To think that the Girls Grammar school (Newstead Wood) is soley responsible for the all-round women that both Dina Asher Smith and Emma Raducanu have become.

[peewitsandy]

I suggest that the sole reason, both Emma Raducanu and Dina Asher Smith are such well rounded individuals and of cause brilliant sportswomen, is down to their single sex grammar school educations.

I say this because I notice a number of posters suggestive that single sex grammar schools are highly toxic, thus destroying many girls.
I have noted how over the years that Newstead Wood has been referenced regularly, for being a toxic environment, like Emma and Dina this is my old school. Finally, perhaps controversially I believe that if Emma or Dina had been educated in a mixed Comprehensive school, neither would have ever reached the heights both have or will.

I went to Newstead. It was incredibly toxic. I saw it destroy a couple of girls who were very intelligent, but pushed too far. They also did their best to dissuade a friend of mine from pursuing her career as it didn't suit the school ethos. She ignored them, became highly successful and now they claim bragging rights. I imagine, as is the same with many other girls there who are particularly talented, that they have been able to achieve great things because of their own drive, self belief and support from their friends and family.

@Fairlyurgentdecision

Well I went to a single sex school and bloody loathed it. Came out with 2 O-levels.

You're talking utter drivel woman!

Why is that not a surprise as you clearly can't comprehend what the OP is saying or apply logic.

She didn't say that everyone who went to a single sex school is sucessful, that's not the point at all.

Was yours a fee paying school? Value for money might be questioned right there

Newstead is wonderful for sports.
It isn't so great for critical thinking.

Maybe?

Yep, of course that's what got these girls to the Olympics. Good PE. Literally nothing else.
You seem weirdly defensive of your old school, OP. Unresolved issues from your time there, perhaps?

Erm their parents???

Good answer Never. Joe Root went on to Scarborough College to advance his Cricket skills. However, neither school turned into Mike Brearley did they . Despite being the best English batter since Ken Barrington he is probably the second worst captain behind Freddie.

Jessica Ennis I give you that one a wonderful athlete as well as a great person and a fantastic advert for any school alumni .

I am rushing before anyone calls me stupid for mistyping or missing words!

I thought that the willingness of the parents to spend loads of weekends etc driving to competitions etc was a massive part of it.

Yes, I went to a girls grammar school but, had I shown any sporting prowess at all, I doubt if I would fave been successful as neither of my parents drove. I would have had to go to all training and matches on my own on public transport!

I went to NWSG and was really happy there. It's a good school for most students and an excellent school for some students, as are many, many other schools of all sorts, all over the world.

I am rushing before anyone calls me stupid for mistyping or missing words!

But it’s your own thread; it would have been best to start it when you had a little more time!

I know of 2 sisters, one went to Newstead , the other Darrick Wood. The one who went to Darrick has been far more successful with their career and settled in their personal life than her sister.

Lol. My daughter is an English rep (not athletics) and went to a bog standard comp. It’s a fuck ton of parental interest and input that makes champions. Not the bloody school.

Parental interest tends to be strong in grammar schools so hardly surprising that would correlate with sporting success.

Given that Dina Asher Smith has said that aged 8 watching Kelly Holmes win at the olympics in Athens was what inspired her to want to become an Olympian I think that her own determination and the support of her parents had a LOT more to do with her success than what Secondary school she went did

How can a sample of two out of 100s (1000s over the years) pupils tell us anything about the school? I really have no greater idea whether the school is excellent, mediocre or rubbish than before I started reading this thread.

OFSTED has flaws but at least there’s more to it than this.

What a load of utter rubbish OP.

How can a sample of two out of 100s (1000s over the years) pupils tell us anything about the school?

There's another three of us on this thread (so far) and it seems one loved it, one hated it, and one thought it was okay. I don't think any of us are Olympians! It just shows how stupid the OP's premise is.

I taught Jess Ennis French for a bit in year 7, can I claim some of the responsibility for how wonderful she is please?

My old, co-ed school had three former pupils competing at the Olympics this year and between them they won three medals. I'm under no illusion that this says anything about the school other than they were likely flexible with attendance of pupils of this calibre to allow them to compete in competitions in term time. This is a very odd premise for a thread...

I went to Newstead, and to Darrick wood. Although Newstead was a great school in terms of academics, it was toxic, the atmosphere and willingness of the teachers at Darrick was a lot better.

I went to a single sex grammar school. Got 9 GCSEs and went on to become a drug addict with a criminal record. So no, grammar school isn't some marvellous guarantee of a high achieving life. It's just a place where they send kids who are good at solving brain teasers.

BTW, the therapist who I credit with my continued recovery (I'm 12 yrs clean) went to a mixed comp. Her work has far more value to society than a couple of sporting golds.

Mick Jagger went to my son’s school. I thought they would turn him into a successful rock star but it’s not looking good.

I’ve never heard of your school, nor of those people. There is a weird thing on Mumsnet where people seem to think that because a school is in london (which I presume this is) everyone knows or cares about it. 98% of us don’t.

My college produced Joseph Morgan who was in the vampire diaries, Matt Ryan who was in Arrow and Constantine and a million rugby players, but I don’t claim they had much to do with it.

Don't most schools have some successful alumni? Even the roughest and toughest schools have pupils that go on to be successful in sports, and other careers

What is the purpose of your post, OP?

I suggest that the sole reason, both Emma Raducanu and Dina Asher Smith are such well rounded individuals and of cause brilliant sportswomen, is down to their single sex grammar school educations

It’ll be down to the parents and innate talent, opportunities for sport at the school would have helped a bit