Graveney school

Do not trust the Graveney promise.
I posted several months ago about the constant bullying of my teenage niece who has attended the school for the last few years . Always the same bullies . School does not back up its promises to act and the zero tolerance they constantly cite is just sound bite for the sake of the marketing of the school . Having being threatened by one of the group and implied he had a knife in his hand in pocket my niece was terrified and when questioned by the school the ( stupid) boy responded “ didn’t pretend I had a knife - it was a gun “ - oh duh . The school made all the noises of dealing with it but did not do as required and involve the outside authorities as required ( “keep it in house” ) . Now 2 weeks later the “ ringleader” and her little gang are back to bullying my niece - both direct and insidious. ( and probably others). My niece has been further victimised by having to stay off school in the past at the schools suggestion and her parents are now at their wits end as their school loving , happy child, is now miserable, sleeps all the time and hates school.
DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO GRAVENEY unless you are prepared for inaction by the school on their marketing claim of zero tolerance on bullying

I posted several months ago about the constant bullying of my teenage niece who has attended the school for the last few years . Always the same bullies . School does not back up its promises to act and the zero tolerance they constantly cite is just sound bite for the sake of the marketing of the school . Having being threatened by one of the group and implied he had a knife in his hand in pocket my niece was terrified and when questioned by the school the ( stupid) boy responded “ didn’t pretend I had a knife - it was a gun “ - oh duh . The school made all the noises of dealing with it but did not do as required and involve the outside authorities as required ( “keep it in house” ) . Now 2 weeks later the “ ringleader” and her little gang are back to bullying my niece - both direct and insidious. ( and probably others). My niece has been further victimised by having to stay off school in the past at the schools suggestion and her parents are now at their wits end as their school loving , happy child, is now miserable, sleeps all the time and hates school.
DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO GRAVENEY unless you are prepared for inaction by the school on their marketing claim of zero tolerance on bullying

I believe the type of tests they use are the GL tests, a little different than Bond. You can buy them in Amazon, WH Smith, etc.

And there is room for some mistakes... we have only found out my DS scored quite high on them (high enough to have been offered a place, historically speaking), which kinda caught me by surprise, since although he's quite good with Maths, he rarely scored 100% when we practiced in the summer.

So don't assume anything and give it a try.

Interesting to hear the head is retiring, we went to an open day last year and loved everything about it apart from the head who seemed quite old fashioned and lacking in dynamism. Is there any understanding of who will take over?

I don't know tbh but as we haven't been told that anyone else is leaving I can't see any big changes. Mr Stapleton will still be there.

I didn't know the Head was retiring.

Do you know if Head of Sixth Form will stay the same? (Heading for sixth form.....)

My DS is doing A Levels at Graveney, and my DS went to Bristol after Graveney, where she is predicted a First. The school offers children from every background and of every ability the chance to be their best: academically, socially and emotionally. It is not perfect, but its as close as I've come across (both mine had bad experiences at two other secondaries - neither Ashcroft - before they went to Graveney). The Head is retiring this year, but the management team is very strong. Non-religious and co-ed throughout really helps. Particularly recommend for children with emotional issues. I hope you are lucky enough to get a place.

Hi All, I need some advice .
Before two days my DS received selective place offer for Graveney School. Now we have to make choice between Ashcroft Technical Academy (Putney) and Graveney School (Tooting).
I am happy for my DS but confused at the moment.
Which one is better one in long term.
What do you think ?
Thank you.

I think the NVR and VR are multiple choice and very similar to the old NFER tests. Yes, Bond will do for familiarisation but won't hurt to get a range of these things -- doing the multiple choice ones closer to the exam, perhaps.

I don't think there's a real chance of being in support if a child scores 98%, unless they have serious difficulties that inhibit learning and require extra support.

Just want to say that I live near the school and what has impressed me most is the behaviour coming out of school - which is good.

Isabella I'm surprised to hear that. My DSS is at Graveney and the pastoral care has been top notch, in our experience. I've not known of anyone receiving private tuition, either, but obvs that's just within the people we know.

ancient I don't know, I'm afraid. I do know there is some movement between the streams, however.

I'm intrigued by the Graveney 4 tier system, with a separate arrangement for 'special needs'. does this mean that any student classed as having special needs is automatically in that group, even if for example they did score 98% in the Wandsworth test and would therefore normally be in the extended or upper tiers?

I know some parents at the school and from what I gather, although the 'reputation' is of a high standard, the teaching standards and health and safety within the school leaves a lot to be desired. The immediate area is fairly affluent and due to their selective admissions procedures, the children that attend are relatively bright anyway. A number of the children receive private tuition which shouldn't really be required if standards are apparently high. I have heard that the management don't respond well to reports of bullying and have in fact tried to ignore such reports instead of resolving such issues. It sounds that the more vulnerable children are not sufficiently supported and have even suffered unnecessarily due to their lack of pastoral care. From other parents reports within the area, there are other high schools where the teaching, management and pastoral care is of a much higher standard.

