St Olaves first-hand reviews please

[Minimum79]

Is anyone able to give me a first-hand review of St Olaves please?

We did go to see it in June, but after seeing other schools so recently, Olaves seems like a distant memory.

Any information on homework load, discipline, detention for forgetting things, lateness (as this seems to for many other schools)

Also, this may seem like a strange question, but diversity. would you say it was quite a diverse school?

My son is academic but I want to make sure he gets a real balance of opportunities.

I wish their open day was close to all the other schools

Thank you in advance x

[grgygirl]

I have posted recently on another thread (see below ‘St Olaves - has it changed).
Re; discipline - the first term of Yr 7 seemed tough as ds got used to a merit/demerit system. He got a demerit for forgetting a book and became upset but the school were very kind and rescinded it. He never forgot a book again! I think they lay down the expectations in Year 7 of behaviour and it seems to be more laid back in Yr 8. With regard to homework- again Yr 7 seemed a bit heavier than the ongoing years but averaged about an hour a night max about 3 nights a week. There are times where they have to collaborate on pieces of work or projects which is a bit trickier if they live far from each other but they manage!
I don’t know whether the school show parents around outside of the Open Day? If not, why not come to one of the shows or events. These are usually on the website - for example, it’s the mid term spring concert in the Chapel next Thursday evening. These events will give you a chance to see the boys informally and have a candid chat with other parents.

[grgygirl]

Forgot to say it is very diverse - I would say about 75% non white British.

[ToadMum]

Forgot to say it is very diverse - I would say about 75% non white British.

How 'diverse' a school population that figure represents does depend on the make up of the 75%, though?

[Minimum79]

I have posted recently on another thread (see below ‘St Olaves - has it changed).
Re; discipline - the first term of Yr 7 seemed tough as ds got used to a merit/demerit system. He got a demerit for forgetting a book and became upset but the school were very kind and rescinded it. He never forgot a book again! I think they lay down the expectations in Year 7 of behaviour and it seems to be more laid back in Yr 8. With regard to homework- again Yr 7 seemed a bit heavier than the ongoing years but averaged about an hour a night max about 3 nights a week. There are times where they have to collaborate on pieces of work or projects which is a bit trickier if they live far from each other but they manage!
I don’t know whether the school show parents around outside of the Open Day? If not, why not come to one of the shows or events. These are usually on the website - for example, it’s the mid term spring concert in the Chapel next Thursday evening. These events will give you a chance to see the boys informally and have a candid chat with other parents.

Thank you, this is really helpful. I’ve submitted my form and SO is 1st but I’m having so many thoughts about it being the right place etc .... xx

[Sorrel]

I have posted recently on another thread (see below ‘St Olaves - has it changed).
Re; discipline - the first term of Yr 7 seemed tough as ds got used to a merit/demerit system. He got a demerit for forgetting a book and became upset but the school were very kind and rescinded it. He never forgot a book again! I think they lay down the expectations in Year 7 of behaviour and it seems to be more laid back in Yr 8. With regard to homework- again Yr 7 seemed a bit heavier than the ongoing years but averaged about an hour a night max about 3 nights a week. There are times where they have to collaborate on pieces of work or projects which is a bit trickier if they live far from each other but they manage!
I don’t know whether the school show parents around outside of the Open Day? If not, why not come to one of the shows or events. These are usually on the website - for example, it’s the mid term spring concert in the Chapel next Thursday evening. These events will give you a chance to see the boys informally and have a candid chat with other parents.

Thank you, this is really helpful. I’ve submitted my form and SO is 1st but I’m having so many thoughts about it being the right place etc .... xx

If you're not happy about it, is there another school you instinctively prefer? What are the considerations re travel distance and so on?

[Minimum79]

I have posted recently on another thread (see below ‘St Olaves - has it changed).
Re; discipline - the first term of Yr 7 seemed tough as ds got used to a merit/demerit system. He got a demerit for forgetting a book and became upset but the school were very kind and rescinded it. He never forgot a book again! I think they lay down the expectations in Year 7 of behaviour and it seems to be more laid back in Yr 8. With regard to homework- again Yr 7 seemed a bit heavier than the ongoing years but averaged about an hour a night max about 3 nights a week. There are times where they have to collaborate on pieces of work or projects which is a bit trickier if they live far from each other but they manage!
I don’t know whether the school show parents around outside of the Open Day? If not, why not come to one of the shows or events. These are usually on the website - for example, it’s the mid term spring concert in the Chapel next Thursday evening. These events will give you a chance to see the boys informally and have a candid chat with other parents.

Thank you, this is really helpful. I’ve submitted my form and SO is 1st but I’m having so many thoughts about it being the right place etc .... xx

If you're not happy about it, is there another school you instinctively prefer? What are the considerations re travel distance and so on?

Distance wise SO would be the easiest of all journeys. He had always said he really liked C&S but then said he didn’t mind either. I know nothing is guaranteed at this point but I’m just doubting everything xx

[grgygirl]

What are your doubts? Perhaps we can help...

[ChalkyC]

I’m not the OP but I suppose my doubts about St Olaves are surrounding whether my son would keep up with the pace and workload, whether he’s the right personality for a very high achieving school, whether it would be very demoralising to be at the bottom of the class rather than the top (as currently at non selective junior sch), and indeed whether he might not fit in with such a diverse cohort where he is not one of the 75%. And also whether admission to the school is actually possible because maybe he was number 450 on the list that have gone through to stage 2?!

Despite this - we’ve put it as our first choice. My son thinks it would be an amazing opportunity to go there and is keen. I’d like to think if nothing else it would give him a massive incentive to work more and play less fortnite(!).

So we shall see - we have certainly not over tutored (the opposite!) so if he gets in he will have done it entirely on his ability so should be able to cope. If he doesn’t we have good second and third choices so that’s fine too.

[grgygirl]

Just posted a long reply but error message has deleted it! There are a few geniuses but most boys have a spiky profile, maybe good in one area, more of a struggle in other areas. We like the diversity, with Brexit looming I’m glad ds is in a forward thinking, global school - he’s now interested in the Indian Cricket leagues! An old Olavian has just been appointed the ambassador to Iraq. There really isn’t a lot of pressure from the school - it is important to some of the parents that their children get the very top grades all of the time - I think this is a small cultural group and apparently it’s common amongst certain cultures.

The boys play lots of Fortnite and other games!