Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

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BGS26
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2012 12:47 pm

Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by BGS26 »

Hi,

A friend introduced me to this forum and it is a very good source of information. I spoke to her and she suggested that I post a question here. I am considering Bexley Grammar or Chis and Sid for year 7 entry next september. Does anyone have a ds in any of these schools, how do they compare? How is the pastoral care like ? How about Beths?
Tracy
Posts: 1123
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:28 am
Location: Bexley

Re: Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by Tracy »

I have a daughter at BGS, friends' children are at both schools, what would you like to know?
BGS26
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2012 12:47 pm

Re: Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by BGS26 »

Just wanted more information on pastoral care , behaviour , extra curricular activities and a general feel for both schools, will visit both but they are both mixed and seem quite similar , thanks
Tracy
Posts: 1123
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:28 am
Location: Bexley

Re: Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by Tracy »

There are a lot of differences and these mainly come to light at option time and 6th form.
If you can possibly bear to think about that far ahead you should look at what is currently available as a clue as to what will be available a few years down the line.

We have just been through gsce results and choosing a 6th form. Most kids tend to stay where they are so it is important that you get the choice correct 1st time. You can move but it's hard unless the student obtains a large clutch of As and A*s as competition is so tight. Also BGS is very much in favour of the IB. Imho only Dartford Boys Grammar does it anywhere as good.

With regards to starting in year 7, C & S has a lot more boys than girls. At BGS it's fairly even.
Both have a pretty good curriculum. At BGS the Head teacher deliberately picks hardest syllabus he can find for each option subject and makes no apologies for this. To explain: the step up to IB or A level is not so much of a shock for BGS students.

Pastoral care seems better at BGS but others might think differently.
Personally I know of several cases of very poor behaviour and attitude of students at both schools. Please do not let this bother you as the vast majority of students behave very well and are a credit to both schools.
As a parent I have been impressed by the way things have been handled at BGS. The parents of kids at C&S that I know have not been so impressed. It may help to have feedback from other C&S parents on this one.

There's loads of extra curricular activities at BGS. Sports, theatre, music. The list is endless. C&S appears to be much the same.

As for the feel, only you can tell which is right for your child. I loved BGS but didn't have the same vibes for C&S for my daughter. BUT C&S is a lovely school. It's not that a school is wrong for your ds/dd but that one is more right if that makes sense.

It might help if more people were to comment on this thread to give you more of a balanced view.
Bexley
Posts: 128
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:13 pm

Re: Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by Bexley »

Hi,

I have a DD in the 6th form at C&S.

She has been very happy there (joined in YR7) and achieved very well academically. We have always found the staff positive and caring. The majority of the students seem well behaved. I am sure there are exceptions to this, but no more than you'd find at a comparable school.
There are lots of sporting opportunities, plus dance,drama etc. etc. Students are able to take the Dof E awards . There are plenty of overseas trips on offer.

When we visited the grammars in Bexley, this is the one my DD , my partner and myself got the best feeling about and we felt was most impressive in terms of the students taking the tours and the Headteacher's speech(liked that they emphasised that effort would be celebrated as well as success). Having said that, I would have been happy for her to attend Bexley Grammar or Townley, but C & S was our first choice.

I don't think you would be disappointed in either school, you will just get a better 'feel' for one over the other. Good Luck :) .
LawrenceA
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:50 pm

Re: Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by LawrenceA »

My son has joined chis and sid year 7 this year...he loves it.
But have to say thay do set a fair amount if homework...at least
It keeps away from the xbox
Lawrence
kandis
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2011 2:42 pm

Re: Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by kandis »

We are very lucky that DD got Top 180 and are now choosing between Bexley vs Chis n Sid.
We will certainly go to the open days. What are the main points we should compare? Is it the HT's speach? The kids? The facilities? The percentage of students going to prestigious university?
What should we base our decisions on? Or is it just gut feeling?
Fingerscrossedmum
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:39 am

Re: Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by Fingerscrossedmum »

Sorry to highjack Kandis, but my DS also got top 180 and are now considering Beths vs C&S?

Does anyone have any comments please?
moneypenny63
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:09 pm

Re: Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by moneypenny63 »

Congratulations to you both on getting top 180! I have a DS in yr 7 at Chis & Sid. We visited every school last year during the day, and in the evening. Our final selection was based on ease of journey. The schools are all great - and our DS would have loved any of them. The Head at BGS is very charismatic - brilliant speech. The Head at Chis & Sid is a bit more low key around the parents - but is loved by all the kids. I didn't hear the Head at Beths but we loved their open evening - especially the tea and cakes (very enterprising young men). We decided that the change from primary to secondary was such a leap, that if we could make it easier for DS we would. We were aware that DS would have heavy bags to carry, and he wanted to gain some independence by travelling to and fro on his own, so the school that was the nearest and easiest to get to won. Since starting in Sept he has joined loads of clubs, been on trips, made loads of new friends (he was the only one from his school to go there), and has flourished. He loves his independence, he is getting better at organising himself for the next day - and the homework is starting to become manageable. He has met his new friends at the weekend, and his form appear to behave as if they are all one team - and look out for each other. I am sure that all the other schools do their best to make sure that the transition is easy for the yr 7's - but we only have personal experience of Chis & Sid. DS leaves the house at 7.20 in the morning, and sometimes does not get home until 5.30. If the school was further away - his day would be even longer. We are just starting to get darker mornings and evenings, and bad weather - we are near enough that I can drive him if necessary, and collect him. I think that the results from each school are all very similar - the kids are all going to be pushed to achieve wherever they go. I think that when you are visiting the schools it would be a good idea to travel to them the way you will expect your child to - this will give you and him a very real idea of what lies ahead. Good luck :)

If you look at my previous posts you will see that our 1st visit to Chis & Sid was not a positive one for me - but - DS and husband loved it. One year on - we feel that we made the right decision for our DS.
kandis
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2011 2:42 pm

Re: Bexley Grammar vs Chis and Sid

Post by kandis »

Thank you very much moneypenny63. I'll on train and bus and make the journeys as if I were to go to school. That's a good start of the decision process.
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