Ibstock Place School

bikerdude - thanks for those pros and cons - very useful. I'd heard the "masses of homework" rumours and wondered if they were true. Do you mind me asking - roughly what sort of level were your kids on leaving primary school. I have a DS2 who isn't going to get into the school his brother goes to as it's too academic, but I think Ibstock could be perfect for him. He's good at maths but not so good at english - still above national average though.

Its never been 3 hours a night homework. Thats been massively exaggerated. I have boy yr 11 and girl yr 8 who've been there since yr 7. Both went as they didnt get into other schools but its ended out for the best (as school selection often does). Pros of Ibstock: lots including very happy nice well behaved kids, lovely green space with nice new buildings & facilities, good food, loads of extra curricular clubs etc, location if you get to bike through the park each day. Cons: slightly high teacher turnover & a few below standard teachers (only 2 or 3) who need to leave!; location if you dont get to bike through the park each day. Priory Lane is a dark lane for kids to walk down in the winter if you miss the minibus to Barnes station. And if you are a poor unfortunate driver parent stuck in Priory Lane traffic in the winter you'll wish you werent!

What are your other options? I am turning down my place at Ibstock as have today been offered first choice state school that does better academically than Ibstock. Ibstock is trying to become an "academic" school, but I feel this is at the expense of the pupils, and the 3 hours a night homework would be be too much, as it's an hours commute away in traffic...

The only thing I have heard is they are very anti significant special needs. Wont take statemented kids even if bright. So if you have a younger child with SN its worth discussing this with them. I guess mild dyslexia is OK

Yes, it's hard isn't it when there isn't a local groundswell of opinion?
Parents I know are happy enough with it to send their younger dcs to join siblings currently there. All the children I have spoken to who are there are really enjoying it. The only comments from parents present and past is that the extras are expensive - but then they tend to be in a lot of schools.
So no, no major problems or reasons to avoid the school as far as I know!

What kind of thing did you want to know? We have been offered a place too, as have lots of ds's friends, but we are possibly going elsewhere.

The children & their parents that I know there are very happy with it.