Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Holland Park Secondary School

29 replies

hillbilly · 27/01/2015 11:57

I would be interested in hearing up to date views. I was impressed by the Open evening in September and they have answers all my subsequent questions promptly with in depth answers when I emailed them however they were none specific on GCSE options, saying that it depends on the band the student is in. I'm also interested in a parents' view of the availability of school trips.

OP posts:
deerdeer · 27/01/2015 16:20

There may be trips available for certain subjects but definitely not all students. My daughter is an art aptitude student and has not been to a single museum or gallery. She also did Spanish and was not offered a trip. The list is bollocks into opinion the last trip to Iceland was a few years ago for geographers only.

jeanne16 · 27/01/2015 15:44

Ask them about staff turnover. I have heard it is such a hellish place in which to work that teachers leave as soon as they can find other jobs.

Original poster
hillbilly · 27/01/2015 14:54

Re trips this is what they said has and is happening this year:

theatre, ballet, Spain, France, Iceland, Italy, art galleries, museums, Canterbury, Flatford Mill, and many more. Some are subject based, eg: Geography field trips, some are open to all, for example the Choir visit to Paris and the VIVO (reward point system) trips to Barcelona, the Peak District and Bath. The PE department run a ski trip that anyone is welcome to join as well as an international sporting tour for the teams involved.

I will ask Mr Seed about current options.

Thanks.

OP posts:
deerdeer · 27/01/2015 14:49

Trips? - none apart from the tiny minority who win Perfect Tense - same kids year after year in many cases. There was a choir trip to Paris but that was exceptional.

GCSEs choice v v limited even for Band 1. A major failing is the insistence in sitting many early after 1 year courses. No idea if this will change for the new ones. Ask Mr Seed for the current option choices offered across the bands. A level is even worse not possible to do English and Art for example.

Swipe left for the next trending thread