St Clement Danes Feedback Please
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Daogroupie
- Posts: 11106
- Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
- Location: Herts
St Clement Danes Feedback Please
I am very interested in any feedback and opinion anyone has on this school, good and bad. I have done a search on the whole forum and there is hardly anything at all posted on it. Is it very much a second choice after the grammars and Parimeters? What are its strengths? Where do most of its academic and music applicants come from? Does it stream? I am interested in the perceived league table of the Consortium schools. How does the VR and Maths of the Consortium compare to DAO and HBS. Anyone out there who sat both or all three? Thanks
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raceytracey
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:09 pm
- Location: chorleywood
I think it unlikely that you will find many people whose children have been entered for all the schools you mention, simply because Herts parents only get three preferences. IMHO, you would be brave indeed to risk only listing CD, DAO & HBS! (unless you have an indie as Plan B).
I have friends with children at CD & they are very happy with it - as raceytracey has said, however, they do live very close.
TBH, if you live in the SW corner of Herts (& close enough to CD to make it a realistic option), you would probably choose Parmiter's over DAO simply on the distance issue. On paper, they seem pretty similar schools -mixed / partially selective / strong on music etc. If you want single gender, then there's Watford Girls' - not directly comparable to HBS as it is only partially selective, so perhaps harder to get in to because of that. Again, the actual distance you live from the school is so important in case of tied scores.
I have friends with children at CD & they are very happy with it - as raceytracey has said, however, they do live very close.
TBH, if you live in the SW corner of Herts (& close enough to CD to make it a realistic option), you would probably choose Parmiter's over DAO simply on the distance issue. On paper, they seem pretty similar schools -mixed / partially selective / strong on music etc. If you want single gender, then there's Watford Girls' - not directly comparable to HBS as it is only partially selective, so perhaps harder to get in to because of that. Again, the actual distance you live from the school is so important in case of tied scores.
my child will start CD in september so dont have too much first hand knowledge. Can tell you that head of year visits pupils at the end of summer term at their primary school. Children were allowed to give three names of children they would like to be with in their forms, I believe parents/children can also mention if they dont want to be with a particular child with valid reason. We also had a week or so to write to the school requesting which language our child would like to take in year 7. In our personal experience we were granted all our requests.
All children and parents were invited to the school for children to meet their new class mates and form teacher. Head of year and head gave very relaxed informal talks on what to expect and what is expected. Then children were allowed to walk around school with their friends while parents could purchase equipment if they wished.
Personally we had a great experience, my child was on a high by the time we left and cant wait to get there.
The first day will only be year 7 & new sixth form.
The school seem to be doing everything they can to make the children feel comfortable.
I do know parents with older children there and they are all very happy with their children's progress. Some feel their child has surpassed their own expectations for them. Many children seem to be offered master classes in various subjects. The clubs during luchtime and after school are amazing and my own child will have a hard time choosing between them even doing one every lunchtime and one every evening!
The older children seem very nice, and they all say they made lots of new friends once they got there.
I have heard of one case of bullying, and as soon as the child informed the school, the matter was dealt with to the satisfaction of the parents, and as far as I know that put an end to the matter.
As I said at the beginning of the post, we dont have a child there yet, so i'm sure there must be others with more valid comments, but hope this helps in the meantime
All children and parents were invited to the school for children to meet their new class mates and form teacher. Head of year and head gave very relaxed informal talks on what to expect and what is expected. Then children were allowed to walk around school with their friends while parents could purchase equipment if they wished.
Personally we had a great experience, my child was on a high by the time we left and cant wait to get there.
The first day will only be year 7 & new sixth form.
The school seem to be doing everything they can to make the children feel comfortable.
I do know parents with older children there and they are all very happy with their children's progress. Some feel their child has surpassed their own expectations for them. Many children seem to be offered master classes in various subjects. The clubs during luchtime and after school are amazing and my own child will have a hard time choosing between them even doing one every lunchtime and one every evening!
The older children seem very nice, and they all say they made lots of new friends once they got there.
I have heard of one case of bullying, and as soon as the child informed the school, the matter was dealt with to the satisfaction of the parents, and as far as I know that put an end to the matter.
As I said at the beginning of the post, we dont have a child there yet, so i'm sure there must be others with more valid comments, but hope this helps in the meantime
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raceytracey
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:09 pm
- Location: chorleywood
I think most schools do this certainly in Herts anyway. My DD's school did the same. She visited for the day and met her new form teacher and the children in her class.
Most schools seem to bring in the year 7's a day early so that they can get acclimatised to the school without it being overly busy.
I know there was a situation with drugs sometime last year at CD and also the theft of mobile phones but I believe the school dealt with these problems and I am sure these problems are dealt with in all schools.
Most schools seem to bring in the year 7's a day early so that they can get acclimatised to the school without it being overly busy.
I know there was a situation with drugs sometime last year at CD and also the theft of mobile phones but I believe the school dealt with these problems and I am sure these problems are dealt with in all schools.
