Wirral – Senior School Options?
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Wirral – Senior School Options?
It’s that time of year again – when another group of parents have to face the difficult decision of choosing the school that will best suit their precious DC’s through the next 5-7 years of education. It doesn’t necessarily help either that, since last year, we are now offered the choice / dilemma of no less than FIVE state preferences! 
Obviously, we all want the best for our children – but does that mean we are restricted to Grammar or the fee- paying Independents? Well... Thank Goodness, No! There are several State School options on the Wirral – check them out. 
Some of the sought after “Comprehensive” options last year were Woodchurch (heavily oversubscribed) I know of at least one parent who moved her child to a believed “feeder” school to facilitate a placement. Ridgeway School is another popular mixed-sex choice. Not forgetting the “faith” options of St John Plessington and St Mary’s College.
For the single sex options it’s a little more difficult for the boys. Infact, I can only think of one comprehensive option here - at Pensby High School for Boys. No doubt someone can let us know if I’ve missed an obvious? It might be that the only other options here are the Grammars – Wirral and St. Anselm’s. Both achieve excellent results year upon year. I have no experience of Wirral Boys, but I do have DS’s at St Anselm’s – and should any parent have any questions I would be more than happy to answer. As an aside – it is a Very Good School and has, I believe, just achieved 100% GCSE’s...
There are a number of excellent options for our daughters, whether you want Comprehensive, i.e.: Pensby (Girls); Weatherhead, Prenton; or Grammar: Upton Hall, West Kirby, Wirral (Girls) and, of course(!) Bridging both of these options we have the “new” Free Independent: Birkenhead High School Academy (which is also “The school with the bridge”). This school would have cost you a small fortune to send your daughter to before Sept ‘09 – when it opened its doors as an Academy. Perhaps I am biased; as my own DD will be starting here in Sept ’10 – but my word – it really is “as good as the Grammar’s” when it comes to results – and its facilities seem second to none (it even has its own swimming pool)!
Of course it has taken a battering in some of the “opinion polls” on this forum, over the last year or so – but a lot of this, I think, was down to the [somewhat understandable] shock some parents received on hearing of its change from fee-paying indie to free academy. Let us not forget here – it remains the same school, with the same ethos! (Not forgetting fabulous facilities and a substantial grant now for even more building improvements).
It is also still an Independent and remains under the control of the GDST (Girls Day School Trust) – so isn’t at the mercy of Wirral Council – regardless of past rumours! Incidentally – There is an entrance test here – although not the same as the Grammars. This school applies the “fair- banding” criteria. It still awards some 10% of places selectively, to girls with a musical ability. But if your daughter sits the admission test – her score will have her placed into one of five groups. 20% will then be selected from each group and these girls will be offered a place. As an additional note – Even though this school will have a gradual increase in size over the next few years, it will never have more than 700 pupils in its senior school (including 6th form). By my reckoning that puts its class sizes (and year 7 admissions) at even smaller that the Grammars?!?
I know that I have omitted a lot of information here (and schools) – but if you are new to this forum and one of the parents I spoke about in my introduction, I hope that it might just help you to focus on what you (and not forgetting your DC) will consider over the coming weeks. Good Luck to all.
M xx
Obviously, we all want the best for our children – but does that mean we are restricted to Grammar or the fee- paying Independents? Well... Thank Goodness, No! There are several State School options on the Wirral – check them out. Some of the sought after “Comprehensive” options last year were Woodchurch (heavily oversubscribed) I know of at least one parent who moved her child to a believed “feeder” school to facilitate a placement. Ridgeway School is another popular mixed-sex choice. Not forgetting the “faith” options of St John Plessington and St Mary’s College.
For the single sex options it’s a little more difficult for the boys. Infact, I can only think of one comprehensive option here - at Pensby High School for Boys. No doubt someone can let us know if I’ve missed an obvious? It might be that the only other options here are the Grammars – Wirral and St. Anselm’s. Both achieve excellent results year upon year. I have no experience of Wirral Boys, but I do have DS’s at St Anselm’s – and should any parent have any questions I would be more than happy to answer. As an aside – it is a Very Good School and has, I believe, just achieved 100% GCSE’s...
There are a number of excellent options for our daughters, whether you want Comprehensive, i.e.: Pensby (Girls); Weatherhead, Prenton; or Grammar: Upton Hall, West Kirby, Wirral (Girls) and, of course(!) Bridging both of these options we have the “new” Free Independent: Birkenhead High School Academy (which is also “The school with the bridge”). This school would have cost you a small fortune to send your daughter to before Sept ‘09 – when it opened its doors as an Academy. Perhaps I am biased; as my own DD will be starting here in Sept ’10 – but my word – it really is “as good as the Grammar’s” when it comes to results – and its facilities seem second to none (it even has its own swimming pool)!
