Why don't out of catchments move to catchment;

[Rugbymum]

The only thing I do know about the proposed new secondary school is that it will be built on the site where the radio masts used to be, there will be a huge housing estate hence the need for new schools and other facilities.

[Preston]

Rugbymum; the school I dare not mention has a letter from the Head on the front page asking his children to arrive at school "ready to learn" which includes "arriving on time" and "with the correct equipment" and "always attending school".

It's such a shame that the Headteacher does not feel able to make the assumption that the students will, errr obviously, turn up on time with correct kit when not ill or at dentist/doctor etc.

What's it all about? I'm worried as I am in catchment.

[guest201]

I am also in catchment, a bit of worry. However I don't think turning up to school without the necessary equipment is exclusive to that school, sadly it is sign of the times and common in many schools. I moonlight as an exam invigilator and you would be horrified to see how many kids turn up to exams without pens, rulers or calculators.

[Ed's mum]

Rugbymum; the school I dare not mention has a letter from the Head on the front page asking his children to arrive at school "ready to learn" which includes "arriving on time" and "with the correct equipment" and "always attending school".

It's such a shame that the Headteacher does not feel able to make the assumption that the students will, errr obviously, turn up on time with correct kit when not ill or at dentist/doctor etc.

What's it all about? I'm worried as I am in catchment.

I actually don't think that those statements should be a cause for concern per se. We are still working on the 'with the correct equipment' with my 14 year old! I think those requirements are essential anywhere and I would not judge the school simply because they state them.

The school was also the catchment school for us as we moved to Rugby to also be in catchment for RHS and Rugby School and I know how worrying it can be. (assuming I have guessed the right school). I do hear some good things about it though although I won't pretend that we would gave ideally wanted to send our children there.

[Rugbymum]

It is an odd choice of topic for a website homepage as I would have thoughts other methods of communicating this message would be more appropriate.

LSS takes this issue seriously and they have trained my DS well - they get strikes/detention if they turn up without the right equipment/books etc so this kind of thing is something that schools are having to deal with.

[DarkEnergy]

I am also in catchment to this school that no one will name. Bizarre! Anyway, I have looked very closely at it and have observed that it does have a large section of students who do not achieve well academically. However, it also has a good sized group of students who actually do very well, especially in performing arts. The school is not an academic backwater, but considering the better students get creamed off by the GS system, it does pretty well. My DD actually preferred it to RHS based on open evenings. The question is if DD does not get into RHS would I be happy to send her there. Yes, is the answer. However, I would look very closely at Princethorpe as an alternative.

As another comparison, I noticed that a popular CofE secondary comprehensive school in Rugby has very good stats for A*-C grades, but when you look closely, it has a tiny percentage of A*, A and B grades and is almost totally C grades.

Reputations? Go figure?

[Preston]

Thanks for the interesting comments.

For me it boils down to ethos. RHS and LSS seem to mirror the ethos I was raised with, hold dear and will be fight for. Such an ethos seems to sit oddly with the, on the face of it, the relatively poor acedemic performance of the other schools mentioned.

Nothing in life worthwhile is ever easy. I would rather my kids struggled and battled in an academic school, coming out with at least a clutch of worthwhile qualifications, rather than be in an easy comfort zone in a school where everyone's a winner.

[youngest]

The only thing I do know about the proposed new secondary school is that it will be built on the site where the radio masts used to be, there will be a huge housing estate hence the need for new schools and other facilities.

When there were the consultation days for the Radio Mast Site, I did write my comments that I felt, that, in light of the selective education system in Eastern Warwickshire, they should model the secondary school on the Ashlawn model of selective and non selective places in order to try to establish a more comprehensive school rather that just another secondary modern school. As they were looking at "green" issues and discouraging car transport, I suggested that this would also help with this!

We are also in the catchment area for the school not named above, now with the website account suspended! We are the audience targeted by the head with his comment: "I don't want anyone thinking that because they are in catchment, that they can put the school down last because they think they will get in here if they don't get their other choices, because they won't." Errr, yes we will!! For DD and DS1 we didn't put it down at all, then there were a handful of children in DS1's year who were given a Nuneaton School as there weren't enough school places in Rugby, so this time it is down last with only one other Rugby school omitted completely and an out of Warwickshire school added to the mix!!

Back to put my head in the sand regarding 11 plus thoughts!!

[Learning Fast]

Er... we did buy a house in the 'catchment' area of the Rugby grammar schools, and paid a lot more for the privilege. However, they then changed the rules and we fell into the second 'priority' area. We actually live closer to the Rugby schools than some people in the higher priority area do, because of the way the boundaries are drawn.

When considering how good a school is, I think the really telling result is how much they have improved each child. If you start off with a bright bunch and dont take them any further I don't think that's as good as starting off with a lower ability group but really bringing them on. I know they measure this now on the league tables, but can anyone help me with what its called? CVE possibly?

[fed up]

Well said, Learning Fast. In Kilsby, Rugby, Warwickshire and Barby, Rugby, Warwickshire, we are less than half a mile in places from the boundary line. And, yes, we were firmly in catchment until 2009.

I think it's called "Value Added" but may well be wrong.