Advise for parents on comp schools

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ABJ
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 8:54 am

Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by ABJ »

Hello again ,
This time no controversial post ( as some say) but rather informative well that's what I suppose.
As lot of parents are in dilemma regarding filling any comp choices especially whose dc has not made it or who are at the border line and not sure which schools to put.

It would be nice of members as they seem to have lot of knowledge about schools if they can list the names of decent comp schools in different areas of the city ..

While according to me -

The people who are in Sandwell part lordswood girls is really good school.university school again good future prospects and apparently new Q3 academy coming in oldbury also look very promising.
While other side of town hall green is also an excellent school so is Nishkam and Saint Paul's...

Hope this post will be helpful to some parents !!!
Last edited by ABJ on Tue Oct 20, 2015 10:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Petitpois
Posts: 1440
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by Petitpois »

Any school that boasts about 75% or so of its year 9's achieving level 4 in reading and maths is telling you something very profound. That is some of the schools in the LA you refer to.

Lordswood check the facts>????

Tudor House and Arthur terry are two examples I have come across, but you can forget them unless you have some wedge, to buy a house in catchment.

I think you mean Tudor Grange in Solihull (Helpful Mod comment)
ABJ
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 8:54 am

Re: Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by ABJ »

Petitpois wrote:Any school that boasts about 75% or so of its year 9's achieving level 4 in reading and maths is telling you something very profound. That is some of the schools in the LA you refer to.

Lordswood check the facts>????

Tudor House and Arthur terry are two examples I have come across, but you can forget them unless you have some wedge, to buy a house in catchment.
I am sure I know the facts about lords wood girls ( not the boys) is a very good school and the girls really do well considering the location where it is the pupil comes from not so affluential background.
I am not talking for the sake I know the people who are involved there (teachers,governors etc...)

Also Tudor house and Artur terry as you rightly said are not for majority of people.
You have to be in 0.9 miles radius ..
It would be nice for parents to know the other options of good schools in the city

As not everyone fortunate enough to live in Sutton or Solihull areas..

It would be nice to know the schools from other parts of the city on the personal experience level of members I guess

But to think that every other comp school is not good isn't very nice thing..

Just so you know one of the GCSE topper in the country was from a very average school - holly lodge ...
It would be nice if not for every thing being asked to check the facts as I am sure the facts you know are no less than the facts I know ..
I don't know if this makes sense but I hope you know what I am trying to say !!!!
Petitpois
Posts: 1440
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by Petitpois »

What was the % fall in pupils at the girls achieving 5 GCSEs this year for the girls then??
What was the peak % of girls achieving 5 GCSE's in the past 5 years.
What is your prediction for the girls in the League tables this year, or don't they matter any more?

The school was doing very very well it is now looking distinctly average.

A total car crash for the boys last year has improved, but the %'s are still not great - Affluent or not. You have to ask the question is a very very good local girls comp been sacrificed to try and do something about the boys. Only time will fully answer that one. Indeed if you look at my past post, I speculate that it would indeed come good. I just hoped the girls would not implode in the short term.

I rang the school to ask for information to help me make a call about whether to consider putting it on the CAF form, but they said their curriculum lead was too busy. Fortunately I have a choice, so I didn't bother also.
Petitpois
Posts: 1440
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by Petitpois »

ABJ wrote:
Petitpois wrote:Any school that boasts about 75% or so of its year 9's achieving level 4 in reading and maths is telling you something very profound. That is some of the schools in the LA you refer to.

Lordswood check the facts>????

Tudor House and Arthur terry are two examples I have come across, but you can forget them unless you have some wedge, to buy a house in catchment.
Just so you know one of the GCSE topper in the country was from a very average school - holly lodge ...
Great news about Holly Lodge. I have not looked at them before. I don't think All comps are bad and if I had options of Arthur Terry, Holly Lodge or Tudor House, I would certainly take them. See that's the thing that riles many, parents should have a right to a decent school near where they live, and sometimes they do get that.
booellesmum
Posts: 611
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by booellesmum »

The comps on our CAF last year were :

Arthur Terry
Plantsbrook
Fairfax

I actually prefer Fairfax to Plantsbrook but went the other way round for ease of travel.

Streetly Academy also seems really good and DDs friend is having a great time there.
ABJ
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 8:54 am

Re: Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by ABJ »

booellesmum wrote:The comps on our CAF last year were :

Arthur Terry
Plantsbrook
Fairfax

I actually prefer Fairfax to Plantsbrook but went the other way round for ease of travel.

Streetly Academy also seems really good and DDs friend is having a great time there.
Yes streetly is a good school too.
Know couple of girls who after GCSE from Scgs went to streetly for sixth form .
quasimodo
Posts: 3854
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:47 pm

Re: Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by quasimodo »

ABJ wrote:
booellesmum wrote:The comps on our CAF last year were :

Arthur Terry
Plantsbrook
Fairfax

I actually prefer Fairfax to Plantsbrook but went the other way round for ease of travel.

Streetly Academy also seems really good and DDs friend is having a great time there.
Yes streetly is a good school too.
Know couple of girls who after GCSE from Scgs went to streetly for sixth form .
I have heard parents say good things about Arthur Terry and Fairfax not heard much on Plantbrook.

To say girls have left SCGSG gives the inference reasons were academic.

You can leave a school at sixth form for many reasons if e.g your child is unhappy,to move to a school closer to home,if fee paying for financial reasons or to better position your child for University against the grade offers which may be made.

Streetly is one of the better comprehensives in the Walsall area but nowhere near SCGSG.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
booellesmum
Posts: 611
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:44 am

Re: Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by booellesmum »

Plantsbrook are rated outstanding and get great exam results for a comp. Personally didn't like the feel as much as Fairfax. It is in the process of being rebuilt at the moment and the new school I think is due to be finished Sept 2017.
KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Advise for parents on comp schools

Post by KenR »

Ark St Albans Academy in Highgate, Birmingham is a very good school although well oversubscribed
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