Schools in Leeds and York - advice please.

[hamsterjackjack]

Does anyone live in or around Leeds or York who could give us up to date, honest information and advice about the schools in the area (both state and private). I have a boys and two girls and would ideally like them at the same school if we can find something which suits them all.

We like the look of places like St Peters, Bootham, Gateways (but this is just for girls) but we may well end up living close to the Grammar School at Leeds which looks like it has amazing facilities but somehow doesn't grab us in the same way as the others. Also which are the good state secondary schools? The cost of private education for three children is terrifying! People keep mentioning St Aidan's but Harrogate is not convenient for either of our jobs. Is Roundhay any good? Tadcaster? Garforth? Fulford?

Thank you for any help you can give us.

Ok, so I've checked this out. From a very strong source, I can confirm that there is a redundancy pool, most lower Junior school staff are in it. All involved have to attend a meeting on Monday. I guess you are amongst the lucky ones skyblue6 if you are not aware of it all. Long may that continue. Parents have apparently become aware too and are concerned about the reductions in staffing. Maybe parental pressure will prevail? But I guess if the school needs to save money then it needs to save money.

Thanks Travelban. I phoned on Friday and made an appointment to visit Gateways again and discuss our options. It's taking boys into year 7 from Sept 2019 but they aren't accepting boys above that. It's a 'progressive move to full co-education' as the boys move up from their prep. Glad I'm not looking for this Sept though! They are already full for girls and only have a couple of spaces for boys left!

RugRats5, I don’t know who your source is but what they have told you is not true. I’m a member of GSAL’s senior leadership team (SLT) and there is no ‘redundancy programme’. You’ll be pleased to hear that the only meeting taking place tomorrow is the normal Monday morning staff briefing where staff update one another.

You will see from our website that we are currently advertising for additional staff and we are in the middle of a multi-million pound investment programme. Therefore, I’m rather mystified as to where this is coming from! Although, I am pleased to hear Gateways is also doing well, as we all benefit from having a range of schools to choose from.

I’m always very happy to talk about the school, and email is the best way to contact me: [email protected].

I am mystified too Helen but I guess you would know best... Google says you are Director of External Relations at the school? Well, if nothing else, at least I've brought the word on the street to your attention if you weren't already aware of it. Best of luck.

As a local, who has had girls at both schools in the past, and with contacts at both, I do not recognise what Rugrat is reporting.

Me neither. Gateways would be the school that was struggling financially, having let a number of staff go over recent years. Hence their move to co-ed.

I am a parent at GSAL. I chose GSAL over Gateways for my son a few years ago, mainly due to the fact he could stay through to 18 which was not an option for him at Gateways at the time. I am now seriously thinking of making the move to Gateways due to the fact boys can now stay all the way through to 6th form. I am aware of a few parents at GSAL who have moved to Gateways and hear lots of good things. There are certainly no regrets! One of my friends is now a Gateways parent and informs me that she has recently seen quite a few purple uniforms in the school - this can only be GSAL children having a day there to see if they like it! Another friend has recently tried to move her daughter into their Year 7 for this September but has also been told that the year group is full for girls and that there are only a couple of spaces left for boys. She's now wishing she had moved sooner!

I currently have children at both of these schools. They are both very good schools, for different reasons, and the one that will be right for you very much depends on your child.

I wouldn't be worried about staff reductions at either school, if indeed any of it is true. This is plain and simple financial prudency and it shows that both schools take their responsibilities in this regard very seriously. Both schools may indeed have had to restructure their staffing in the past but doing so has probably enabled them both to still be here and doing well! Work-forces flex all the time. Show me a business that doesn't increase and decrease its staffing to meet demand. Those that are reticent to do so are the ones that go under.

Anyway, I am happy to be messaged if anyone wants my opinion of what the strengths of either of these schools are but I won't share the weaknesses. No school is perfect after all and it's about choosing the positives that work for you and your family while making sure that the things that might work less well are not so important to you.

All schools have negatives though, it's important to understand what they are as much as possible before joining a school so that one can make an informed choice.

DS for example is a very sensitive child who has some specific needs and his school is excellent for pastoral care, understanding how good the pastoral care isn't always easy to gauge going round a school and no school will admit that their pastoral care is very weak.

Having said that for a more healthy and resilient, outgoing child this might be way at the bottom of the list so not something you would focus on or be too concerned with.

Schools can't excel at everything, any school claiming to be excellebt in all areas isn't entirely truthful. I have many children and we have been to many great schools in the years and I could compile an equal list of great and not so great for each one!! Maybe I am just a bad person.

I wonder if any of the previous posters might be prepared to share a little more info.

We joined GSAL last September after relocating. Our 7 yo is thriving at Rose Court but our 10 yo in Y5 is struggling. The boys here are much more assertive and physical than he is used to and he has been bullied a few times. The first occasion was dealt with really well but the incidents since have been dismissed and I’m worried he is being seen as a wimp. His attitude to school has changed and he isn’t himself.

Travelban’s comment about having a sensitive child struck a chord - would you mind telling me which school your child is at?

I’ve been looking around for something closer to the boys old school and I have revisited Cundall Manor’s website and reports which I previously dismissed due to them only taking pupils to 16. Does anyone know anything about Cundall?

Any and all help would be appreciated! Thank you in advance.