Sevenoaks vs Caterham

Yr9 @numptynoodle. And you?

We love Caterham, it's a fantastic, supportive school.

Hi @numptynoodle DS will join this Sept'23. Have u made decision yet?

thank you for sharing good report.

our son about to join Sevenoaks this Sept23 , where can we read comments about school ? What we knew so far is that impressive Avg IB scores so any more comments on Student's life side would be useful. THx u

Totally get that .

There are loads of factors that might affect university destinations, not just results. Strength of the HE department. Extent to which the school is hell-bent on getting Oxbridge offers (do they try to influence which courses kids apply to to increase offers, or chuck all their sixth formers at Oxbridge in the hope that some stick). Number going to the US instead. Any impact of contextualised offers. Etc.

@overcote how come gcse result of a school be better n but not so favourable outcomes for uni ?
I think gcse/a level results n uni admission success rate all should be in synch.

gcse results tables can be but misleading as they all have a slightly different criterion to compare . as some tables are based on year 7 entry to attainment at gcse n others as how many scored higher grades etc etc …

so if inner catchment kids get in because of distance n not purely Marks then those kids growth cones across as higher attainment compared to a bright kid

i would use uni success rate rather than gcse . as a kid getting into best unis would have done well both at gcse n a levels

OK, so that link's looking at Oxbridge numbers. I looked at overall % of 9/8/7 GCSEs last year, so they're different measures. (TBH once you get to these sorts of levels, you're kind of splitting hairs once you start considering the difference between 98% and 95% or whatever, and I think there are much more important things to base your decision on than small differences between results - but I was interested, given you raised it.)

@overcote i m basing on latest reports n school newsletters . hbs results are not that great tbh n I think with their catchment rules n ofstead report (status now good not outstanding) I think it’s going for further fall .

please see the link . Also st olaves this year sent 40 to premium university so their numbers are rising

www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-oxbridge-files-which-schools-get-the-most-pupils-in1/

Out of interest, what are you basing that on? Henrietta Barnett was the only grammar in the country to outperform City on GCSEs last year .

I will for 1st March as I am more keen on outstanding state school compared to Pvt .
results of outstanding grammar schools are better than Sevenoaks n city of London

One interesting element that was answered at the coffee morning is that ib is a package where everything is there and if compared this way to the a levels it is broader. However the reality is that even with a levels you always do the other elements like service and you cna do 4 a levels as well which could mean keeping for example an element of humanity into your education, which so certainly what I would do in that case

@fili77 yes we were in Caterham's event yesterday. It is a great school, our favourite no question. The only concern is distance, especially when we have Freemen's a lot closer and DD holds an offer too. Any views as to how Freemen's compares to it?

Having looked at this issue in some detail, I agree. More specifically: to do maths at oxbridge, Imperial, Warwick, UCL or Durham, candidates doing A levels (who are the majority of the intake) are expected to have double A star in maths and further maths. The higher level IB is not comparable (even with the more rigorous "analysis and approaches" option). It's slightly above single A level but doesn't have the depth of double A level. Most of the above universities also require a test pitched above A level (STEP, MAT or TMUA). Candidates doing IB are underprepared, particularly for STEP which is based entirely on the further maths syllabus but required preparation beyond it. Another issue is that even if gaining a place, you would be behind the rest of the cohort on starting.
Doing IB doesn't preclude doing a maths degree, but stacks the odds against getting a place at one of the most selective half-dozen unis. IB would be less of an obstacle getting into, say, Kings or Bath, which accept candidates with only AS further maths.
I also agree with the statement that IB gives a more rounded education. The problem is that this is not what the top UK unis are looking for - they want only depth, not breadth. The UK (A level) system is based on ridiculously premature specialization, and desperately overdue an overhaul. But until that changes, A levels including double A level maths offers a smoother route to a maths uni place than IB.
I wouldn't necessarily let this be the deciding factor in choosing a school for year 7 as so many things can change in 5 years, and many kids move between GCSE and post-16.

i suppose headmasters leaving are always a possibility but he seems so engaged in bringing the school where he needs to be and he was 12 years in his previous engagement at Tonbridge.
for us the other way around; dd set on caterham despite having sister at sevenoaks and most of her local friends going there, as she thinks is more innovative and looking at the future and that is what she wants. Did you attend coffee morning? I went yesterday and was very helpful. It really is a great achool

Very helpful thread. Any thoughts regarding Caterham Vs Freemens? We have offers from them (Caterham including an academic scholarship) and Emanuel.

Hello
as of that year they are offering two days a week boarding for year 7. At least my dd can stay two nights and only commute two days a week. I need to ask how much uptake they have had but my dd is happy to do that despite being quite young