Tell me about the schools (if we can't visit)

monkeypops · Post by **monkeypops** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 7:51 pm

Just wanted to let you all know (if you’re not watching already) the Ribston open evening is probably the best virtual open evening I’ve seen. Really informative with input from the current Year 7’s, videos of the school and classroom and a really lengthy Q&A session when they’ve gone into every single question asked with a panel of 5 teachers. Felt really conversational and am very impressed!

Ginger40 · Post by **Ginger40** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 10:16 pm

Ribston’s presentation was really good tonight. It’s between Ribston and SHS for my DD, still can’t decide.

Polgara_Glos · Post by **Polgara_Glos** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:51 pm

I just wish there was better transport options to Stroud from Glos!

2Socks · Post by **2Socks** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 8:29 am

We didn't watch the Ribston event yesterday, but we both agree that Stroud and Ribston have done better with the online events than the others.
As for travel, I used to commute by train and would regularly see kids heading to Marling and Stroud from Gloucester, so that may be an option. It was a few years ago though.

Brackenboo · Post by **Brackenboo** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:18 am

Definitely factor in travel and how easy it would be to collect your child if needed. DD is in y7 and has already been collected twice. We only live about 3 miles from Crypt, but her door to door travel time is 7:10-4:30 roughly (this includes a 20 minute walk to the bus stop each way, which she would rather do than get a lift). We're moving closer to a different stop soon (which will save at least 30 minutes of travel), but length of day and ease of collection is definitely a factor worth considering. She has friends going to Marling and their day is about another hour on top of what she does...

Leahdon · Post by **Leahdon** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:27 am

2Socks wrote:We didn't watch the Ribston event yesterday, but we both agree that Stroud and Ribston have done better with the online events than the others.

They've obviously improved then as the Ribston and Stroud virtual open mornings back in June were so bad technically, that hubby said at the time that we shouldn't consider either school. This was after a very impressive Crypt open morning and all 3 were in one week so close enough to compare.

2Socks · Post by **2Socks** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:33 am

We've obviously been lucky, no technical hitches for us... although I think the Stroud one did start a couple of minutes later than expected. I'm spending half my working hours on calls with bad audio or screen sharing failures though, so maybe I just have low expectations

2Socks · Post by **2Socks** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:41 am

Brackenboo, I couldn't agree more. I loved my secondary school, but it was an hour on the bus, or well over an hour round trip for my parents if I missed the bus/needed collection from clubs / matches / performances / being taken ill etc. I honestly didn't realise how difficult that was for my parents and for their sakes I think a more local school (or the one over the road from mum's workplace) would have been so much better. I genuinely had no clue of the difficulty they faced... including getting rapped knuckles for being late when I missed the bus or it just didn't turn up. Let's just say that for my kids it's local schools only, walking distance or regular public transport route is very much preferred!

Polgara_Glos · Post by **Polgara_Glos** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:16 pm

Brackenboo wrote:Definitely factor in travel and how easy it would be to collect your child if needed. DD is in y7 and has already been collected twice. We only live about 3 miles from Crypt, but her door to door travel time is 7:10-4:30 roughly (this includes a 20 minute walk to the bus stop each way, which she would rather do than get a lift). We're moving closer to a different stop soon (which will save at least 30 minutes of travel), but length of day and ease of collection is definitely a factor worth considering. She has friends going to Marling and their day is about another hour on top of what she does...

This is the dilemma I have! Due to the times of the buses, DC would leave 10 minutes earlier to be taken to the bus stop for stroud than they would leaving to walk to the bus stop for Crypt. Time on the bus itself is shorter one way! They would be home about 10 mins later. So roughly 7:40-16:15 for the day to Stroud. We are both working from home for the foreseeable and where we live is 20 mins from Stroud (and 15 mins from Crypt), assuming no severe traffic. But lots of parents drop their children off at stations, bus stops so am I making more of it than i should?

I need to watch the presentations again - it's odd how we all differ in perceptions about them!

Brackenboo · Post by **Brackenboo** » Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:47 pm

Both of those seem very practical options. It is such a hard decision and I really feel for you not being able to have the normal tours etc. My DS is currently in yr5 so we watched the virtual tour with him for Crypt.

DS absolutely loves Crypt and so far friendships and studying is going great. They break them in gently with homework etc. One of her best friends is at DRHS and equally enjoying it. The thing I found interesting is friendships didn't even come into it with her choices. We didn't look around the Stroud schools as they were the least practical for us.

Tell me about the schools (if we can't visit)

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