Secondary schools in Barnstaple

[Iambouddicca]

Please can anyone share the reality of secondaries in Barnstaple? I’ve just started googling and, although I am very happy to take ofsted reports with a very large pinch of salt, what I am seeing doesn’t look great?

I am also a bit surprised at the gcse outcomes? 11% for five levels 1-4 ? (Our local state comprehensive is more like 50% for comparison?). Is there a reason for this figure ?

Can anyone share their experiences with me please?

A niche topic I think!

I have a DC in Y10 at Park. I think the two schools are pretty similar to each other, anecdotally from a friend who works at Pilton & has kids at Park, Pilton have a softer behaviour policy than Park & more disruptive behaviours. However I have a friend who has kids at Pilton who thinks it’s better at informing parents about what’s going on. They have pretty similar catchments & pretty similar results.

it’s been a funny few years for schools, Covid began in my DC’s Y7 & it feels like only now are they getting a full school experience. They are academically able & are in all the top sets, engaged with lots of what’s going on, enjoying it. However I do hear tales of vaping, fights, they’ve had quite a bit of teacher turnover - I hear the same things from friends at Pilton too.

They are both big schools, Pilton is slightly smaller (& has been undersubscribed for the past few years), I think Park handles this well with the house system.

Are you in the area already? we moved here from a grammar school area, I resolutely wanted my DC to go to school with their local community. The results are appalling compared to where they would have gone, but my DC is predicted 7-9 in all subjects.

Just to add that I think the head of Pilton has been there for years & is well liked. Park has had 2 heads in the 4 years my DC has been there, with the latest leaving suddenly. Nobody knows why (except for presumably the CEO of the MAT…) New head starting in Sept, coming from a school in Walsall.

Thanks. It’s really helpful. My DCs are also quite able academic so it’s good to know there are options. We might be moving into the area for work so just trying to find out if it is goi g to work for us.

if you’re not tied to Barnstaple, Chulmleigh school is supposed to be very good. But more mid Devon than north Devon.

And bear in mind that only Bideford College & Ilfracombe Academy have 6th forms, the FE college in Barnstaple is Petroc. It doesn’t currently have a great reputation, my DC in Y10 says that about 50% of kids go to Exeter College instead, & they tend to be the more academic kids.

my next DC is starting at Park in Y7 this Sept, they are a different character (more reserved, but with a greater social network than my elder DC had) so it will be interesting to see how their experience will be…

@northdevonnewbie Thank you for all your tips I hope you don’t mind me picking your brains again? I’m still mulling our move over and much is falling into place. I am still just wondering about the schools. Do they set for ability at either school do you know?

Yeah they set at both schools. Not sure about the details for Pilton, at Park they set for Maths & English from the start (based on assessments done at the start of term). They also set for PE. I will check with DC when they get home but I think most of the other subjects in Y7 and Y8 aren’t set, but by Y9 they are set for everything? My DC in Y10 is certainly in sets for all their subjects except sociology as there aren’t many of them taking it!