KEGS or WHSB?

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Ashtara
Posts: 51
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 10:04 am

KEGS or WHSB?

Post by Ashtara »

Mr DS scored 337.38 so we are on the borderline for entry into KEGS.

We had always discounted WHSB because of the distance but having now looked at the travel times. The journey to KEGS is the same as WHSB for us (from Great Totham).

He has more of a chance of getting into WHSB so I think we should now consider it as an option.

I would really appreciate if anyone on here has a DS who travels to WHSB to give me their opinion on how they have found the journey. Also if anyone has any thoughts/comparisons between KEGS and WHSB.

We are going to visit both next week but would appreciate some advice from those in the know.
voyagers
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2015 12:44 am

Re: KEGS or WHSB?

Post by voyagers »

I am, sadly, not a person in the know.

But I can give you my personal opinion.

We didn't take to KEGS - for various reasons which I will happily PM you if you really want to know (is nothing exciting and is, I stress, personal opinion).

We are swaying towards WHSB. The results are good. Yes, KEGS beats them in most subject areas (apart from English Lang, Pe and German which I consider a rough draw). But what impresses me is its progress 8 score which sits well above SHSB and KEGS. The progress 8 score is a sort of value added measure - the higher the score the more progress the pupils are making. I suppose it reassures me that WHSB pupils are making more measurable progress from their starting points than KEGS.
Finally, the school said everything in the open evening that I wanted to hear.

I can't comment on the travel for you but I've just google mapped it and it looks like a hefty commute.
SlighlyStressedMum
Posts: 162
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:20 pm

Re: KEGS or WHSB?

Post by SlighlyStressedMum »

I have a son in Kegs so can try to answer any questions. No idea about whsb though as we live in Chelmsford so for us it was Kegs or one of the excellent local comps, didn't look further afield.
Ashtara
Posts: 51
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 10:04 am

Re: KEGS or WHSB?

Post by Ashtara »

Thanks slightlysressedmum.

We were all really impressed with kegs when we went to the open morning in summer.

I will PM you some questions later if that's ok
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: KEGS or WHSB?

Post by KB »

If you prefer KEGS but would accept WHSB then put them in that order on the CAF. Not sure why you would change your mind about KEGS just because your son's score was slightly lower than you expected?
Ashtara
Posts: 51
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 10:04 am

Re: KEGS or WHSB?

Post by Ashtara »

Thanks KB

I think I may have misled you. We have always intended to put KEGS as the first option but now his score is borderline, we are considering other options.

Having never been to WHSB but having been to KEGS I wanted to see if anyone one had any opinions comparing the two.
ToadMum
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: KEGS or WHSB?

Post by ToadMum »

Ashtara wrote:Thanks KB

I think I may have misled you. We have always intended to put KEGS as the first option but now his score is borderline, we are considering other options.

Having never been to WHSB but having been to KEGS I wanted to see if anyone one had any opinions comparing the two.
Ah. Well, if it helps, we have at least visited both (although Westcliff is only a mile from us, both our DSs chose SHSB). I actually liked WHSB more than I imagined I would when I finally got to look round on the open evening for DS2 three years ago (DH having gone with DS1 a year early for his intake and the latter deciding that he didn't want to look again the next year). At the time, their classes were larger than SHSB's, but a random boy I asked was at pains to assure me that even as one of 31, he always felt that he was getting individual attention from the teacher. I think he meant, in a good way :lol: . The facilities were okay - and have recently been upgraded.

DS2 and I also visited KEGS, which we both liked, but felt that it didn't offer any advantages over our local grammar schools that warranted the travelling (not very reliable cross-country bus, or three trains). I was slightly concerned at the amount of belongings generally piled up around the corridors in the sixth form block (no lockers?) and actually rather hoped that one of the other parents on the tour would turn out to be a member of the local fire service :shock: . Apart from that, the (old) HT was great and the staff and pupils we met very friendly and enthusiastic.

We didn't get to see the off-site sports facilities at KEGS; WHSB has a large sports field, gym, indoor cricket nets etc on site.

(SHSB still beats then at nearly everything, sportswise, though - just sayin', as they say :lol: ).

You really need to go and look at Westcliff on the info day, if you are going to put it as a preference on your CAF.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
SlighlyStressedMum
Posts: 162
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:20 pm

Re: KEGS or WHSB?

Post by SlighlyStressedMum »

Ashtara wrote:Thanks slightlysressedmum.

We were all really impressed with kegs when we went to the open morning in summer.

I will PM you some questions later if that's ok
Yes, fine to PM me x
Bikkigirl
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 10:37 pm

Re: KEGS or WHSB?

Post by Bikkigirl »

I have a son in year 9 at KEGS he's very happy. I too wondered about the mountains of bags piled up before he started there however the system now is that they don't carry bags around at all. They have to use their lockers and only take from them the books they need for the next one or two sections on the time table. It seems to work well and I'm very happy he doesn't spend the day lugging a heavy bag around. I did not like WHSB when I looked around with DS1 a few years ago. Their open evening was so busy and chaotic and we were herded around by 6th formers who allowed us 2 minutes in each classroom...it put us off the extent we didn't even consider it for DS1. We went back with DS2 in June and loved it! Our tour was great, teachers we spoke to seemed motivated and enthusiastic and I would definitely have considered it for DS2. However his score is good enough for KEGs and DS1 is happy there. KEGs does have good sports facilities, in my sons year the "top" group for Games (it varies depending on the sport) does not travel to Off site sports facility but stays at school giving them longer to train. They also have an additional hour of PE at another time in the week when they do things like table tennis, basketball and gymnastics. Feel free to pm if you have any KEGs questions!
SlighlyStressedMum
Posts: 162
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:20 pm

Re: KEGS or WHSB?

Post by SlighlyStressedMum »

And with the opposite of Bikkigirls son, my sport hating son is simply delighted that some of his double games lesson is taken up with the bus to Bedford Fields. :-D
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