Glasgow private schools

[Ol288]

Hi all.
We have had a stressful few months and in the process of researching private education for our daughter in S2.

We are considering Hutchesons grammar and St Aloysius. Anyone with experience of either schools? Looking for a medium size school which is nurturing and holistic.

Thank you.

[AgentProvocateur]

No direct experience of either, but I know parents of children at both and I’d say that St Al’s fits the bill.

[AgentProvocateur]

To clarify, the people I know are happy with Hutchie too, but I think St Al is more nurturing and holistic.

[weegiemum]

I used to live near Hutchy. Certainly seems larger than "medium sized" to me.

Plus the behaviour of Hutchy kids out at lunchtime was awful, compared to local state school Shawlands Academy, pushing in in queues being particularly noticeable - I complained more than once to the school.

[spiderbabymum]

Hi my son is in p6 And we have been to two private schools as part of our own research . I was very impressed by the open day of kelvinside academy : I would suggest you visit . The reason I liked it so much was exactly what you have put as your criteria . It just had a lovely feel . Kids and teachers has an easy rapport : it was welcoming and I had a real sense that I would have loved it when I was a teenager

[Ol288]

Thank you AgentProvocateur. Have you heard anything negative about either schools?

Thanks Weegiemum. Is this quite recent?

Thanks spiderbabymum. I will have look. Which other school did you look at?

[weegiemum]

My experience was about 4-5 years ago, so maybe someone has cracked down on it by now, I hope so. I had some pretty senior girls push in front of me in a queue locally when my dd2 was with me - in a wheelchair!! Very loud and raucous on the trains as well. I hope its calmed down.

Interesting that spider mentions Kelvinside - one of my friends has dc there and loves it, it sounds like a lovely school.

[spiderbabymum]

Hi
Aware some folk who know me may recognise me

So if I said it's in a village setting outside Glasgow and does very well academically

[spiderbabymum]

Hi again OI288
Can you say has your daughter had problem at school ?
Is that why you have had a tough time

If Anyonecan advise on useful books websites etc that can bed used to compare schools that you have actually found easy to use and helpful
Lots seem to be you need to subscribe to access reviews
And the books cover the whole of the uk

Any tips welcome

[AgentProvocateur]

@O1288, I’ve not heard anything negative about either. I work in the city centre so come across loads of st al’s pupils in the streets and in public transport, and I know it’s a vast generalisation, but they are all lovely, well-behaved kids.

[spiderbabymum]

OI288
Morning been thinking about your situation and wonder where you live . Also wonder would it be worth a chat sometime . ? I really don't kno a lot about private schools but I have an idea that you must be having a really bad experience . Don't want to put my details on here but could meet up sometime perhaps ??? Altho bit Crazy busy , one idea is do s mumsnet meet up in Glasgow west end sat in January somewhere nice ?

[Ol288]

Thanks Weegiemum. What an awful experience for you! I hope things have improved since. Will look into kelvinside too. Have read all the various school websites and will visit next week.

Thanks AgentProvocateur. St A's does have a good reputation. I like that they have taster days.

Spiderbabymum ... aawww ... thank you for thinking of us. Yeah a chat would be lovely ... crazy busy here too ...

[spiderbabymum]

Hi any availability tomorrow
Glasgow south side
Queen's Park , clarkston , Williams wood
Will be there between 11 and 1 ish
Would have time for a coffee if that's nearby ???

[Ol288]

Sorry working all day tomorrow.

[Reggae]

TBH pluses and minuses everywhere. My daughter is at the HSOG and we really like the school, although it is very academic and competitive. The teaching is great, the quality of the teachers outstanding, and the sports are very good. All round a good school. We were also struck by how well IT is used to keep track of (and allow visibility of) lessons and learning goals. We liked the Academy too, and have also heard good things about both Hutchesons and Kelvinside. Make no mistake these are all really good schools. To be absoloutely honest though, every child is different, and you can only get a feel for the school by visiting and getting a sense of the place.

In terms of the behavioral anecdotes I would personally take these with a pinch of salt. While unfortunate, there is good and bad everywhere, and tbh our own experience has been that kids from private schools are like kids anywhere else. Although there is undoubtedly a much bigger focus on discipline and order within these schools, the schools have limited control outside. (One of the reasons perhaps the HSOG doesnt allow any child outside at lunchtime unless 6th year).

On balance, if you are going private - they are all good schools - and it's more about whether you and your child feel comfortable with what's being offered. Hope helps :)

[Ginger1982]

I went to Hutchie from 1994 to 2000. It’s probably changed a lot since then but my experience was very mixed. Happy to expand if interested xx

[Ol288]

Thanks for your input Reggae. We have widened our search and looking at all the private schools. They are all very impressive and I think it will be down to instinct as to which will suit us best.

[Ol288]

Ginger1982, yes would love to hear your experience. My daughter has visited Hutchie and loves it. Any insight would be helpful.

[Ginger1982]

Sorry for not coming back sooner. I should preface what i’m going to say with a reminder it’s been nearly 18 years since I left Hutchie.

I didn’t really like it. I was one of the brightest at my state primary and very quickly slipped once in a school with equally and brighter kids, a lot of whom cane from families much richer than ours and had things like au pairs (I didn’t even know what that was!) I struggled academically and found that if you weren’t very academic or sporty or musical or into drama (and I seemed to be average at everything) then you weren’t really quoted. I was badly bullied in 1st and 2nd year, not helped by my dad dying of cancer in 2nd year when I was 13. To be fair, the school did deal with the bullying promptly after I eventually reported it, but the pastoral care over my dad was lacking, with the biggest concern being whether or not school fees could still be paid. I then began to struggle again with certain peers in 5th year and suffered anxiety leading to some time off and having to drop a subject, which didn’t go down well with them for their stats. I got much better by 6th year and got what I needed to go to uni.

These issues could have obviously arisen at any school and i’m sure things have improved but in my experience, they were more concerned with stats and performance than with care.

The good thing about the place was that there were no discipline issues in any classes so I was able to learn. My mum was a teacher in a state secondary at the time and I know how hard she found it just to police the class.

I’m sure your daughter will do fine and, if I have the money, I would probably send my son to a private school, just not that one!

[Snappyteabread]

Does anyone have any up to date experience on any of the Glasgow private schools to share?