Of course it has taken a battering in some of the “opinion polls” on this forum, over the last year or so – but a lot of this, I think, was down to the [somewhat understandable] shock some parents received on hearing of its change from fee-paying indie to free academy. Let us not forget here – it remains the same school, with the same ethos! (Not forgetting fabulous facilities and a substantial grant now for even more building improvements).
It is also still an Independent and remains under the control of the GDST (Girls Day School Trust) – so isn’t at the mercy of Wirral Council – regardless of past rumours! Incidentally – There is an entrance test here – although not the same as the Grammars. This school applies the “fair- banding” criteria. It still awards some 10% of places selectively, to girls with a musical ability. But if your daughter sits the admission test – her score will have her placed into one of five groups. 20% will then be selected from each group and these girls will be offered a place. As an additional note – Even though this school will have a gradual increase in size over the next few years, it will never have more than 700 pupils in its senior school (including 6th form). By my reckoning that puts its class sizes (and year 7 admissions) at even smaller that the Grammars?!? I know that I have omitted a lot of information here (and schools) – but if you are new to this forum and one of the parents I spoke about in my introduction, I hope that it might just help you to focus on what you (and not forgetting your DC) will consider over the coming weeks. Good Luck to all.
M xx
Inside of every mother is a school girl wondering what the *ell just happened???
Re: Wirral – Senior School Options?
Yes I promise not to be rude about BHSA this year. My DD has many friends there so I will still be keeping a beady eye!
The only other boys only school in Wirral you didn't mention is Mosslands in Wallasey. There are rumours that Pensby Girls and Boys will merge, so non-grammar boys only schools on Wirral are truly becoming an endangered species!
The only other boys only school in Wirral you didn't mention is Mosslands in Wallasey. There are rumours that Pensby Girls and Boys will merge, so non-grammar boys only schools on Wirral are truly becoming an endangered species!
Re: Wirral – Senior School Options?
guest43 wrote:Yes I promise not to be rude about BHSA this year. My DD has many friends there so I will still be keeping a beady eye!
The only other boys only school in Wirral you didn't mention is Mosslands in Wallasey. There are rumours that Pensby Girls and Boys will merge, so non-grammar boys only schools on Wirral are truly becoming an endangered species!
1) Be careful what you promise G'43... I might just hold you to that
2) Doh!?! I just knew there was another school ...
Actually, I should have remembered (blame my age)... Their website mentions a young man of 85 years, who attended their adult classes and has just earned himself a Grade "B" GCSE in Mathematics!!! Respect! Proof that we are NEVER too old to learn... 
3) Pensby? Really? I think that would be a shame, actually, I think we could do with another Boys all-ability, myself (just to help any boy who wouldn't qualify for grammar - but would be guided easier within a single sex environment?!? Possibly another thread topic there? (But not necessarily instigated from me)
Inside of every mother is a school girl wondering what the *ell just happened???
Re: Wirral – Senior School Options?
The difference between the academy now and 2 years ago is that all the best teachers left so whilst they do still have a swimming pool not sure the results will remain as impressive without the exceptional staff, many of whom who appear to be working over the road.
Having said that it will be my 2nd choice on the form [wink]
Having said that it will be my 2nd choice on the form [wink]
Re: Wirral – Senior School Options?
Hi 3pink, good to hear from you...
Glad to hear too that you have enough faith to choose the school in your options, presumably only just beaten by your desired Grammar. I know that there has just been some movement of staff, but to be honest, everyone has to move on or retire at some point and I do not doubt that their replacements are as equally talented and just as focused on the departing heads ethic to "Walk that extra mile"
As for me, wish I could knock 30(ish ) years off my age and bunk into the 6th form..
M xx
Glad to hear too that you have enough faith to choose the school in your options, presumably only just beaten by your desired Grammar.
I know that there has just been some movement of staff, but to be honest, everyone has to move on or retire at some point and I do not doubt that their replacements are as equally talented and just as focused on the departing heads ethic to "Walk that extra mile" As for me, wish I could knock 30(ish
) years off my age and bunk into the 6th form.. M xx
Inside of every mother is a school girl wondering what the *ell just happened???
Re: Wirral – Senior School Options?
BHS staff haven't been turning up at BS Senior School. The only one I can think of is one of the Music teachers who moved across. I am not sure whether they would pass the "committed to coeducation" requirement!
Re: Wirral – Senior School Options?
Keep me posted Maybelle, one of the mums from BHS has her three girls over there and is really pleased, I like the sound of it, being far from committed to coeducation myselfMaybelle wrote:Hi 3pink, good to hear from you...
Glad to hear too that you have enough faith to choose the school in your options, presumably only just beaten by your desired Grammar.
As for me, wish I could knock 30(ish
M xx
