William Ellis — what's it like?

Yes! In the same boat here. My son is quite sensitive and academic. Not sure if he will get in to any grammar schools and other secondary schools around us are terrible. This had a good atmosphere and I like the school's focus on relationships with teachers and other year groups. We are seriously considering putting this school as a first choice and place him on waiting list for other selectives. I am hoping a smaller size will help identify kids that can be stretched/ pushed further but am worried about bullying and disruptive behaviours.

Hi all,

My son has just been offered a languages aptitude place at William Ellis for September 2027, and we're deciding whether to put it first on form.

I've read the older threads from around 2023, when the Ofsted was "requires improvement", but I know the school was rated Good across the board in late 2024. I'd love to hear from parents with boys there now, especially in Years 7–9:

• How is behaviour in lessons and at break? Any bullying, and how did the school handle it?
• How do quieter boys get on?
• How are languages taught, and is the top set properly stretched?
• How good is communication with parents about progress?
• Any tips for settling in, e.g. the summer school or the Year 7 trip?

Thanks!

Sounds very similar to my son's experience, took him a couple years to get over the trauma of being there. Such a shame as he had such a lovely primary school experience. He is back on track now and doing well, biggest regret sending him there.

DS1 was there for 2 years having been excluded from another school. It is quite a rough environment (DS mentioned fights in the toilets) but the teaching is good and the teachers genuinely seem to care and go the extra mile for the students. The school gave my son a second chance and the HT and other heads of year were particularly good. My son really enjoyed his time there but he is quite confident and used to dealing with people from all walks of life. I know of several other parents with kids there who are very happy. The intake is quite heavily Muslim in case that's a factor.

I’m sorry to say but my son’s experience at WE was so bad, we’re paying the price years later.
We were enticed by the plus points: the Heath, ex Grammar etc, but the reality was a hugely toxic atmosphere, felt immediately on entrance.
They try to bed year 7s in with a camping trip. DS was bullied immediately, his sexuality questioned as well his atheism. Back at school the bullying continued relentlessly, he was punched, shoved, pushed in the road, shown porn and snuff videos, filmed crying and told it was put on Snapchat. There were other things that he still won’t tell us about. It took a year and a half to get him into a different school and that was only possible with an EHCP.
Our experience reporting incidents was very poor, even with cctv evidence, it was obvious the school was more concerned with how these accounts would influence their Ofsted report so were minimised and we felt we were gaslit.
If I’m honest I’d say it’s a holding pen for boys who are brought up around misogyny and machismo as the norm.
We’re still working through the pain years later.

Any update on William Ellis? Thank you.

Do make sure your son attends the summer school @Coconutdragon - it’s a good way to meet other boys before the start of term. Makes the start less intimidating!

It really sounds like there are so many factors involved, it's unpredictable. Having a rowdy class from the very start does sound really difficult. I'm glad your son's happier now, Philly!

We'll see how it goes...

Oh and my son loves the camps at the mill. Looks forward to it all year!

I am really sorry that your son had a bad experience philly71. I wonder if it was a particularly bad year or disruptive form? What school did your son move to in the end? I’m glad he is happier.

However @Coconutdragon - just to reassure you, my son (a very very shy boy who knew no one else) had a very different experience and when we did have some issues (internal ones, not about school exactly) the school could not have been more receptive (emailing over weekends with suggestions and plans etc).

That is not to belittle @philly71 experience at all. As I mentioned above - one of my son’s class groups last year was apparently a bit disruptive. I can imagine if that had happened at the start of school, it would have been intimidating.

Also, my son went in with no friends from primary, so that didn't help. My girls didn't either, but they managed. Each child is different. Just go in with an open mind, and talk to your son, that's all you can do. I've learned you will hear good and bad about all schools, just see how it goes.

Oh no, that's awful. My son's nervous about it as it is.
I'd only heard good things about William Ellis before. I wonder if this year's particularly bad.

He came home saying he would never go again. We camp 2x a year and have been going since he was born. My ds loved other PGL trips he had been on.
I was also thinking, maybe because he went to such a lovely primary, that he was living in a lil bubble.

How did your son find the week away at the start of term?

Did you get a place nearby? (Understand if you don't want to name the school as it's outing!)

Glad that worked out at least. Maybe we can see how it goes and do the same. I won't keep my son somewhere he's unhappy, either.

Thank you for your input.

It could be fine, and your son may get on ok. My son started complaining within 3 weeks, and by half term he was talking about moving. I was then debating whether or not we stick it out. But if my son isn't happy neither am I. Its an easy transfer before the end of term in Dec. Good luck!

Yes, year 6. Am really worried now. I'm in the area often and never see bad behaviour on the buses, so thought it seemed ok.

Is your son is year 6 now? Mine just started Year 7, it all seemed good from the visits and such, but day to day is different, completely. Thought W.Ellis being smaller would be better as well. I was wrong and my big girls 21 & 16 said "we told you mum!!"

Oh no. That sounds bad. I'm glad your son's finding his new school better.

It's too late for us, we've already got a place and put it first on the application. Our son's very shy, too.

My son lasted one 1/2 term there. My son couldnt cope with the bullish behaviour, in class teachers didnt have control or bad behaviour is overlooked. My ds described pushing,shoving, kicking, slapping, punching and threats. This behaviour extends to the bus stops and on the buses.
Implications made that it may be in my sons head, basically victim blaming instead of accepting they lack control over students and more discipline needs to be in place. Funny how these issues were raised in most recent ofsted.

I had 2 girls go through parliament hill and they always complained about the Ellis boys, my middle dd is at laswap and has witnessed terrible behaviour in the halls and outside at break ( pushing, shoving, playfighting)

Within a week my son has a place at a different school and is doing fine. Do not rate William Ellis at all.

Also to repeat comment from above. WESPA (the parent teacher association) is very welcoming and active. They arrange lots of activities and socials so you can try and meet other parents. Also each year has a what’s app group if you need info etc which is a god send at times.

To be honest, one of my complaints has been that it is difficult to find out what clubs are available. The sports dept puts their clubs on the website as does music department but it is quite hard to find out about others. I know they do cooking, mandarin, coding, robotics but not sure what else. I am aware that until very recently they split lunch hour due to the whole Covid situation. It’s now the same lunch break and one of the reasons for that was so they could put on more clubs at lunch. But I still don’t know what they are!