Any experience of the Lancashire grammar schools?

[Boglin]

It's likely we will move area before our eldest starts secondary school and the Lancashire grammar schools (Lancaster/Clitheroe/Bacup & Rawtenstall) have piqued my interest. Has anyone any experience of any of them, good or bad?

[Mumski45]

My DS1 is at LRGS and DS2 will apply in September. I have been very impressed so far. If you have any queries ask away

[Boglin]

Thanks mumski! What made you/DS choose LRGS over other schools? One of the main reasons that I think a grammar will suit my DS is that he has a genuine love of learning and I want him to go somewhere this is encouraged and not dismissed, or worse ridiculed (by other pupils I mean). What is the environment like at LRGS? Do you know if they allow parents to look round outside the general open days? Thanks for your help!

[Mumski45]

We chose LRGS for a number of reasons.

Firstly DS1 is academic and has always been keen to learn. He has some strengths and weaknesses but is generally a good all rounder and is keen to do well. He has had a bit of a problem fitting in with the sporty boys even though he is quite fit and can join in well with team sports, they used to sometimes let him join in the group and other times he would be excluded or exclude himself because someone upset him unintentionally - they would often call him a geek or a nerd.

Secondly all the good high schools in our local area are faith based schools. We would have struggled to get him a place in the Christian schools (he is not christian) and didn't want him to go to the Muslim school. Although we are 20m out of Lancaster there are a lot of local children who go and there is a school bus service to LRGS.

When we went to the open day at LRGS he took a strong liking to the school and liked the idea of being a "geek" in a school full of "geeks". This put a bit of pressure on us all to prepare him for the test as we are outside the area where everyone who passes gets a place and residual places get allocated according to test scores rather than distance from school.

He (and I ) were also impressed at the number of extra curricular activities available and the emphasis on sports, leadership and values as well as academic performance.

I have to say that so far the school has lived up to expectations and DS1 is happy there. Like any school there are issues but as far as I can see they are dealt with appropriately. I think DS is working at an appropriate level for him. He is challenged but he is not out of his depth. He has taken on the challenge of organising himself both in the morning when he has to leave early and after school when he has to manage his homework with few mishaps. I feel the school has the right balance in terms of discipline/encouragement and there are lots of opportunities for parents to be involved if they want to be.

I have a friend who looked round the school on a normal day rather than attend an open day so I know they can do this if pushed but I really would recommend you attend the open day if you can.

[Boglin]

Thank you, that's really helpful! We have the same issue where I am now that the good schools are faith based and we are not religious. The school closest to us, although non-faith, has a lot of problems and I don't think DS will find life easy there.

We have the advantage that if we're moving anyway we can try and move to the local area of whichever school we like best to up our chances of him getting in.

We will definitely try and attend the open days for each.