King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

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quasimodo
Posts: 3854
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:47 pm

King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by quasimodo »

The school has been writing to the parents of girls who have sat the Birmingham Consortium exams so that they may consider sitting the schools exams in January 2015. I am just curious as to whether letters go to all parents or on what basis letters are sent to parents of girls.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
moseleymum
Posts: 659
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 8:59 pm

Re: King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by moseleymum »

From what I remember, parents of girls get letters from KEHS and parents of boys get letters from KES if they have allowed their details to be shared within the Consortium when they applied for the KE Consortium exam sat in September. That's all it is. Nothing to worry about. If you've opted not to allow sharing of information you won't get one.
Last edited by moseleymum on Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
quasimodo
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Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:47 pm

Re: King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by quasimodo »

Thank you for your reply. We had made a deliberate decision not to sit the exam due to financial and health reasons and the experience of our eldest who was a pupil for 5 years and were surprised to see the application form.KEHS whilst a very good school is not right for every child, particularly if you have to pay full fees. My eldest dd loved her time at Queen Mary Boys Walsall thereafter before University. At least your reply has assuaged my curiosity.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
crazycrofter
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:10 am

Re: King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by crazycrofter »

Hi Quasimodo

Would you mind sharing why your daughter was unhappy at KEHS? My daughter is very keen to take the exam, although we would be dependant on a bursary, as she loved the school at open day. It would be useful to have an insider's perspective, as I've only heard positive things so far. If you'd rather not share though, I understand.
quasimodo
Posts: 3854
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:47 pm

Re: King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by quasimodo »

There are some exceptionally bright girls at KEHS and she always felt that she was struggling. You are scored 1 to 5 in your work and you get a 3 if you are at the standard expected and only a 1 if you are well above your peer group. She always strived for those elusive 1s which were easy for some girls. In her GCSEs whilst she performed at A* level in the majority of her exams because she was one of those girls who regularly went to the teachers with the coursework to ensure she was in the right direction she was penalised and only gaining A grades in them. After all you are graded between your peers. Had we been aware of that we wouldn't have encouraged her to do that. She also found her friendship groups difficult with more emphasis on material goods with some very rich parents children being there.
It all changed at her Grammar school where she bloomed with her network of friends who were more down to earth and from similar backgrounds and academically there was no difference with her gaining gaining Two A* at A level amongst her exams. For her it was the best decision. At the time we made the decision to send her there everyone wanted to send their children there, as the year before it was voted the Sunday Times school of the year .It was a particularly competitive year. It didn't impact on her University. We even had an offer from the LSE which we turned down because the course didn't allow her to go abroad for a year in the degree and her student lifestyle in the City of London would not have suited her. She is very happy now.She is looking forward to her year abroad at a International University next year in Australasia or South East Asia. That is why I am more careful with my youngest dd.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
crazycrofter
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:10 am

Re: King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by crazycrofter »

That's really helpful - thanks for explaining! I guess we will see what happens next week with the 11 plus results and take it from there. Unfortunately, one of the things that affects children's happiness the most is their peer group, and whichever school you choose there is no knowing what the other children in their year will be like. My daughter has a great year group at her current school and is very happy; my son not so much. Yet they're at the same school!
Jazz-UK
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2012 8:05 pm

Re: King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by Jazz-UK »

Our kids attended Supercamps at the school a couple of years ago, and it does look nice.

However one of the earlier comments reminded me of a good friend I met when I was studying A Levels at college. He had attended the boys school and I couldn't understand why he'd want to leave to go to a college. He went onto to explain that he had got in with a scholarship (apologies if that's the wrong term) and didn't have to pay fees. However he felt it throughout his 5 years he was there, and said it's not nice when your dad drops you off in an old Japanese car when other kids are being dropped off shiny new Beamers and Mercs. He's point wasn't just about the cars though.
Teacosy
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Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:13 am

Re: King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by Teacosy »

Our experience of KEHS is SO different from Quasimodo's, I just had to post. The work IS challenging, but that is one of the reasons we chose to send our DD there from her state primary, where she was not always stretched. She soon realised that there are MANY bright girls at KEHS and she does not always achieve grade ones, unlike some of her peers. We have always found the girls to be supportive of each other and the high standards keep them on their toes. Coursework for public examinations is moderated by the exam boards, so i'm afraid it is incorrect to say one would be penalised by having more able peers or for seeking support from a teacher.


KEHS welcomes girls from a huge variety of backgrounds and whilst there are inevitably some very wealthy families, very little importance is placed on material possessions. The uniform, for example, is simple and relatively moderately priced and there are very well supported sales of secondhand uniform. There is a mixture of cars in the (often overcrowded) car park but my daughter and I are not in the least worried that we are not in the Mercedes or Audi brigade. During her time at KEHS, my DD has been to some lavish parties and enviable houses, but has never felt bothered by our more modest home. She and her friends enjoy shopping trips to Primark and charity shops and are very down to earth. Everybody's experience is different and I respect that, but my DD has totally blossomed whilst at KEHS and according to her she could not have asked for a happier secondary education. Good luck to anyone making big decisions for their children this year.
Last edited by Teacosy on Thu Oct 09, 2014 9:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
crazycrofter
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:10 am

Re: King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by crazycrofter »

Thanks for sharing your experience! I guess the contrast in experiences is due to a combination of personality and differences in the make up of their peer groups. In terms of no longer being top in everything / coming across very bright children, I would have thought the grammar schools would be very similar to KEHS. There must be super bright kids at grammar too who always take the top spots. And I'd heard that some very wealthy people send their kids to grammars but I suppose there will be more at KEHS. Food for thought anyway!
Teacosy
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:13 am

Re: King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls

Post by Teacosy »

Yes, I also imagine that it would be a similar jump going from primary into a grammar school finding oneself surrounded by the brightest of the bright.

And there will be many grammar parents a good deal wealthier than some at KEHS!
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