Pates grammar for girls

[turquoisetwinkles]

I was looking at grammar schools for my dd. I'd like to move areas and am renting so I'm thinking of putting my dd into the 11+ and then moving if she gets into a school. Backup is private but grammar would be preferable as I'd have to stretch to pay fees.

Cheltenham could be an area we can look to move to but reading about Pates there seems to be a disproportionate boy to girls ratio with more boys than girls.
Does anyone know if this affects girls in any way? Negatively or positively.

Just realise my title doesn't make too much sense I meant to say what's Pates like for girls!

It has a reputation for being very high pressure, maybe parents of girls are more worried about that?
I know a few families with girls who looked around it but chose the Gloucester grammars instead.

It's a good point actually and one I hadn't considered, I actually just thought that more boys than girls were passing the exam! Thanks

One of the reasons I'm looking at this school is my dd is at a high pressure prep. Being at an academic school has suited her, when all her peers are studying extra in the evenings and weekends it makes it a lot easier for her to understand why she's doing it too, and they all work to get the best results they can, as she's happy and doing well I'd like to try to continue this into senior school.

Hi,
My twin sons have just left Pate's and my daughter is just about to take her GCSEs there this summer. I can now safely say I made the right decision to send them to Pate's. My three children have LOVED every minute at Pate's and it is a great school in every respect. I really cannot praise it highly enough. My sons have achieved amazing grades at GCSE and A levels. My boys both got Oxbridge interviews but did not secure an offer but are now very happy at Russell Group universities. There were 90 students out of 200 in their year who applied to either Oxbridge/medical/veterinary school!
However, there is a broad curriculum at Pate’s - there is no question of them being 'hot housed ' in any way. Art, music, drama and sport are all as important as the 'academic' subjects. Pate’s is the only one of the grammars that play full Wednesday and Saturday sports fixtures with all the private schools because they compete at that higher level. There are house music/art/drama competitions every year and the standard of entries is phenomenal. However, more important is the immense fun and sense of belonging they get from these events. The school is very supportive on the pastoral care side with good mental health support.

The staff are all sparky, academic high fliers themselves but they do genuinely know and care for their pupils. For me, Pate's is a really special environment where all children flourish. It feels more like a university in many respects and children are expected to be sensible and work and play hard. There are few, if any, school rules. The grades achieved are 95% A* A at A levels which puts it into the position of being the top mixed state school in the country. If your child is able to achieve at two years ahead of his/her peers and enjoys academic work then I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

The in balance of boys and girls being out of whack occurred in only one strange year group. Dunno why it happened but my sons' year and my daughter's year were 50/50 boys and girls. Hope this helps.

Thanks so much @Mickeythemixer very helpful. I went to an all girls school and it's only when I left that I realised the boy/girl divides were more prominent than I realised. As I was at a girls school it never occurred to me that some girls may not choose maths or sciences because obviously only girls were available to choose at my school. I clearly led a sheltered life

I hadn't considered mixed schools but came across pate's when researching schools. That's good to hear there is a possibility that it could simply be distorted ratios in some years and more even in others. My dd is sporty and musical as well and I spend half my life running around to these events so it's good to hear Pates may fit the bill all round!

It's 95% A-B btw not A-A which is obviously still very good.

I knew I should have fact-checked myself!! It is on a par with ETON for those A level results though - so pretty good

Looool no worries. Ofcourse it is. It's really good.

My girl's due to start there in September. From people who've actually got kids there, I've heard nothing but good things about the place. It's a bugger to get into, so I suspect negative comments may be a case of sour grapes, tbh.

@EyeBallisticSquid

My girl's due to start there in September. From people who've actually got kids there, I've heard nothing but good things about the place. It's a bugger to get into, so I suspect negative comments may be a case of sour grapes, tbh.

I hope you don’t mean sour grapes from me - I’ve got no reason to have, my ds is very happy in one of the private schools in the town. Grammar was never on our radar.

It is a super selective - so much harder to get into than other grammars. But Gloucs doesn't require residency before taking the test, so take the 11+ first before moving, and see how she ranks. (i.e. no point moving to Cheltenham for Pates if she doesn't make the qualifying score, or ranks too low). In most years they go down to 180 ish, in 2021 they went down to 214.

@WhatWillSantaBring how does the ranking work? What do you mean by 180 one year and 214 in another? I have no idea!
I am looking only at super selectives so that I can do precisely what you mention and move around the school should my dd get in rather than move and she doesn't. Thank you.

DS is there in y9, if there is any difference in ratios between boys and girls, it’s pretty marginal. I agree with the comment above - we’ve not felt like it’s a hothouse in any way. DS takes his school work fairly seriously (for a y9 boy!) and I don’t need to nag, but he doesn’t feel pressure to do more, and homework levels are quite light overall, I know other nearby schools give more. A few kids do extra work, but it’s not expected or necessarily needed.

It can feel a little daunting initially - some very accomplished kids there in their extra curricular activities! But plenty of opportunity and encouragement for kids who are more average at say sport and music, and DS has found his place, gets on well with his teachers, and is very happy there.

When you apply to take the test, you state which schools you'd like to share the results with (so you would put Pates, although probably worth keeping your options open and sharing with all the Gloucs grammars). After the test is marked (centrally), the schools rank all the students who shared their results with them. You will then get informed what rank your child came for each school. Each school has 150 places, and will offer in strict rank order.

So if you have a super-bright child who ranks in the top 150 at Pates, you will get told they're in the top 150 and you have a guaranteed offer at that school. If they rank below 150, it's a waiting game till 1 March, when you'll find out if you get an offer.

This year, the lowest ranked child that Pates made an offer to 1 March was ranked 190. Its very likely that some children ranked below that will get an offer between now and 1 September.

How far down the ranking they go depends on how many children don't take up their offers - e.g. due to moving out of the area, choosing a different grammar (or even comp), or going private.

As a super selective, Pates only offer down to 170-210. The other grammars can offer as far down as the 750th ranked child or so.

Pates is the only grammar which has a pass mark. If your child ranks below the pass mark, they won't get an offer or be allowed to sit on the waiting list). (This year, the pass mark was achieved by the 244th ranked child). In theory, this means Pates could take less than 150 children, but I don't think this happens a lot/ever.

Can I be naughty and ask a related question about Pate's and girls? My daughter has got ASD and is super-academic; thinking about doing the 11+. Anyone got any thoughts or experiences or even just hearsay of the SEN provision for their autistic children at Pate's? TIA

Pate's has an incredible reputation, and rightly so.

I somewhat struggle with the idea of people moving here AFTER taking the exam as it means far less places for locals. We've already got children commuting for hours each day to get to Pate's which I doesn't sit well with me either, but that's the rules so it is what it is.

With regards to girls, it's great. I've known a few boys and girls go there recently. Just be mindful of how many pupils take the test and that it's not just your average 'bright' kid getting in but those who are exceptional.

If you do move to the area Crypt is another of the grammars which is also now co-ed if it's co-ed you are after.