Poole Schools help!

[Pooleschoolschoice]

We are in Poole and my daughter is beginning to look at secondaries. They are all so different! Does anyone have any experience they can share.

My daughter is very bright, but also loves sport and music.

How about the Grammar school?

We're going to try and prep for the grammar school but it's highly selective. I wonder too avout competitiveness in school and self esteem issues/higher incidence of eating disorders etc. It does seem really lovely though.

It seems all the schools are very distinctive. There isnt the "all go to the local decent comp" like in Dorchester. (I wish we were there!)

We like St Edwards but its religious. It had a lovely community school feeling. It had sports clubs and orchestra etc.

Magna is scary bootcamp and super strict but theres no low level disruption... no orchestra and basic music provision.

Poole high was amazing facilities and clubs but so so big.

Just wondered if anyone had children in the schools and were happy!

move to Dorchester. 😁

Not possible work wise but would be ace!

it doesn't suit everyone. I know a couple of girls from Dorchester who go to the Grammar and getting on well.

Wow I didnt realise they'd come over here from Dorchester for Grammar when Thomas Hardy has such a good rep!

We liked the grammar open evening and have started to do the 10min tests (current year 5) sometimes. But I know private schools prep early and many people pay for tutors!

yes and they tend to have been in private school.

If Dorchester is too far, but you are free to move, what about Upton? Lychett Minster is a fully comprehensive school.
Poole High has an "expressly academic stream" for those kids in the area who just missed out on grammar.

However, you could try for Bournemouth Grammar as well as Parkstone.
The grammars are difficult to get into, but obviously not impossible. The more work she does for the test, the better her chances will be. The eleven plus website has details of what tests each school sets.

Yes lychett has a good reputation.

We cant really move and has a tight catchment. I've heard good things about Lytchett although a teacher friend has left saying its not what it was

I have some of the 11+ books so I think we will start looking at those. Although if shes starting year 5 she wont be able to do the maths expected at the end of the year surely. We've had a look at verbal reasoning which she likes.

Bournemouth and poole share a test and we'd got to Parkstone as its closer im wary of choosing a school just because its a grammar too as it doesnt intrinsically make it a better school... the others had tons of sports and clubs and were very inclusive if you werent for example county champion in your sport.

We really liked St Edwards last night. More than we thought we would. The children were so lovely and the warm community ethos comes across. But its still hard to choose om the basis of an open evening!

I had a look at the figures for you. Your Saint Edwards and Poole High have nicely positive Progress 8 figures for their High Attainers although the actual Attainment level is not that high - understandable when a lot of the High Achievers are in the grammars. Ofsted Good too.

I've kind of developed this theory that if someone likes a school, the stats are good and the Ofsted is Good then it probably means its a good choice. Each of these measures on its own has its limitations but if all three have the thumbs up then you're good to go. The "if it quacks like a duck" method of school selection

Just wondering if you decided on a school? We are in the same position, wondering what to do as a Plan B if grammar isnt an option, and not in lytchetts catchment.

We're in this position for this year. Dc sitting 11+ this September but no idea how we'll they'll do and think second choice is

Magna
Poole High (will do academic test - not sure what difference it makes when in)
And St Edwards.

St Edwards seems friendly but doesn't set I dint think which might be off-putting with a bright child.