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AGS vs WGS - Standards

Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:32 pm
by ChessDad
Anyone an old wulfrunian from WGS or knows anyone from WGS yesteryear, and can comment on the standard at WGS vs AGS.

I went there 30 years ago, and I remember how high the standard used to be before the school became fee paying.

In those days they used to turn arund students to OxBridge (Oxford and Cambridge) by the numbers, plus other flagship institutions, such as Royal Schools of Medicine, or Dentistry, or Pharmacy or Veterinary Science.

Not any more, as the University spread nowadays is less eminent.

We got a place at WGS but decided on AGS. Good choice I reckon.

Any comments?

AGS V WGS

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:01 pm
by resmum
As far as WGS is concerned the school suffered badly from the loss of the assisted places scheme (about 40% of pupils were assisted). When this was stopped a lot of bright boys had to look elsewhere and the school has had to be quite innovative to attract paying pupils (Big Six, co-education, Opal scheme). Inevitably this meant that the standard for entry had to be lowered somewhat in order for the school to survive.

Most people I talk to with pupils at the school seem very happy with the education on offer though there seems to be a general feeling that some improvements could be made.

The school has a new head who has come from the KES schools (state grammars) in B'ham. I think he will be very good for the school and will bring back some of the old grammar pride (he is already keen to smarten up the uniforms etc.)

Our son was also offered a place at WGS and we were tempted by the fact it is just down the road. But I think he will fit in better at AGS (with all the other nerds!). Obviously, not having to fork out for fees is an obvious attraction in these precarious times. We also reasoned that if he was deeply miserable at AGS he could probably get a place at WGS, but not the other way round.

Resmum

Re: AGS V WGS

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:12 pm
by ChessDad
resmum wrote:As far as WGS is concerned the school suffered badly from the loss of the assisted places scheme (about 40% of pupils were assisted). When this was stopped a lot of bright boys had to look elsewhere and the school has had to be quite innovative to attract paying pupils (Big Six, co-education, Opal scheme). Inevitably this meant that the standard for entry had to be lowered somewhat in order for the school to survive.

Most people I talk to with pupils at the school seem very happy with the education on offer though there seems to be a general feeling that some improvements could be made.

The school has a new head who has come from the KES schools (state grammars) in B'ham. I think he will be very good for the school and will bring back some of the old grammar pride (he is already keen to smarten up the uniforms etc.)

Our son was also offered a place at WGS and we were tempted by the fact it is just down the road. But I think he will fit in better at AGS (with all the other nerds!). Obviously, not having to fork out for fees is an obvious attraction in these precarious times. We also reasoned that if he was deeply miserable at AGS he could probably get a place at WGS, but not the other way round.

Resmum

We are in very much the same circumstances as yourself ResMum.
He got into QM Walsall and WGS amongst others, but I think AGS pipped the post.

I really do hope that WGS gets back on track to where it was many years ago. I wish them the best.

WGS

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:51 pm
by resmum
Don't know if you heard of the recent ruling in Northants which meant that children near the border could not apply for grammars in Warks. (Could have been the other way round but you get the gist).

If this ruling is taken as a precedent and applied elsewhere it could mean that children from Wolverhampton would not be able to apply to Adams or presumably QM. I don't think this will happen in this area but if it did WGS would get a lot more applications from bright boys, as the alternatives in Wolverhampton aren't great and many parents would try and find the fees somehow. Otherwise I don't really see it ever rivalling the Girl's High again on the academic front.

If only the school hadn't been forced to go independent in the first place we'd have the best of both worlds!

Resmum

Re: WGS

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:36 pm
by ChessDad
resmum wrote:Don't know if you heard of the recent ruling in Northants which meant that children near the border could not apply for grammars in Warks. (Could have been the other way round but you get the gist).

If this ruling is taken as a precedent and applied elsewhere it could mean that children from Wolverhampton would not be able to apply to Adams or presumably QM. I don't think this will happen in this area but if it did WGS would get a lot more applications from bright boys, as the alternatives in Wolverhampton aren't great and many parents would try and find the fees somehow. Otherwise I don't really see it ever rivalling the Girl's High again on the academic front.

If only the school hadn't been forced to go independent in the first place we'd have the best of both worlds!

Resmum
Yeup,

Back in those days when I was in WGS, in the pre fee-paying days, it was WGS vs WGH as the best schools in the area, and we even had a third 6th year or special upper sixth in the 6th form to prepare those bright OxBridge students for the entrance exams for Mathematical Tripos