What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

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amnash
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 12:20 pm

What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by amnash »

As title say what are your views regarding the selective stream of Readings Girls?
I am thinking about plan B for DD in case we don't manage to enter Kendrick,,,
Personally I would like single sex education for DD but not at the expense of the level of education,,, we are in the catchment area for ME, and I know you can't compare Reading Girls to ME, but what about the selective stream and is it worth to sit the test????
Tinkers
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Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by Tinkers »

Don't know anyone at Reading Girls so can't comment, but do know people at ME. However I've seen RGS girls at First lego league competitions, so the school obviously encourage that sort of thing.

We had personnel reasons for not wanting ME. DD wasn't guaranteed to be able to do German there, which was important to her and us, and they take options in year 8 rather than 9, which I didn't like. DH thought the school was too big, but I believe that they split the year up. Some parents I know think it's the bees' knees and think it's wonderful, some kids it just doesn't really suit.

Obviously ME is mixed, so if you really want all girls, then RGS might be worth a look.

Best to look at both and decide. There's also the new ME school, which may also be worth a look at if you want a small school, but with the ME ethos.
amnash
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 12:20 pm

Re: What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by amnash »

Thanks Tinkers for your reply and insights on this issue,,, I put both schools' open evenings on my diary and I will definitely visit both,,, I am also concerned that ME is too big for DD, and wanting to know more about the new ME school,,,

The other option is the Holt which meets our preference for single sex education but we are outside the catchment area for the school, although I know parents with DD going there and they are far from us but they entered 4 or 5 years ago,,,,,

Till now I didn't manage to meet parents with DDs in RGs selective stream,,, will see in the open day,,,, I found out from their website that they have entrance test in October and it is provided by GL assessments,,,
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by Tinkers »

The Holt is oversubscribed. You won't get a place if you are outside catchment. The catchment changed a few years ago, so that would explain why you know people with girls there. I know someone in catchment who has got a place this year but was on the waiting list.

I believe the New ME school has an open evening on the 25th September at Alfred Sutton school. Info should be on ME website. First year of entry with be 2015 and just year 7s. The will be a sharing of teaching staff and the Head of ME will be head of the new school too. No mention of catchment but it will be next to Alfred Sutton school.

Also check that you are close enough to ME to get place. I think you need to be within about a mile of the school as the crow flies. Much further than that and you don't stand much chance of getting a place despite being in catchment.
aliportico
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Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:19 pm

Re: What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by aliportico »

I went and looked at Reading Girls last year, it's definitely worth going to their open day and evening if you can. I liked it, so did dd. Pretty tatty buildings, but they are rebuilding in a couple of years. The way the selective stream works is that if you get into it, you are in a top set for y7, and then after that you have to prove yourself :-) I think they are doing a second MFL now, and there is the option to do 3 sciences. The teachers I spoke to seemed to really care about the school, and the girls told me that because was small felt like a family.

The test is much easier than Kendrick, with far fewer girls sitting it - my dd got 140 I think for nvr, but 120 for nvr in the Kendrick test. There's no academic sixth form, but atm - and hopefully no plans to change it - the girls get priority entry into Kendrick sixth form, which quite a few currently take advantage of.

But - it does have a fairly low average academic achievement. Last year on GCSE results day the school were listing their top results as getting three or four A*s, and if you look at other non-selective schools, they generally get higher than that.

My dd decided she would rather go over to Waingels with her sister in the end (another one to consider perhaps, if you are on that eastern side of Reading and looking at Wokingham schools, although mixed), but I was happy to have Reading Girls as a back-up. It's been undersubscribed for several years, so you could probably swap into it at any time :)
berks_mum
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Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2013 4:52 pm

Re: What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by berks_mum »

amansh, have you considered indies (scholarship places) as a back up ? From what I have heard, Abbey seems to be a good school.
Reading Mum
Posts: 1841
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by Reading Mum »

It is a great school but the max scholarship is 10%. There are means tested bursaries as well but not many.
sonasona
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Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:51 am

Re: What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by sonasona »

Reading Mum wrote:It is a great school but the max scholarship is 10%. There are means tested bursaries as well but not many.
This is what Reading Mum told me approx. 2 years ago and she was spot on. It is a fantastic school no doubt about it :wink:
amnash
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 12:20 pm

Re: What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by amnash »

Thanks everyone for your comments and views.

Tinkers You are right with regards to the Holt, my friend's daughter (who live close to us) was no 5 in the waiting list last year and by July she actually went to be no 8,,, and never offered place,,,,, she went to ME at the end,,,,

Ailportico, academic achievement and no six form are what worry me for RGs,,,, but again the opportunity to join Kendrick six form give hope and motivation,,,

Berks mum, Reading mum, and sonasona I am thinking about letting her sit the test for the Abbey,,,, I think it is in January isn't? So by then we will kind of know if there is hope for Kendrick ,,,
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: What is your view in the Reading Girls selective stream?

Post by Tinkers »

Check when you need to have registered for Abbey if you are thinking about it. The exam is in January, but they have an assessment type morning before then. October/November time I think.
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