Beaconsfield High School

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Jules7
Posts: 248
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:55 pm

Beaconsfield High School

Post by Jules7 »

I would love to hear from parents of girls currently attending Beaconsfield High School as to what they think of the school, especially with respect to pastoral care. Many thanks.
Y
Posts: 463
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:49 pm

Re: Beaconsfield High School

Post by Y »

I've PMd you.
Muguet
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:22 am
Location: Bucks

Re: Beaconsfield High School

Post by Muguet »

So have I!
Jules7
Posts: 248
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:55 pm

Re: Beaconsfield High School

Post by Jules7 »

Thanks so much for replies so far; very much appreciated.

Would be interested to hear comments on:
- music and drama (not just clubs)
- instrument lessons
- homework expectations.
Last edited by Jules7 on Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
drummer
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: South Bucks

Re: Beaconsfield High School

Post by drummer »

I just came on here to express my SHOCK at the cost of instrument lessons at Becky High. My daughter has enjoyed learning flute for the last couple of years at her primary school. Cost for a term of shared lessons (with one other girl) is £55.

We have just received the forms for BHS where 10 x 30min lessons cost £185!!!

I am so sad for my daughter as there is no way we can afford to pay that.
drummer
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: South Bucks

Re: Beaconsfield High School

Post by drummer »

so what did all these PMs say?

I am really not so sure we made the right choice anymore (not just about the music lessons)
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Beaconsfield High School

Post by Sally-Anne »

drummer wrote:I just came on here to express my SHOCK at the cost of instrument lessons at Becky High. My daughter has enjoyed learning flute for the last couple of years at her primary school. Cost for a term of shared lessons (with one other girl) is £55.

We have just received the forms for BHS where 10 x 30min lessons cost £185!!!

I am so sad for my daughter as there is no way we can afford to pay that.
This is a bit cheaper, and they also offer 20 minute lessons which are cheaper still.
http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/schools/music/fees.page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

I am surprised at the cost at BHS - the going rate at another Bucks GS is £186.00 for 12 lessons in the autumn term (and less for 10 and 8 lessons in the next two terms) and most schools seem to offer group tuition in 2s, 3s or 4s to keep the cost down. Probably more fun, and they are more likely to remember to actually go to the lesson if there are more of them. (Not that DS ever forgets, of course. :roll: )
drummer
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: South Bucks

Re: Beaconsfield High School

Post by drummer »

I did notice that most of the girls visiting the school on the open evening we attended appeared to be wearing private school uniforms. So, I wonder if they are simply taking advantage of the fact that many of their pupils come from affluent homes (and sod the rest).

Even the school uniform is uber expensive, £46 for a blazer, £20 for a blouse (!), £16 for a skirt, £18 for a sweatshirt etc

What's it like there for girls from relatively poor backgrounds?
hermanmunster
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Beaconsfield High School

Post by hermanmunster »

probably the sort of rates I have paid for GS uniform in Yorkshire - TBH would cost me a lot more at a
private school - they tend to be at least double and equally bad if they were not wearing uniform at all.

Most schools have a secondhand sale but I have helped with sorting the stuff @ GS for these and we hardly sell any - did much better at the private schools where money for uniform seemed a bit in short supply having paid the fees.
Jules7
Posts: 248
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:55 pm

Re: Beaconsfield High School

Post by Jules7 »

Hi Drummer, we just received all the stuff through the post too.

Re music lessons, it is indeed a tidy sum - like you my DD has been learning flute for the past year and guitar for the last 3 at school so not sure what to do....she def wants to continue the flute so I was thinking of asking her current flute teacher if he does outside school lessons? Trouble is they have less free time in the evenings with homework etc and my DD also sings in 2 choirs and dances so I have no idea how we are going to juggle everything she loves to do. The ideal fit for our DD was SWB which was our first choice but of course catchment was against us.

Re the PMs, mixed opinions but mostly positive except music and a pastoral issue - which fits well with what I had heard. I know 3 parents with DDs at the school, each with a different opinion. My main query was around pastoral care but since then have also been worried by hearing that they no longer offer music GCSE which is my DDs love (unless via twilight which I disagree with).

DD was reading out the uniform list to me this week and I was wondering whether some of the stuff like grey skirts can just be bought from M&S which is what we do at the mo.
BTW my DD is at state school too so your DD won't be the only one!
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