going round Five Ways again (but I don't think we're likely to put 5W first for a variety of reasons).
Mike
No surprises, I don't think; much less impressive than the boys school, and seemed to be a lot smaller despite the larger intake - it must be quite crowded in school time. Not a lot of Y7 work on show, and the standard wasn't really what I would have expected, except in art (nice to see but not that useful). Quite a lot of work going back many years which I never like to see - what people were doing in 2000 isn't that relevant to our school choices this year.
One warning - the head's speech bit goes on a bit (head plus head girl plus head of lower school) and witters on a lot about pointless things like Healthy Schools accreditation, another point against in my book - there really ought to be more important and impressive things to talk about in a supposedly top acdemic school.
Overall, nothing major to persuade me not to put it on our list (and probably 1st) but not very inspiring, certainly doesn't have the elan of the boys school. Mrs and Miss 1880 went to KEHS last week (I saw it last year) and CHG is very insipid compared to that as well (I know money and freedom from NC makes a difference there, but I never felt CHB suffered much in comparison with KES).
I shall be interested to see how I feel about it in September after going round Five Ways again (but I don't think we're likely to put 5W first for a variety of reasons).
Mike
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DIY Mum
- Posts: 744
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:08 pm
- Location: Not in a hole in the ground but in a land where once they dwelt-the Beormingas
Re: Open season!
I would have thought that the girls school would have been more organised than you've described- women usually being more organised than men 
As far as I recall, CHB was impressive in terms of the work on display. We weren't particularly enthralled by the Headboy's speech. I remember walking away from the Open Day thinking- yes, it is an academically outstanding school but its inimical atmosphere (both staff and pupils lacked the social graces to discuss or show us around their school), made me regret putting it down as our first choice.
It's amazing how different it is now that DS is a pupil there! Anyhow, apart from CHG, our list of visits includes Sutton, Handsworth, BV and Aston again.
As far as I recall, CHB was impressive in terms of the work on display. We weren't particularly enthralled by the Headboy's speech. I remember walking away from the Open Day thinking- yes, it is an academically outstanding school but its inimical atmosphere (both staff and pupils lacked the social graces to discuss or show us around their school), made me regret putting it down as our first choice.
It's amazing how different it is now that DS is a pupil there! Anyhow, apart from CHG, our list of visits includes Sutton, Handsworth, BV and Aston again.
Re: Open season!
I hope that's for more than one child or you're going to leave him/her with all sorts of hang ups in later life 
Mike
Mike
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DIY Mum
- Posts: 744
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:08 pm
- Location: Not in a hole in the ground but in a land where once they dwelt-the Beormingas
Re: Open season!
Yes, that's right! 
Re: Open season!
Oh dear, are they twins or is there nearly a year difference (I don't envy you either way!)?
Mike
Mike
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DIY Mum
- Posts: 744
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:08 pm
- Location: Not in a hole in the ground but in a land where once they dwelt-the Beormingas
Re: Open season!
Since, I know of two other parents who also have "twins" in Y5 and their eldest at CH, I can safely say they're not twins. Well, I suppose (and no offence is intended) - you could call them Irish twins?!