2018 Places Offers day

[mike1880]

Thank you. We are over in Stourbridge so bit too far.

What about OSH? Would the fees be comparable with KES scholarship? He'd also stay local then...

They weren't originally but after assessment they are. He is on list but is it as good a school?

I think you already know the answer to that and don't need anyone else to tell you.There are more to schools than league tables but this article deals with recent league tables.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... s-13948099" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That list is based entirely on academic results. OSH is not as academically selective as KES so it doesn't figure as highly in league tables of academic results (in fact it's classed as a comprehensive school in league tables). Leavers' destinations are correspondingly more varied:

https://www.oshsch.com/wp-content/uploa ... master.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.kes.net/wp-content/uploads/2 ... s-2017.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The results achieved by other people's children at a given school cannot tell you what your own child might achieve and certainly can't tell you whether a given school would be the right environment for your own child.

[mike1880]

Apropos the internet rant - does any school provide grades more than once per term??? And if they do - why? It can only encourage the worst sort of helicopter parenting.

[streathammum]

My son's DS gives out reports every half-term. He's only been there since September and we're already wondering why we get so many.

(Not really complaining, btw. It's good to get feedback. But once a term would probably be enough.)

[excitedmumanddad]

To be fair, unless parents are looking at the same site that you are getting these reviews from, nobody knows which school you are talking about....

Whichever school it is it seems to me to say a lot more about the parent rather than the school.In every school there are parents with unrealistic expectations both of their own children and of the schools they attend.It wasn't very objective and a series of tirades.

[/quote]


Thank you all. As streathammum pointed out, perhaps I have limited options anyways once the letter comes out next week. I will post the needful details on offers day.

[crazycrofter]

To be fair, unless parents are looking at the same site that you are getting these reviews from, nobody knows which school you are talking about....

Whichever school it is it seems to me to say a lot more about the parent rather than the school.In every school there are parents with unrealistic expectations both of their own children and of the schools they attend.It wasn't very objective and a series of tirades.

Thank you all. As streathammum pointed out, perhaps I have limited options anyways once the letter comes out next week. I will post the needful details on offers day.[/quote]

As has already been said, there will be bad behaviour, bullying etc at every school. My brother was bullied at KES. But I think he’d have had a similar experience elsewhere as he was the type of boy to attract bullies unfortunately- not that it was his fault.

Our ds has experienced older boys throwing their weight around a bit. We’ve tried to encourage him to stand up for himself. After all there are bullies in all walks of life - I experienced it in my first job. Our children need to be prepared for life, not molly-coddled. Of course, that’s not to say bullying should be accepted. I would hope a good school would act firmly. I just think you need to have sensible expectations of secondary school. There may be bumps in the road!

The reviewer who talks about the teachers being in it for the money and not caring just sounds nasty to be honest.

[kenyancowgirl]

To b honest, it sounds like a few parents with a bit of a grudge....I've been in this area for a good few years and couldn't recognise any of the Bham schools from the descriptions....mainly the feedback from them all is overwhelmingly positive.

[ToadMum]

To b honest, it sounds like a few parents with a bit of a grudge....I've been in this area for a good few years and couldn't recognise any of the Bham schools from the descriptions....mainly the feedback from them all is overwhelmingly positive.

I can't comment on the Birmingham grammar schools, having no personal knowledge of any of them. But this quote from whichever website is being quoted about whichever school amused me:


They care much more about their reputation than the students voice, they will kick your child off the GSCE course if he/she is not acheiving well enough, hence their statistics about 100% C or above. 

No doubt from a parent who, a few years earlier, had got their underwear in a very damp state to make sure the DC concerned elbowed his / her way to the top of the 11+ pile, to make sure that they wouldn't have to share a school, let alone a classroom, with the kind of DC who weren't even going to be able to get C grades at GCSE .

[kenyancowgirl]

Not to mention the parent can't spell....!

[ToadMum]

Not to mention the parent can't spell....!

<All I ever wanted for my little darlings was the education I never had...>

[Ricky74]

Thank you. We are over in Stourbridge so bit too far.

What about OSH? Would the fees be comparable with KES scholarship? He'd also stay local then...

They weren't originally but after assessment they are. He is on list but is it as good a school?

As others have pointed out, it's not just about what is 'good' on paper. If you can, look round the schools and get a feel for what might 'fit' your child and your family. Ideally, in addition to an open evening/morning. Good luck next week