Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

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peter doe
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2012 9:28 am

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by peter doe »

I felt the atmosphere was cold and unfriendly at CHG and my wife and DD felt the same .Handsworth girls was extremely enjoyable and you never wanted the tour to end but the best school I've visited so far is Queen Mary's .Everyone was so helpful and happy to have you there .That beats the Siberian climate at CHG by a million miles .
DIY Mum
Posts: 744
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:08 pm
Location: Not in a hole in the ground but in a land where once they dwelt-the Beormingas

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by DIY Mum »

CH is closest to us also but we can't warm to the girls school at all. Much prefer KEVIH despite the distance but there's very little info about that school on here.
What info would you like?

Re: distance, if you are 5 mins away from where we are, (and I think you are MM) :wink: , then the distance for either KEVIHS or Aston is no big deal.

I mean, dd1 leaves to catch the Green Bus at 7.30 a.m in the morning and comes home at 4.30-4.45 pm. Which incidentally, is the same time that ds1 arrives home (and leaves) for CHB. Obviously, his journey is much easier with the school being located only 10 mins away and I know he could also leave home a little later and come home a little earlier... :roll:

But for dd1 and ds2, travelling on the Green Bus with their friends is the most enjoyable part of their day.

Open Days can be misleading though. We didn't like CHB at all, but it really is a 'down to earth' and friendly school. QM is also really lovely.

Turtlegirl
Posts: 521
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:54 pm

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by Turtlegirl »

My daughter has just started in Year 7 at KEVIHS and is loving it. They've been very quick to respond to a request for my distractable girl to be moved to the front row in maths and I was very impressed with Mrs Wager (ex deputy, now the new head) when we met with her before we accepted a place.

Ask me about it again later this year (and the next few). I've two boys - one in Year 5 & one in Year 3, so I suspect I'll be about for the foreseeable future ;)
moseleymum
Posts: 659
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 8:59 pm

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by moseleymum »

Thanks for the replies. Main questions about KEVIHS relate to the new Head, perceived petty rules and the movement of teachers this year, which was alluded to in another thread. Is it different from CHG in many aspects? We know more families with girls at CHG but they aren't as enthusiastic about it as people generally are about Handsworth.

At the at the open day, the girls showing us round KEVIHS weren't exactly thrilled about the new Headmistress even though they knew her well from her time as Deputy :?

Other than saying your DDs love it, are there any specific aspects that stand out over other Grammar or Indie schools?
Turtlegirl
Posts: 521
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:54 pm

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by Turtlegirl »

The science teaching is excellent - a teacher I know said that it was a particular strength of the school, and so far science lessons are the favourite ones in this house.

I've not seen any petty rules in operation as yet, so I can't comment on that. Movement of teachers isn't always a bad sign - it could be a clearing out of dead wood... I think the new head is a different sort to the old - much more professional, and less motherly than the old. But again, this is a change rather than a necessarily bad thing. Noone likes a change, even schoolgirls!
moseleymum
Posts: 659
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 8:59 pm

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by moseleymum »

:D

The girls definitely gave the impression they were no longer "getting away" with as much as before :lol: I agree change is not necessarily a bad thing....

The grounds and school buildings at KEIVHS are lovely, definitely the preferred option of the GSs.
DIY Mum
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Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:08 pm
Location: Not in a hole in the ground but in a land where once they dwelt-the Beormingas

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by DIY Mum »

Can't comment upon the Independent Schools or CHG for that matter.

Dd1 is in y8 at KEVIHS and yes, she's loving it! :D

From experience, the pastoral care at KEVIHS is very good- this could be partly due to the brilliance of last year's head of y7 but she has sadly left. :(

More so than the other 2 KE schools that I know of, KEVIHS devote more time in teaching their girls about team building - for Y7 especially, their induction programme is very good. For example, girls go away for a residential weekend within the first couple of weeks of starting school etc. They are also very, very organised.
moseleymum
Posts: 659
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 8:59 pm

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by moseleymum »

Hmmm girls school (KEIVHS) more organised than boys schools (CH/KEA).....is it really that noticeable?
DIY Mum
Posts: 744
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:08 pm
Location: Not in a hole in the ground but in a land where once they dwelt-the Beormingas

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by DIY Mum »

Yes, it is - but women are in general :D
lottie78
Posts: 112
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:13 am

Re: Open days/ evenings... Glad when it's over.

Post by lottie78 »

To make all of this worse we are just back from our final open evening, our closest catchment school. So if all else fails this is where he is going.
I may sound dramatic but I really feel I'll at the thought of Ds going there.
I tried to be positive for Ds s sake and we are going back tomorrow for another look.
The staff rarely spoke, we got there on time to be told the first heads talk was full we would have to wait until 7.30( we didn't)... We're herded off with a tour guide who didn't speak and kept disappearing .
They have a new head so was really interested in what she had to say but with a tired 6 yr old in tow we couldn't stay.
I'm almost contemplating moving house!!!
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