edenbridge primary school
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perplexed
edenbridge primary school
Does anyone have any firsthand or good secondhand experience of this school?
Its results are not great, and it is realistically the only primary school we are likely to be allocated next year due to our proximity to it, and our distance from other schools.
I'm hoping of course that both my daughters will pass the 11+ in case you are wondering why I am enquiring about a primary school on an 11+ website.
Its results are not great, and it is realistically the only primary school we are likely to be allocated next year due to our proximity to it, and our distance from other schools.
I'm hoping of course that both my daughters will pass the 11+ in case you are wondering why I am enquiring about a primary school on an 11+ website.
I'm afraid I don't have any direct experience of this school but I would imagine it's very similar to the one mine go to. If the results are not great due to the academic ability of the intake, rather than the teaching, then, usually, the bright children should not suffer. My eldest has just passed his 11+, with some extra reinforcement at home and a 6-month tuition course before the exams. I would have done this regardless of what school he went to. There were only 6 children sitting the test and 5 passed. The children who passed, were the ones I would have always expected to and whose academic ability has not been affected by being with those less able. However good a state primary school is, they do not usually spend much time on the 11+ papers. Almost every child I know has had to have some form of tuition aside of school. You have plenty of time ahead of you and it's often easier to find vacancies in other good schools during the Junior stage, if you do not feel it's working out. Sorry I can't be more specific on your particular School.
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perplexed
edenbridge
Thank you - that is what I am hoping will happen, but I am not sure if the school is as good as the one your children attended. I am hoping there will be a more up to date OFSTED report before I have to make my mind up in January.
Having friends living close to Edenbridge, although not attending that primary (they now attend Chiddingstone, which they think is great, having transferred from Hever), it does sound very similar. Our last Ofsted was mainly satisfactory, with the children generally being below the national average on entry. Many have not been to nursery and we have a good number of special needs. We are now overdue for another Ofsted but I can't see it being much better. Our national results in one of the Sats had dropped alarmingly last year and I think Ofsted will swoop on this. There have been times when I've thought of moving the children but, on the whole, they've been very happy. My youngest starts Reception in September, so I've still got some years ahead there. However, it will be easier to move one, if for any reason it doesn't work out. Best of luck!
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Guest
Perplexed
Sorry, no knowledge of this school. Please bear in mind though that schools do change, sometimes quite drastically, over time. If you have not chosen a primary yet you are looking at a time span of at least 8 years before you get to 11+. Anything could happen.
I think that the best you can do is visit the school and ask the head about any concerns you have. Ask the destinations of last year's year 6 group and whether they normally have older children working at high level 5 or level 6. They will probably expect the questions and, provided you are reasonably tactful, be happy to answer them. There might be very good reasons why the school's results are below average. They often reflect the varied intakes of children more than the teaching! Also, the league tables mainly focus on the number of children reaching level 4, they don't tell you how well the brightest children are doing.
Don't hold your breath for the next OFSTED report though; they have cut their inspection times right down and may spend very little time in the school. The new reports seem to focus much more on the school's management (their own self-evaluation processes etc.) than on what the inspectors observe in the classrooms.
Sorry, no knowledge of this school. Please bear in mind though that schools do change, sometimes quite drastically, over time. If you have not chosen a primary yet you are looking at a time span of at least 8 years before you get to 11+. Anything could happen.
I think that the best you can do is visit the school and ask the head about any concerns you have. Ask the destinations of last year's year 6 group and whether they normally have older children working at high level 5 or level 6. They will probably expect the questions and, provided you are reasonably tactful, be happy to answer them. There might be very good reasons why the school's results are below average. They often reflect the varied intakes of children more than the teaching! Also, the league tables mainly focus on the number of children reaching level 4, they don't tell you how well the brightest children are doing.
Don't hold your breath for the next OFSTED report though; they have cut their inspection times right down and may spend very little time in the school. The new reports seem to focus much more on the school's management (their own self-evaluation processes etc.) than on what the inspectors observe in the classrooms.
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Guest
Oh, and a couple of other things....
"Value added" scores show how well children have progressed between years 2 and 6 (the two SATs years). If the KS1 teaching is weak so that KS1 SATs don't reflect the true ability of the children, the value added can go up! Or vice versa of course. Also, no account is taken of whether children joined or left the school between the two sets of SATs, so you might not even be comparing the results of the same cohort. Approach these figures with caution therefore.
Secondly, last week's Kent Messenger had a table showing how many kids sat and passed the 11+ at each school in the area. Sorry, I've recycled my copy but someone might still have one.
