Crypt: I need to know everything

Eleven Plus (11+) in Gloucestershire (Glos)

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Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Crypt: I need to know everything

Post by Amber »

OK, my situation is this. As you might know, DS missed Tommy's by 1 miserable mark. We are all happy with local comp, especially as most of his friends are also in the same boat; he can almost walk there, it is A Good School. Eleventh hour, DS announces he wants to see Crypt, which he did qualify for, quite comfortably (so assume, maybe wrongly, that he would get a place). We are therefore heading off tomorrow morning, Cryptward.

I really would welcome any information at all - good or bad, about the school. I am particularly keen to know about travelling from Cheltenham - we have marketed local comp on the delicious fact that he will have a very short day! I would also be interested to know if many boys come from Cheltenham, and whether not-particularly-sporty boys survive.

I am happy to hear the good, the bad and the ugly. I hope someone will reply!
Perplexed 2009
Posts: 54
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 7:45 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by Perplexed 2009 »

There is a bus called "Bob's Bus" from Cheltenham which goes to Ribston (same area?). It is small and stops as needed, apparently.

I think it leaves at 7:30am; quite a number of girls seem to travel to Ribston from Cheltenham.

I don't have a number - perhaps Crypt has?
gloucsdad
Posts: 52
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 10:51 pm

crypt

Post by gloucsdad »

Crypt is an interesting one
Better results at GCSE this year than Tommie's
A Higher pass mark than Marling

They say that it takes a 'generation' to change perceptions about a school. I wonder if Crypt is actualy much better than people think. Jon Standen seems really good, considering IB

It could be a new gem
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Post by Amber »

Thank you. Excuse my ignorance, but who is Jon Standen - is he the head? IB can be great too - I will ask about it tomorrow.

Anyone know about non-sporty boys?
bobbob
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2009 2:16 pm

Post by bobbob »

I dont know who john Stadan is either!

I see what you mean though. Things are changing.....
Bournside was great but now only 'Satisfactory' whilst Pitville and CHrists College are improving fastand have results just as good as Bourside with Ofsted reports saying they are better.

What is happening at Hih School for Girls! I rarely hear a good thing whereas , I agree - Tomies remains great (a little old fashioned) but Crypt is doing really well and it is Marling that is fading fast.
RH is more comprehensive than Balcarras and should be merged!
Pate's has become a pastoral beacon when it used to be a hot house whilst resuts have got better and better

Funny world - and an Academy in Glos and in Chelt on the way
Wow

to the point - if you have Crypt - go for it!
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Post by Amber »

Bobbob thanks.

You would do it even if it involved travelling? Aagh, I don't know what to do!
Burneth
Posts: 903
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:20 pm
Location: On another planet called Gloucester!

Post by Burneth »

Jon Standen is the head.

I have very limited internet access at the moment (building work at home!) so can only nip on during my lunch/breaks at work. Will try and respond more fully later.

Gloucestermum where are you?
[img]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;51;459/st/20080902/e/DS%27s+1st+day+at+senior/k/f5bf/event.png[/img]

PS I am Burneth and I am a lady....!
cairo
Posts: 276
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 3:09 pm

Post by cairo »

Amber - I am in a similar boat to you and have also had to consider whether travelling from Cheltenham is something we really want to do.

From what I've found out, there's no bus organised by the school, but there is a private bus run by a bloke called Rob Dix (I expect this is the same as "Bob's bus"). The first pick-up is Swindon Road at 7:20, the last one at Arle Court at 8:05 (stopping at racecourse, Hewlett Rd and Lansdown Road along the way.) It then drops off at Ribston at 8:15 and Crypt at 8:20. When I spoke to the man, he said there wasn't really much flexibility about changing the route on the way there, because they are up against it time-wise. However, he can do more drop-offs on the way back if needed. The official timetable on the way back shows a first drop-off at Arle Court at 15.55 and a final one at Leckhampton Rd at 16.45pm. His telephone number is 01452 550612.

One thing you do need to know is that this costs £1,237 for the 09/10 school year. (Gulp.)

I have a friend whose son uses this bus and she likes the fact that he gets to chat to the Ribston girls on the journey, slightly counter-balancing the all-boys thing.

The other option is public transport (cheaper? I don't know..) However, from my part of Cheltenham the only option would be the no.10 which meanders around and takes well over an hour door to door...

When I visited the school, I thought it had the nicest atmosphere of all the schools I visited and the new Head (been there 2 years) is definitely on a mission to make it an "excellent school". It's just the travelling that slightly puts me off, plus the concern that my son would not have so many local friends as if he went to the comp. (But this is an issue for all grammar school children.)

Ultimately, I decided to put Crypt higher on the preference form than our local comp, but obviously different families will make different decisions on this.

Hope this helps and that when you've visited you know whether it is the right school for your son or not.
gloucestermum
Posts: 739
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:14 pm
Location: Gloucester

Post by gloucestermum »

John Standen is the headteacher.A former pupil of a top Grammar school himself,he seems to me to have that "old fashioned discipline" way about him-a great asset in an all boys school in my opinion.
From what DS tells me,he is very strict on uniform and standards of behaviour.DS makes me smile when he tells me about full school assembly,when the head walks in last to a standing hall of boys and anybody with a top button undone better watch out!!!

DS is very sporty and excels at cricket-the school won at all age groups in the county games this year.They also excel at rugby which all boys grammars tend to do.However,he loathes rugby,and this has not been an issue.They get to choose in year 7 whether they want to be in the group being considered for a team or the other less competitive group.In year 8 he has not played rugby but has had the chance to try other sports-basketball,circuit training,badminton,so I think being a less sporty boy really is not an issue.

Academically,the head was keen to let prospective parents know that they were the only grammar school which achieved 100% at grade A-C at GCSE this year! His speech was on the website but have just checked and its gone! I am sure if you email them they would forward you a copy-it was very detailed about his aspirations for the future.

The school have just achieved their second specialism in languages.The new sixth form centre is very impressive too.There are plans to use some of the school field for a new sports hall,cricket pitch etc and use it for community use in the evenings and weekends.

My DS has thrived since he started.Academically he is bright but certainly no boffin,and he enjoys school,which for me is the most important thing.He has been encouraged to work hard and I think he has achieved levels far higher than he would have got at the comp,where he probably would have been towards the top of the group.

No complaints from me! The school has definitely been seen in the past as second to Tommies in the city-but I think this is changing and I have no hesitation in recommending the school to others.

Burneth-anything to add???

Please PM if there is anything else you wish to know!

GM
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

cairo wrote:I have a friend whose son uses this bus and she likes the fact that he gets to chat to the Ribston girls on the journey, slightly counter-balancing the all-boys thing.
I'd endorse that. Whatever ones opinion on single vs. co-ed education, children need to have the chance to make friends of both genders. That's why we're impressed with the Stroud High / Marling set up - otherwise we'd probably have been pushing DD1 to get into Pates because of the mixed gender intake.
Capers
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