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Rugby Free School

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 12:24 pm
by ginx
Did anybody visit Rugby Free School last night?

We did. I wasn't very impressed. It has only been open a week and it isn't nearly fully built so there was not much to see. There were lots of parents there and it was very hot, which didn't help.

Ds2 noticed that the work in the maths books on display was terribly easy - calculating in tens - and a friend looked at the English and said the work had been marked and the teacher who marked it hadn't noticed basic grammar mistakes.

I don't know if it was just the lower sets who had work on display.

I found the headmistress a little scary (maybe they all are). Said she knows every child and all parents (that probably isn't hard with 100 max. students) and said she would know every child. I didn't take to her personally, but that could be just me. She spent a long time telling us that the poor radiators, buildings, toilets, classroom sizes etc etc didn't mean it was a bad school. I have no idea where dc study food tec, science, sport. Not much room to run around, either.

I had to laugh a little. My ds saw the architect's drawing of how the school will look like when finished by 2018 and fell in love with the school. It's a STEMM school, he also fell in love with the word "engineering". I'm sure most schools do engineering in one way or another, maybe under another name ... dt/physics/ I know the gs does engineering. At least he listened through the talk.

I wondered if anyone else looked round it and what they thought?

Re: Rugby Free School

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 12:57 pm
by SnowieBear
Hi,

I also attended with my DS and he was also taken with the idea of the new building and the promised tech/engineering facilities.

Cannot judge the physical facilities, they are not going to be great until 2018. The teachers seemed personable enough, but the english in the science materials was appalling.

I guess it will end up in our mix somewhere, not sure where though!

Re: Rugby Free School

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 9:53 am
by Rugbymumto2
We didn't go as we have decided to head north into Leicestershire instead if DD doesn't do well enough at 11+. My concerns with the Free School include that the residents of the estate it is being built on are massively against it and I feel that could create some tension, that there isn't a building yet, and that they will be the second oldest in the school for 4 years. I appreciate others may not have concerns in these areas.

Last night we went to see Lutterworth High School and we all really liked it. It is currently second on our "favourites" list behind RHS but ahead of Ashlawn!! We need to look into the buses a bit more though as it could prove extremely difficult to get her there.

Re: Rugby Free School

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 12:02 pm
by ginx
As I've said, I didn't like it, just didn't get good vibes.

Ds also loved the picture of what the new building should look like, and the word "engineering".

SnowieBear, if you thought the English was poor, did you see the Maths? Maybe the teachers only displayed the work from a lower set (if they've had time to form sets yet). Ds - although he is good at maths - thinks he's been calculating in tens since about year 2.

The head teacher kept pointing at everyone too, a little disconcerting, I've always told my dc that pointing is rude. Maybe I'm just old fashioned. :roll:

I missed Harris last night. However, I'm definitely going to put Harris over Rugby Free School - although it will be on our list.

Re: Rugby Free School

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 8:31 pm
by SnowieBear
Rugbymumto2 wrote:Last night we went to see Lutterworth High School and we all really liked it. It is currently second on our "favourites" list behind RHS but ahead of Ashlawn!! We need to look into the buses a bit more though as it could prove extremely difficult to get her there.
Rugbymumto2 - snap! :D

If DS doesn't get a place at LSS, he wants Lutterworth High too, with Ashlawn now as a back up. Travel is doable, we may get our heads together for this depending on their results, I guess.

Re: Rugby Free School

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 8:33 pm
by SnowieBear
Ginx, it wasn't the kids' spelling that was bad, it was the teacher's! I will not name the subject to spare any blushes.

Re: Rugby Free School

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:05 pm
by Rugbymother
Sorry for asking such silly question but how do we apply to lutterworth high school. My ds is in same situation..wants to go to LSS if not than Ashlawn as back up. We live in cotton medows so commute is not a big hassle. However coming back to the question do we apply directly to school as Leicestershire website directs you to your own county.

Re: Rugby Free School

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:24 pm
by Guest55
You put all the schools you want in the order you prefer them - it does not matter where they are - on the CAF you return or submit online to your home LA.

Re: Rugby Free School

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 1:46 pm
by Rugbymother
Guest55 wrote:You put all the schools you want in the order you prefer them - it does not matter where they are - on the CAF you return or submit online to your home LA.
I live in Warwickshire. Leicestershire website says to apply to your home county. Lutterworth high school comes under Leicestershire. Thats where i am getting confused. Do you mean i put Lutterworth high school on the application form to warwickshire??

Re: Rugby Free School

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 1:47 pm
by JamesDean
Yes :)

JD