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Original poster

Forest and Bancroft

37 replies

upsidedown80 · 26/02/2021 20:09

Hoping to hear from people who have had an offer from Forest or Bancroft?

Which do you think you will choose and why?

Or for those whose children went or go there - what did you like or dislike about it?

I really like the look of both for different reasons. I'm keen to send DS somewhere that will teach him learning techniques and to become independent and organised.

We are a bit further away from Bancroft (45mins on 2 buses so says city mapper) - is that too far? Is the Lea Bridge Road going East out and coming West back at the end of the day impossible?

Is Bancroft really a hothouse? In what ways do they put pressure on the children?

Do the children at Forest come from a bigger variation of schools?

Thanks very much, finding it such a difficult decision to make.

OP posts:
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HemmingsMark · 10/03/2022 13:51

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EmmaH2022 · 07/03/2022 19:05

OP doesn't the 20 bus go from that road and past Bancrofts?

Mark I saw your other thread. So safeguarding issues from 50-60 years ago.

HemmingsMark · 07/03/2022 19:02

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HemmingsMark · 05/03/2022 18:58

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Elij00 · 05/03/2022 13:42

@HemmingsMark

I've seen parents referring to DD and DC and am not quite sure what this means. Is it some sort of abbreviation?
DD means Dearest Daughter(Dearest Son for DS)whilst DC means Dearest Child/Children.
HemmingsMark · 05/03/2022 11:40

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HemmingsMark · 28/02/2022 07:13

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LongSummers · 27/02/2022 20:07

Should also say that 45 mins on 2 buses to Bancrofts is going to be very painful, the roads from Lea Bridge Road are very stop-start at school time, I think it will be at least 45 mins. Do you have any other more local options?

LongSummers · 27/02/2022 20:05

Well done to DC for the offers! Bancrofts nowadays significantly better standard than Forest - I say this as an ex Forester and live in the area. I will be targeting Bancrofts for my DC.

HemmingsMark · 27/02/2022 20:01

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CJFJ1 · 27/02/2022 19:51

@HemmingsMark

Oh okay 'Meadowbreeze' (although I'm not sure why you don't give your name). Anyway I'm not sure a lot of parents do have the time to burrow around in the entrails of league tables and the like. Still, if you do have the time please don't bother to read any more of my posts. Don't bother to read that in the School's trinity term 2020 newsletter the headmaster advances a very unconventional argument that A-level grades are a distraction from true learning. He also claims that in anycase most employers don't take the grades seriously. After I highlighted this idiosyncratic proposition in one of my posts quite a few parents thanked me for drawing their attention to the article. A prospective parent declared themselves to be 'nonplussed' and 'astonished' by the headmater's comments. They observed they had decided to send their child elsewhere. Still, you of course will already be familiar with the newsletter and don't need my assistance.
I've read that article in the Trinity 2020 newsletter and there's little in it that I haven't heard from a myriad of other independent school heads these days: i.e. grades aren't the be-all-and-end-all, but it's just one part of the holistic education that schools aim to offer, in nurturing and developing the whole child - to quote the article, 'We must have a certain level of cognitive intelligence and ability to learn. Clearly good grades signal this ability. They can and should be celebrated. But success requires so much more'. Heads from virtually all high-flying state / independent schools out there are conveying this same message now - that exams and grades aren't the sole purpose of their institutions - Forest is by no means alone.

I should say I have no vested interest in Forest whatsoever. I just felt I had to comment after Googling said newsletter.

Meadowbreeze · 27/02/2022 19:27

@HemmingsMark 😂😂😂😂 ok. I have nothing to do with forest school. I just think your bombardment of them on this website is weird. It is even weirder that you are posting your full name on here. Do you not understand the concept of a forum? Go and complain to them directly if you were so badly hurt.
I should hope no one chooses a school based on what it was like 40+ years ago.

