Fortismere - is it really THAT good?

[sunshinecity]

OK, I know people pay shedloads of money to live next door to the school to get their kids in...and that its one of the best comps in north london.
But, is it really all as good as all that? For instance, are the pupils who get the 10 A*s at GCSE the ones who would get them in any school, or is it the school that's driving the results?. Do parents really turn down private school places in favour of Fortismere?

I've read lots on mumsnet about how good it is, but I haven't seen many comments from parents who actually have kids at the school.
Anyone around who can help answer?!

[mussyhillmum]

Hi sunshinecity. I don't have any DC at Fortismere, but have plenty of friends who do. They would argue that, given the intake, results at Fortismere should be better than what they are. The feeder primary schools are all rated outstanding and many children go into Y7 at Fortismere having achieved level 5 in their Y6 SATS.

Many of my Fortismere parent friends feel that their children are left to coast because whilst there is extra support for the brightest, those who aren't deemed to be Oxbridge bound are ignored. In addition to being a very able intake, kids at Fortismere are pretty heavily tutored.

Word on the street is that Alexandra Park School is MUCH better at the added value stuff. It has a much more mixed intake than Fortismere. For historic reasons they have about 40% of their kids coming from east of the borough, many of whom are starting Y7 at level 3. APS has had fantastic success with these kids and is in the top 20% of schools in the country for added value. There are a number of parents who are choosing APS over Fortismer for that reason as well as its superb pastoral care. It is expected that with the opening of the new school in Wood Green next year and the ever decreasing Fortismere catchment, APS will draw more of its intake from Muswell Hill in the coming years.

[sunshinecity]

Hi mussyhillmum, thanks for that! So if I have understood correctly, the brightest (who would probably do well in any school) are given extra support and the bright (but not necessarily highly academic) are not pushed to the best of their abilities and the others may do better in APS.

I never really thought of Fortismere as an oxbridge focused school tbh. Do you think your friends perceptions are based on their 6th form experience or at all levels in the school?
I wonder if the difference is more marked at 6th form ie once the school has seen how many A* GCSE's the pupil has gained.

Do you know what age the tutoring tends to kick in - is it for GCSE or earlier?

Many thanks for all your help mussyhill. I am struggling with prioritising my schools so any information is greatefully received!

[mussyhillmum]

Fortismere has always had a reputation for being a laid back, liberal school. That has changed with the new(ish) head who is very focused on academic results. For example, all subjects (including PE!) are set from Year 7. That's great if you are confident that your child is an academic highflyer, but pretty demoralizing for those who get put in lower sets for subjects. As a result, tutoring has kicked in before GCSE to ensure that children get into/ stay in top sets.

IMHO Fortismere has done as well as it has because it is located in an affluent, middle class area where (unusually for London) most parents are committed to state schools for ideological reasons. It is definately not the case that Fortismere is filled with children who would otherwise have gone to private schools. The parents of those children would always have sent their children to state schools.

[isgrassgreener]

I would agree with some of the things said by mussyhillmum about Fortismere but not all of them. I do not agree that the children in the lower sets are demoralized, infact the teaching in the lower sets seems to be very good and the children are more confident in their work in those groups, as the don't feel like they are at the bottom of the class and have no real idea of the difference between the work they are doing and the work that is being done in the top sets.
The children do not seem to tease each other about which set they are in, most of the pressure about being or remaining in the top sets seems to come from the parents.
The bigger problem for the lower performing children is that they realise that they will not be able to get into the sixth form, as you need to get at least b grades to get in.
Not sure how things will change now that one form will be coming under the music criteria.
I also feel that there is quite a big difference socially between Fortismere and APS. They seem to be very social at Fortismere and it feels like they grow up a bit faster.
Not quite sure if that is a good thing or not.

[vovon]

Hi there
Does anyone have any thought on Woodhouse college near Barnet.
Son has been put on waiting list and not sure what that really means.