I don't know the details of the Wandsworth Test, but friends have been downloading something called CAT papers, I think? They sound very similiar to the Bonds papers.

Does anyone have any feedback on whether Graveney is particularly good for science?

DD is sufficiently academic that I think it's worth her doing the test, but it's all about the maths/science for her, and most of the local schools' specialities are more arty (for what that's worth).

Thanks TootAndCommon. There is indeed no harm in trying. In Clapham, so Dunraven is a non-starter on distance.

Any views on whether the Bond papers on VR / NVR are a fair approximation of the secretive Wandworth tests? (Or any other brand of papers?)

The places based on the test are very hotly contested, and yes, I imagine that the difference between 96% and 98% is a matter of luck on the day. A friend's child scored 96% and was not admitted.

But there's no harm in trying for Graveney, is there?

Where do you live, TheWomanOnTheBus? (roughly).

Dunraven's results this year (improving steadily every year) put it in the top 10% of banded comps in the country. The catchment spreads to about a mile, I think.

Should have said of course that too far to get in on distance.

Having just visited (and liked very much) the school on its open day, now trying to figure out whether its a realistic option.

DS is bright - in the top of his cohort at primary - and should do well in the Wandsworth test. But 98%!!!!! Isn't that just one silly mistake on the day?

(Looking at typical VR and NVR bond papers, sometimes he gets them all right, sometimes he doesn't. And IME there is very little difference indeed between any child that gets say 90% and one that gets 100%.)

Isn't the test then just a random allocation amongst the brightest kids but with added strees?

Also - is it true that its impossible to get actualy Wandsworth papers? How different are they - if at all - from the sample Bond papers for VR/NVR?

feelingthestrain - Shifts! Messes with the old sleep patterns.

Glad to be of help - it's a difficult and stressful time.

feelingthestrain Would echo all by generalhaig. There are certainly those who got in on Wandsworth test scores in the upper stream, and children in extension who got in on proximity.

therugratref I've never heard or seen any evidence of stream divisions and rudeness. Of course it may well go on, but DS's experience is that the school puts effort in to ensure the children mix, with trips and other events. DS has made and kept friends in all streams.

not quite correct therugratref, only 25% of places are determined by the test scores, the rest are decided by distance (after looked-after children and medical/social need)

there are plenty of local children in extension who didn't 'pass' the test, and several candidates from outside the area who scored higher who gained a place but are in upper, not extension - the test scores are one element in the setting decisions, but not the only one - predicted and actual SATS scores plus current school recommendation all count as well. The school also does their own cognitive tests early in Y7. Children getting all level 5s at the end of Y6 could be pretty confident of being in extension. There is some movement between the sets and as children go further up the school they may be taught in an extension class for maths, but upper for English, for example

There is still a sibling rule, but it now only affects siblings of children who got in by distance not test scores. This means there are plenty of families parachuting in from Balham etc and renting somewhere on the doorstep to get their eldest child in, then moving back to their 'proper' house and watching all their other children get in.

The classes in extension are huge - usually 34-35, not much smaller in upper, support is usually 15 or so, don't know much about middle. The sets to be in are extension and upper - some kids we know prefer to be in upper as there's slightly less pressure, but it's still v academic. Behaviour in 'middle' is said to be problematic, but in the higher sets it's very good. Because it's a big school, although there are opportunities on offer, not everyone gets to take advantage of them - e.g. not every Y7 goes on the PGL trip.

The catchment area used to be truly miniscule but since the abolition of the test siblings rule and the reduction of the number of selective places it has got wider, so kids who a few years ago wouldn't have got in now do so comfortably.

I have several friends with children at Graveney. All in the extension set and all very happy with it. All those children scored at least 98% in the Wandsworth test. The extension set is decided on academic ability and therefore the Wandsworth test is the decider.
The remainder as far as I am aware are based on geographical distance and a few places are allocated to those children who have an older sibling at graveney before they abandoned the sibling policy.
The feeling seems to be outside the extension set its a bog standard comp and there does not seem to be much integration between the various sets. The extension setters are quite rude about the non-elite "grunts"

Feelingthestrain Graveney was our first choice. Others included the Sutton grammars, which we liked but prefered co-ed; Harris Crystal Palace and Dunraven. Really impressed with both of those, too - would have been happy with any on the list, tbh.

Graveney publishes a list of leavers' destinations every year. Ten or so are usually dispatched to Oxbridge, but on the last list I was given there are entrants to art colleges, London College of Fashion and to ICT/business degree courses, so on the face of it it would be reasonable to assume they do alright by the more technically minded/artistic kids, too.