South Oxfordshire Secondary Schools

[Fromdeepestperu]

Hi,

I'm just trying to get a feeling for state secondary schools in this area. Does anyone know anything about any of the following schools (good or bad??):

Gillotts School, Henley-on-Thames
Lord Williams School, Thame
Wallingford School
Icknield Community College, Watlington

Thank you!!

(Going to bed now, but will come back to thread tomorrow!)

[omgmydd1isnearly16amIoldenough]

I live just across the border in Bucks but know people at Lord Williams and as far as I am aware they are doing ok there and the parents are happy with it. Regarding Icknield my friend looked at it and liked it as it was a smaller school and she like the 'feel' of it. I don't know anything about the other two sorry but maybe someone else does.

[Fromdeepestperu]

Thanks, omg.

Anyone else?

[Snowflakepie]

I worked in Wallingford for a while and we never had any trouble with the school kids there, when they came in on work experience etc they were always polite, well dressed, decent kids. I think because it is the only state secondary in the town it gets a real mix of abilities and backgrounds. My friend's DD is expected to go there next September and she doesn't seem to have any worries about it. Go to visit them and see what you think, and more important what your DC thinks. They will get on best where they feel happiest I believe.

[C0smos]

I thought Lord Bills was a grammar school so you'll have a tough time getting in.
Gillotts is the only school in Henley so gets a real mix of abilities, it has no 6th form so all the kids go to Henley College in town.
My experience of Giblets is 20 years old so I don't want to pass comment incase it's changed.

[MidnightHag]

Langtree is "outstanding" and over-subscribed. It's very South Oxfordshire, tho', at Woodcote.

[LaVolcan]

Lord Williams is a comprehensive, although I see that it's now turned into an academy.

[Fromdeepestperu]

So Gillots doesn't have a sixth form? Does anyone know about the others? I hear that Henley College is good, though.

Anyone know anymore??

[LaVolcan]

Wallingford has its own sixth form. I think it's only the south of the county towards Henley/Reading which has 11-16 schools and then sends children to Henley College.

[Roselind]

I don't think you are right that Lord William's is a grammar school. It is in Oxfordshire not Bucks - there are no grammars in Oxfordshire.
Its 6th form is a popular choice with those who have been to Icknield. Icknield, Gillotts and Langtree do not have 6th forms and instead students go to Henley College (with transport if you are in catchment).
Henley College is perceived to be good but when I checked out its results a few years ago for one of my children I was not convinced. There are 6th form colleges in other parts of the country that achieve far better results in similar areas.

[lucysnowe]

There's also Chiltern Edge. It vies with Gillotts in being the 'better' school, they go up and down. I think CE has the edge just currently.

[JoanByers]

there was a thread recently about icknield on here, painted it as a school of Vicky Pollards