King's School, Peterborough

[exHomeEd]

I hope it's ok to cross-post as I've just put this on the Education forum and then noticed the Peterborough one here.

Does anyone on here know anything about the King's School, Peterborough, its entrance exams and how it compares to Grammar Schools in Lincs or Private schools in the Northants, Cambs and Lincs area?

I see from their website that they admit 10 children from a written exam and 3 from musical ability, with others entering from religious or brother/sister grounds.

We live in Peterborough and are thinking of places for our two girls, 7 and 8, so I realise we've still got a while to go but I thought we'd start trying to find out some more about the school if we could.

From talking to some of the parents at the primary school our girls go to, King's is held in high regard, however, I'm trying to find out if there is anyone else out there that has any info.

Thanks for reading,

Rgds

exHomeEd

[kingsstudent]

Hi exHomeEd,
I realise this was posted a while ago, but as your daughter's have a few years to go yet, I thought my advice might still be applicable.
I currently attend Kings, I'm 16 and just finishing my GCSE's, hoping to return to attend King's Sixth Form.
I got in through siblings (which I have a feeling they may no longer do) and through church.
Personally I am very happy I attended King's. They have very strong departments, the obvious one like science and maths, but the history, geography and english departments are also brilliant, with very strong teachers.
I know it is very cliche to say it, but it is such a friendly school, the phrase 'King's School Family' is very fitting.
The school really pushes it's pupils for the highest marks and grades. This means that results are very high within the school. However, I think there is the issue that sometimes their is a lack of praise for these results, because of the encouragement to aim even higher. This can in some cases create quite a sphere of pressure on pupils, people forget that in comparison to the rest of peterborough are very good, and King's is really an exception. I know that this pressure can manifest it-self in many different forms, speaking to a friend who is an A and E nurse, she see's many girls from King's being admitted after overdosing. This is obviously very shocking and worrying, though it is definitely a minority, and I am only saying it as really an example that Kings only works for certain people.
The school is very driven, always pushing people to reach their best, and if you respond to this encouragement then you will thrive at kings, obtaining amazing results, and as long as you have a loving family to keep things in perspective I don't really think there is an issue.
I fear I have may have put a negative slant on the school, but I would stress that fore mentioned pressure only effects a minority, and is more related to how those in question deal with stress than the school.
The school has many traditions, the houses and house music is such an excellent part of the year, and so much fun.
I often hear people compare being at king's like being at hogwarts, which i think speaks volumes!

[jugglingwiththreeshoes]

My daughter is a student at Kings, and really enjoying it and doing well. We haven't found it excessively pressurised, and feel that the pastoral care is good from our expeience.
We were fortunate enough to get a place through our involvement in church, but "competition" is quite noticeable even via this route, with judgement depending on a letter to the school from your vicar. Preference is given equally now to C of E or Methodist involvement. Attendance and involvement with the church especially over the last 5 years is considered carefully.
Other churches and faiths are offered some places each year, but not so many.
Sibling places are still fairly secure.
As you say there are a very limited number of places offered for excellent achievement in the King's test, or via musical interview. Several places also go each year to either boy or girl choristers from the Cathedral, who also make up the majority of children gaining a place at the new (from this September) Junior department.
I hope this is helpful to you and other parents interested in sending your children to this excellent school.
One of my daughter's friends goes to Spalding High School which as a grammar school has a more reasonable entrance exam, though she has a long journey to and from school each day.