HemmingsMark · 27/02/2022 18:57

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Meadowbreeze · 27/02/2022 18:13

@HemmingsMark I'm assuming your name is Mark hemmings in that case? And you don't understand the concept of an anon forum. You seem to persistently comment on any post about this school and it's just ridiculous. I refuse to believe anyone who pays for private education doesn't look at league tables unless they are not bothered by them. There is absolutely no problem with a headteacher saying that, they are publishing an honest opinion. This gives people choice. They can choose that school or not. It would be worse if he thought that and kept it to himself. I don't understand why you've decided to be some kind of vigilante against forest. It's very strange.

HemmingsMark · 27/02/2022 18:02

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Musicschoolquestions · 27/02/2022 17:50

Forest doesn’t have a great rep where we live. Both of my DCs had classmates at primary who went to Forest - 4 in my eldest’s year & 2 in my youngest’s. None of them were particularly academic at that stage at least. They didn’t go through the first round at Latymer for instance and were not offered places at the more academically-selective London indies. I got the impression that their parents knew they would be academically average at the local state secondaries so Forest was one way of purchasing some sort of advantage.

If your DCs are academically able, they might be better off in the top set of your local comp.

Meadowbreeze · 27/02/2022 16:23

@HemmingsMark what is your problem? Do you even have kids of an age where being so obsessed with forest would be of any help?
What makes you think parents who are about to fork out all this money for school, haven't checked this info. You come across as very bitter and condescending.

HemmingsMark · 27/02/2022 16:05

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CoolKitkat · 02/03/2021 16:07

Thanks @TimeForLunch

TimeForLunch · 02/03/2021 13:42

@CoolKitkat there are some residential streets a short walk through the forest or a car park for the forest along Snaresbrook Road. Otherwise I just pull up on the double yellows for 5 minutes.

chitchattery · 02/03/2021 08:17

DD was at Forest from pre-prep to GCSE. She moved to Bancroft’s for sixth form. I would have been happy for her to stay at Forest but she felt that it wasn’t very supportive of her at that level. For example, she wanted to start 4 a levels and then drop one as she was a NatSci wannabe and wasn’t sure about Bio or Physics. Bancroft’s had no problem with that. Forest would not allow it. Having moved, she felt there was a significantly higher standard in maths and sciences at Bancroft’s and had absolutely no regrets about the switch. Whether that was because of the more able and competitive intake or the teaching - hard to say. A bit of both probably. Plenty did fine at Forest although she did hear of friends who were disappointed in their a level results. If academics are the most important I’d go for Bancroft’s or plan to move later but they do only take about 20 at sixth form (pre covid- who knows now!). Parents don’t often park at Forest they just drop off and go before the car is towed away!

CoolKitkat · 02/03/2021 07:26

@TimeForLunch

Which school is easier to drop off/pick up by car - sorry to hijack!

Neither are particularly easy for this but Bancroft's have a staggered drop and go system in place, I believe, and I have managed the Forest pick up/drop off for the younger DC for a couple of years now with no major problems. Just be prepared to go a bit earlier for pick up to find a parking space nearby.

Thank you - where do you park near Forest?

I went to check the pool out a few years ago, I couldn't find anywhere to park - I don't know how the school parents manage!

TimeForLunch · 01/03/2021 20:10

Which school is easier to drop off/pick up by car - sorry to hijack!

Neither are particularly easy for this but Bancroft's have a staggered drop and go system in place, I believe, and I have managed the Forest pick up/drop off for the younger DC for a couple of years now with no major problems. Just be prepared to go a bit earlier for pick up to find a parking space nearby.

TimeForLunch · 01/03/2021 20:07

I have two DC at Forest, one in the prep and one in the seniors. They moved there from our local state primary going into year 7 ad year 3 respectively. We've been very happy with both parts of the school. The main reason we chose it was for the sports facilities and extra curricular activities on offer. One DC is making the most of these, the other not so much but is enjoying the experience nonetheless and has felt well supported by staff during lockdown struggles. The only downside is we live quite far out and the friends mostly seem to be Hackney/Islington way so lots of ferrying around!

CoolKitkat · 01/03/2021 19:55

Which school is easier to drop off/pick up by car - sorry to hijack!

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