Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

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Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

Post by Tinkers »

A colleague of mine went and seems to have had a much better experience. All teachers happy to talk and students happy too.
She arrived at 5 and was there for 2.5 hours she managed to go to both the Heads talk and the admissions talk (which she actually found helpful). Btw It’s not a big distance between the two. Without crowds it probably takes a minute or two to walk between the two. The school isn’t that big! If you think it’s a long distance you need to visit some much bigger schools for perspective.
The admissions talk is a new thing and I think follows feedback from previous years where some parents have been very confused about the arrangements.

I suspect your late arrival made every else somewhat fraught. Reading isn’t great traffic wise at the best of times. If you arent local you may not realise just how bad the local roads are. Or where best to park (which is why both RM and myself point this out). It’s something parents should bear in mind when applying for the school.

It’s always very crowded. In the last few years there’s been about 1000 girls take the test, and most of those plus family want to see the school. Plus those who come a year early so they see it twice. The school has less than 800 students, it’s not designed for open schools evenings.

I think in the past there have been complaints about late entrants to the heads talk disrupting things. I glad you managed to get in.

Most importantly though are you still going to apply? Or has it put you off?
TheHurdle
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:30 pm

Re: Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

Post by TheHurdle »

Thanks Tinkers.

Yes she wants to apply but its not her favorite. A two minuet walk with the flow of human traffic against you and taking wrong turn turns into a much more fraught one esp with only moments to get to the talk. I was on the stairs about to go up at literally 28 mins past and I was spoken to like a naughty child that the talk had started! It was due to start at half past.

Again the "tone" as I then went back to the heads speech...

Travelling shouldn't be an issue for us if she got in as we live near easily accessible public transport.
Over all the school had a feel about it we liked but the management and approach to the open evening put us off. I spoke to some other people and they agreed.
Very much like it or lump it - this is all we are doing.
DD is good at Maths and likes science but I think her real interests like more in the humanities. But she isn't being tutored extensively and only a little by us so with the getting higher marks I dont think she would make it. I have heard some children are tutored from year 1 for Kendrick!!
TheHurdle
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:30 pm

Re: Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

Post by TheHurdle »

BTW I dont want to be negative about anyones choice here - its OBVIOUSLY a great school, obviously :D

Its just looking at my DD and thinking - does this school "want" her - ...compared to say another school that bent over backwards to put on amazing open day with every teacher talking to her - really engaging her, encouraging her to do the many tasks they had set up ( fun tasks)....looking her in the eye...etc etc etc...
Reading Mum
Posts: 1841
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

Post by Reading Mum »

Good to hear that she is still interested.

From a yr 11 parent's point of view I would rather that the teachers were focusing their time right now on getting my DD as prepared as possible for the GCSEs which start in less than 2 weeks time, rather than preparing flashy presentations for a school that is massively oversubscribed.
As it is the whole school gets sent home at lunch time on open evening day and then have to go back later to do the tours etc. Not ideal for those in yr 11 & 13.
The school wants bright, engaged girls. They don't need to bend over backwards to get them and I am happy that they don't try to.
TheHurdle
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:30 pm

Re: Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

Post by TheHurdle »

I guess one might question then why they have their open day at such a time of the year at all? If its a busy time with important exams why not choose another time of year?
Reading Mum
Posts: 1841
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

Post by Reading Mum »

I can only presume that it is timed to fall just before the window opens for registering for the test. There is never going to be a great time for this sort of upheaval.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

Post by Tinkers »

It used to be September but with the test date brought forward there’s no time to fit it in.
TheHurdle
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:30 pm

Re: Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

Post by TheHurdle »

Well its the same upheaval I imagine for all schools who do open days. Kendrick is no different. The other schools we went too did in in Sept/oct and ran it over a few different days. If they can't do it well it may be hove them to re think open days altogether.
As a new parent looking at the school - it was surprising, I don't think any school, business, etc should ever rest on their laurels. I shall say no more. :( :D
BlueSmarties
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2014 2:23 pm

Re: Open evenings Kendrick and Reading

Post by BlueSmarties »

TheHurdle wrote:Well its the same upheaval I imagine for all schools who do open days. Kendrick is no different. The other schools we went too did in in Sept/oct and ran it over a few different days. If they can't do it well it may be hove them to re think open days altogether.
As a new parent looking at the school - it was surprising, I don't think any school, business, etc should ever rest on their laurels. I shall say no more. :( :D
Kendrick was the only grammar school we visited during an Open Evening (it's the only one that is an acceptable commute for us). We also visited several other local schools (non-grammars).

I would categorically say Kendrick is not like any of the other schools we saw, it is very different due to its (small) site and huge numbers of applicants / interested families - thereby creating an incredibly difficult situation for the school to manage.

Our other local schools have +1500 pupils, twice the size of Kendrick; with much bigger grounds and some times better facilities. Those Open Evenings we attended did not rely on the goodwill and attendance of practically all their pupils and many of their staff to facilitate the evening, which is the case at Kendrick.

I don't mind defending Kendrick, because as a parent there, I have seen the hard work and dedication that the staff commit to the students. Yes, it may not be flashy like other schools, you might not think they have to "try hard" and are sitting on their laurels - but until you've been involved in running and organising this event, at this school, then I don't think it behoves anyone to be so judgemental and mean-spirited.

They have tried various formats over the years (which you may come to appreciate if you visit more than once). But I suspect the sheer demands on and interest in the school could not be satisfied even if they ran Open Evenings several times a year. Which I wouldn't agree with as the students lose half a day's learning and it's incredibly tiring for staff and students alike.
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