Barton Court Reviews

[bunglechips]

Barton Court is on our list of potential schools for dd, but I am a little concerned about some of the rumours circulating on various online fora (eg. it's an exam factory; it's unsupportive; morale is low etc).

I was trying to ignore a large number of very vitriolic, daily failesque comments, but do wonder if underneath the bile there is a genuine problem. The head appears to come in for particular criticism.

Does anyone have any up to date feedback ? I like the idea of the school being in a small yet safe city, especially as the teenage years progress, but my priority is a nurturing, supportive atmosphere where art, music and sport are as important as pure academia.

How does BC compare to QE, Dane Court or Chatham & Clarendon ?

Thanks.

[bunglechips]

Anyone from East Kent out there with knowledge of the various schools ??

[susanass]

Hello, I am also in 2 minds whether BC will be on my SCAF if my dc is fortunate enough to pass of course. I will only give you my knowledge from friends of mine who sent their dc's to Barton Court. I personally know of 2 close friends of mine who sent their dc there and pulled them out. Their feedback was similar to the comments you have added regarding the school (eg. it's an exam factory; it's unsupportive; morale is low etc)..... Now their dc's are flying high elsewhere. I also know of 2 teachers who worked there who sent their dc's to the other grammar schools in the area which makes you wonder why they would do this. You have to go to see the school for yourself to make your own judgement, which I have done, but due to the general feedback I am also wondering if I would want my dc to go there. I believe a nurturing environment is a key element and both my friends told me it was not. There are always mixed opinions regarding schools, and a lot of them do come from parents who do not even send their children there which makes it difficult to make a decision based on feedback. I know of parents whose dc's go there now, when I ask some say it is fine, but they don't sound too convinced, and others are not too happy. Would be good to hear genuine feedback from someone as I am yet to meet someone who says otherwise.

[ToadMum]

Life at school can sometimes be quite difficult for the children of members of staff, so unless you actually know that the reason for the teachers choosing to send their own DC to a different grammar was that they feel the one they work for provides poor care, I wouldn't read too much into that, personally.

[yoyo123]

Life at school can sometimes be quite difficult for the children of members of staff, so unless you actually know that the reason for the teachers choosing to send their own DC to a different grammar was that they feel the one they work for provides poor care, I wouldn't read too much into that, personally.

I was about to post the same thing, Toad Mum. I would definitely not want to teach at a school which my children attended. In addition, the other 2 grammars are single gender schools and maybe this was what they wanted. You cannot read too much into the decision.

[punkeson]

Hello.
Barton Court is also on my list of possible grammars should my dd pass her Kent Test. I haven't had any feedback about it either way and certainly haven't heard any negative comments. I have heard that pastoral care at Simon Langton Girls is not great. Our other option would be Chatham and Clarendon in Ramsgate, again I haven't heard comments either way about this school.
Open mornings and evenings will start in a couple of weeks so we will have a look round them and get a feel for them. I think choice of school is such a personal thing that I wouldn't really place too much importance on someone else's opinion. For example, I know of two families that pulled their children out of our junior school as they weren't happy, but in our opinion it really is an excellent school!
x

[eastkentmum]

You are right to note that Simon Langton Girls School is not the leading school of choice any longer. It has had 'a difficult year' to say the least and this is bound to have an impact on how many parents now opt to place their daughters there in the next couple of years. Pastoral care is something they talk a lot about, but are not terribly good at delivering.
Barton Court always tended to get the slightly less academic pupils compared to the two Langtons...not any more. The head has massively upped the school's game. That has had good and bad consequences. The workload is huge, but the results are very good. The head is very ambitious for herself and for the school. They are about to undertake a pitch to run a big non-selective school in Canterbury, which will consume a great deal of time.