Independent Schools in Reading,Berkshire

[hermanmunster]

Currently Leighton park school offers following subjects in GCSE

CORE: English, Maths, Briefs and Values (RS), PE and Games(not examined), Your life(not examined) and CAS projects (Creativity, Action and Service)

OPTIONAL: Approaches to learning,Art and Design,Biology,Chemistry,Design Technology,Drama,English as a second language,French,Geography,German,History,Information Technology (EDCL qualification), Latin, Mandarin,Music,Physical Education,Physics,Spanish and Textile Design

My worry is that, generally CORE contains 2 or 3 Sciences in most of the schools but here it is not the case though they can be taken from optional route.

Is this something I need to bother?

Also, English Literature and Additional Mathematics are neither in CORE nor in Optional. Will it impact if child wants to do his/her graduation in Maths

PLEASE HELP

Are you sure that the english referred to in core is not Eng Lit? sometimes when they say english they mean both eng lit and eng lang - they do need to be able to do both.

Re Maths at GCSE they only need to do maths - if they want to graduate in maths at university they are going to have to do maths and further maths in the sixth form to get into the better unis - they don't need as maths at GCSE.

[harrow123]

Currently Leighton park school offers following subjects in GCSE

CORE: English, Maths, Briefs and Values (RS), PE and Games(not examined), Your life(not examined) and CAS projects (Creativity, Action and Service)

OPTIONAL: Approaches to learning,Art and Design,Biology,Chemistry,Design Technology,Drama,English as a second language,French,Geography,German,History,Information Technology (EDCL qualification), Latin, Mandarin,Music,Physical Education,Physics,Spanish and Textile Design

My worry is that, generally CORE contains 2 or 3 Sciences in most of the schools but here it is not the case though they can be taken from optional route.

Is this something I need to bother?

Also, English Literature and Additional Mathematics are neither in CORE nor in Optional. Will it impact if child wants to do his/her graduation in Maths

PLEASE HELP

Are you sure that the english referred to in core is not Eng Lit? sometimes when they say english they mean both eng lit and eng lang - they do need to be able to do both.

Re Maths at GCSE they only need to do maths - if they want to graduate in maths at university they are going to have to do maths and further maths in the sixth form to get into the better unis - they don't need as maths at GCSE.

Thanks , I will check with school about English.
What about Science not being in CORE subjects , many Grammars/Indies do have Science in CORE but in this school. Is this a conceren. Though there were 30% of pupil moved to Uni in Science subjects

[cestlavie]

I don't see why it would matter, I guess if you look at recent results you'll probably see that pretty much all do two sciences and a proportion do 3, much like any other school. At the open day I went to there they did have rather nice science labs (somewhat nicer than some of the labs at my university!).

I agree that you don't need additional maths at gcse to progress further, my own feeling is that it is best to have a broad range of gcses as that shows a general level of intelligence, as well as giving a more-rounded person. LP is very much in that ethos.

[twelveminus]

We did a tour of Leighton Park today, quite interesting, everyone (teachers, head, students) on first name terms, a couple of students kissing in the corridor, discipline by consent to a degree, quite a bit of chatter going on at the start of the lessons, so it wasn't entirely clear that this is effective.

8 pupils out of 65 didn't get 5 A*-C last year, which is pretty bad in a £20k/year school, and note that that is 5A*-Cs in ANY subject, not 5A*-C including Maths and English!

Not my cup of tea at all, but obviously just the sort of thing for some children.

[harrow123]

145 out of 500 are identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD), receiving support within
school. This is as per ISI report of Dec 2010

Is not this a high number , it is almost 30%

[twelveminus]

It's on the high side, but not outrageously so these days.

I got the impression it might suit those who were unhappy in more conventional schools. That may perhaps attract those with SENs of various kinds, although I doubt there would be many independent schools that would tolerate really troubled children.

[twelveminus]

Some other options:

LVS Ascot
Wellington College
Pangbourne College (this I believe is very military)
Bradfield College
RGS Guildford (most students arrive by train)
Shiplake College (I think this focuses on SEN)
Frensham Heights