"Value added" scores show how well children have progressed between years 2 and 6 (the two SATs years). If the KS1 teaching is weak so that KS1 SATs don't reflect the true ability of the children, the value added can go up! Or vice versa of course. Also, no account is taken of whether children joined or left the school between the two sets of SATs, so you might not even be comparing the results of the same cohort. Approach these figures with caution therefore.
Secondly, last week's Kent Messenger had a table showing how many kids sat and passed the 11+ at each school in the area. Sorry, I've recycled my copy but someone might still have one.
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Robert
Edenbridge Primary School
Both my children have actually attended Edenbridge Primary School and both have passed the 11+. My daughter passed this year. I am very happy with the school and if your child has the ability to pass they should be able to do so.
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perplexed
your thoughts on Edenbridge Primary
Thank you very much for replying, and particularly with something so positive.
Since I started this thread I have visited the school and had a thorough tour with the new(ish) head, Dr Addison. I was impressed with her, and did not see anything there to put me off the school. On the contrary, all the staff I met and snippets of lessons I watched seemed good. So I still remained "perplexed" as local parents of small children that I know seem to steer clear of the school if they possibly can, and produce real or imagined stories of parents fighting in the playground, frequent loud swearing of children coming out of school etc. It has always sounded a little far fetched to me, but being relatively new to Edenbridge from a large northern city I am never sure whether I should heed it as there is rarely "smoke without fire", or ignore it as a bit of small town exaggeration.
It is very useful to hear from you as a past and satisfied parent of the school. Dr Addison told me that in the last 11+ sitting 6 children ( I presume 10% of year 6) passed the 11+, and that these were the ones she thought would pass. She said one boy got 140 in all three papers.
I agree with you that a child of the right ability should pass the Kent 11+ (but who know if my children will be of that ability). But a really poor school may hamper a child's progress in literacy and numeracy to such a degree that they do not fulfil their potential. Also, I feel that the Kent 11+ maths paper requires pupils to cover KS2 material early, and a little more besides. This was my experience when helping my stepson prepare for the 2006 sitting ( he got 140 so perhaps he was "overprepared", I don't know).
I would like to know a little more about your overall experiences if you have the time. What do you think was good and bad about the Edenbridge experience for your children? Why do you think so many people try to avoid the school if they can? Did the six who passed last year have private tuition, or help at home from parents, or no preparation?
Sorry to ask so much, but I really want to use Edenbridge primary as it is my local school, and would make a pleasant walk from home for my two daughters. I will be filling the in CAF in January, and to get a place at Crockham Hill or Hever would most likely have to stay on the waiting lists until a place became available. If a place did become available before September 2008 and I took one at Hever or Crockham Hill I might always regret not having giving Edenbridge a chance.
Since I started this thread I have visited the school and had a thorough tour with the new(ish) head, Dr Addison. I was impressed with her, and did not see anything there to put me off the school. On the contrary, all the staff I met and snippets of lessons I watched seemed good. So I still remained "perplexed" as local parents of small children that I know seem to steer clear of the school if they possibly can, and produce real or imagined stories of parents fighting in the playground, frequent loud swearing of children coming out of school etc. It has always sounded a little far fetched to me, but being relatively new to Edenbridge from a large northern city I am never sure whether I should heed it as there is rarely "smoke without fire", or ignore it as a bit of small town exaggeration.
It is very useful to hear from you as a past and satisfied parent of the school. Dr Addison told me that in the last 11+ sitting 6 children ( I presume 10% of year 6) passed the 11+, and that these were the ones she thought would pass. She said one boy got 140 in all three papers.
I agree with you that a child of the right ability should pass the Kent 11+ (but who know if my children will be of that ability). But a really poor school may hamper a child's progress in literacy and numeracy to such a degree that they do not fulfil their potential. Also, I feel that the Kent 11+ maths paper requires pupils to cover KS2 material early, and a little more besides. This was my experience when helping my stepson prepare for the 2006 sitting ( he got 140 so perhaps he was "overprepared", I don't know).
I would like to know a little more about your overall experiences if you have the time. What do you think was good and bad about the Edenbridge experience for your children? Why do you think so many people try to avoid the school if they can? Did the six who passed last year have private tuition, or help at home from parents, or no preparation?
Sorry to ask so much, but I really want to use Edenbridge primary as it is my local school, and would make a pleasant walk from home for my two daughters. I will be filling the in CAF in January, and to get a place at Crockham Hill or Hever would most likely have to stay on the waiting lists until a place became available. If a place did become available before September 2008 and I took one at Hever or Crockham Hill I might always regret not having giving Edenbridge a chance.
