Which Non Selective School on CAF form - Slough/Windsor Area

[SloughDad]

Hi All,

We have found that we are doing a lot of research on which Grammar School to send our son, but very limited research on which non selective school to include on the CAF form.

Langley Acadamy has had a chequered past but recent results have improved. We are thinking of this school if a grammar school is not achieved. But I was wondering which non selective school in the Slough/Windsor area have you considered for your son/daughter and why.

Thanks in advance for your replies

Slough Dad

[bcookerblum]

Our non-grammar choice was our nearest high school( purely because it is the nearest).
I wouldn't put Langley Academy as your only non-grammar choice even if it is your local school though as they use a banding system for admissions, not catchment. I know a couple of people whose children didn't get a place there despite living pretty much on the doorstep.
Windsor I think have a middle school system which means children move up to high school at 13, not 11 but Chad will be able to give more details about that.

[chad]

Hi,

Yes Windsor does have a middle school system......and Windsor Boys has a good reputation. Admissions are for year 9. I believe there is some movement from Slough to Windsor Boys at this time. There is also some movement into Yr 7 of the Middle schools where places have become available.

[SloughDad]

Thanks Bcookerblum for your tip. We were just thinking of putting just one non selective school

We have to rethink as Windsor Boys will not be an option until Yr9.

Just been to Langley Acadamy open day and we were impressed with it. Everything was obviously very modern and the results are improving year on year.

Hope to get to Churchmead tomorrow to compare.

[muvvalac]

True that we did very least research on non-selective schools and recently i started looking into this. I have been to langley academy which is my next door and it does not look a bad school. they got new principal and head teacher who were working for a outstanding school in central london. they are ambitious

but churchmead results are very good, A*-C is 93%

Also I happened to speak to Slough council staff member in Academy and they said if we dont put any non-selective in CAF and if the child does not get any of 6 preferences still child will be given a nearest school where places are available though it is not listed in CAF. but it is risky as you may get bad school which may be far from your home.

but i have to take that risk as i have no place for non-selective in my CAF as i have tiffin also to choose into 6 preferences.

i have been to john hampden open eve, certainly it is outstanding school. i see the difference between slough schools and john hampden school in terms of qualify/facility/students behaviour. but we are outside of catchement so no point of choosing john hampden in 6 choices though

[Looking for help]

I think you MUST put a non selective school on your form, and one that you have a very good chance of getting in to, as there may be circumstances over which you have no control causing your child not to pass the exam, for example, nerves, or some distraction etc. No matter how confident you son or daughter is in the lead up to the exam, you have no idea how they will react in the test situation, and it is not sensible to have no back up plan at all as then you will be at the mercy of the council allocating a school with places, which will never have been your choice. Believe me it is bad enough not getting your first choice school, but I can't imagine how I would feel if my child had been allocated a school I didn't choose.

[mad?]

I think you MUST put a non selective school on your form, and one that you have a very good chance of getting in to, as there may be circumstances over which you have no control causing your child not to pass the exam, for example, nerves, or some distraction etc. No matter how confident you son or daughter is in the lead up to the exam, you have no idea how they will react in the test situation, and it is not sensible to have no back up plan at all as then you will be at the mercy of the council allocating a school with places, which will never have been your choice. Believe me it is bad enough not getting your first choice school, but I can't imagine how I would feel if my child had been allocated a school I didn't choose.

I couldn't agree more. Even if there are NO schools you would consider, put one down unless you are willing and able to home educate for the next 7 years. Better for example to send them to a school you don't want that they can walk to than a school you don't want which is an hour and half each way, the 'least bad' option.