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Original poster

Is Walton High School really that good?

14 replies

Brainwracked · 22/09/2010 13:54

We're moving to MK and favour Walton High School for DD next September but we have doubts about the quality of teaching. Would Walton High be the best option in MK? Ofsted rates the school as outstanding, but the RateMyTeachers website doesn't rate teaching quality there very highly. We've heard that secondary schools in MK aren't that good. Does anyone have knowledge about Walton High, Denbigh or Ousedale schools, which could be alternatives?

OP posts:
flabbyapronbelly · 22/09/2010 20:47

I live nearby and think that Walton High and Shenley Brook End schools are meant to be the best. Ousedale is also popular. Other nearby possibilities are Sharnbrook - just north west of bedford if you moved slightly away from MK or into Aylesbury Vale (Buckingham, Winslow, etc) and there are the grammar schools.

Original poster
Brainwracked · 25/09/2010 13:56

I didn?t know about Shenley Brook End, flabbyapronbelly, so I checked out the website and Ofsted. Funny you didn?t mention Denbigh High. Walton High, Ousedale and these schools are all focused on science, technology and business, and our ten-year old DD is more interested in dance, drama and music. Of course we don?t know what she will want in a couple of years time, but how can we compare the overall quality of teaching and happiness factor between these schools? By the way, Walton High doesn?t score well for drama and music on the Rate My Teachers website and the other schools fair worse. But it?s not much to go on. Can anyone help, please.

OP posts:
BraveGirl · 12/10/2010 12:45

I wouldn't put too much faith in rate my teacher - it tends to be used by students who want to gripe. Even the best teachers at the schools I've worked in get terrible ratings!
If DD is into dance, drama and music then Stantonbury Campus is the way to go. Don't write it off until you've actually visited!

HCX · 25/10/2010 16:52

Stantonbury Campus is a very good school. I wasnt sure myself at first but looked into it and now my DD goes there and she love it. Shes doing very well in all subjects too. HCX

chocolatespiders · 25/10/2010 17:01

my DD is at shenley brook end which specialise in science she is happy there which is the main thing for me

I agree Stantonbury is great for drama and dance... dont be put off by the non uniform and calling teachers by first names..

I went there even though it was out of my catchment area but my parents just loved the ethos of the school

Katisha · 25/10/2010 17:06

I think you ought to take RatemyTeachers with a large pinch of salt...

flabbyapronbelly · 25/10/2010 18:12

Brainwacked - I was only trying to help and give you an idea of the local schools with good reputations (I hear about it as I know a lot of people in MK) you also didn't mention what your daughter liked doing until your second post.
Think there is no way of judging a school other than looking around it , like the others say.

ClarasBow · 19/11/2010 11:35

It depends what your daughter likes but I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Oakgrove (and has a great new theatre). Stantonbury is great for performing arts but you have to buy into the ethos to get the most benefit. The only way to find out is to go and visit and get a feel for it.

marieenglish · 04/01/2011 21:04

Would not touch Ousedale at all. Awful experiences with both our children. One (Bright) bullied badly, school did nothing, told us it was our child who attracted bullies. Other child (creative), was completely switched off of learning in yr 9 and 10. Given our time again we would move to Bedford, Harrold, Odell and send children to Sharnbrook!

gymstars · 14/04/2011 15:20

My daughter is now at Uni and my son is in 6th Form. Both of them absolutely loved Ousedale all the way through, particularly the 6th form, where the results exceed many Grammar Schools. Daughter did Drama (ie Creative) all the way through and most of her class scored A's and B's in the GCSE and A Levels. As far as I know the music department is also pretty good. Ousedale is way oversubscribed, which tells it's own story. Talk to the parents, attend open days and just observe the behaviour of the kids as they arrive/leave the school. I've worked with many different secondary schools across MK and Bucks. Nicest bunch of kids I came across were in the Radcliffe.

Lexiejack · 11/07/2011 12:06

I went to ousedale and it was awful. Bullying, can't be bothered teachers and little support if you were struggling!

Dualenergizer · 15/01/2012 19:38

Hi, I am a student at Walton High and Im not just saying this because I go there but the school is really good :) I learn alot of usefull things there And we have shortcourses where we learn something in a fun way so like War Games and Rugby we have a huge selection and with ALDS (Advanced Learning Days) Is where we go on trips when I was in year 7 (Currently 8) I went to Warrick Castle for free it is a really good school.

Dualenergizer · 15/01/2012 19:40

Our School is also certified in Business and we have 5-4 Ofsted Rating

mumet · 03/04/2013 23:51

Close friend's children have just finished at Oakgrove. The Science department is poor. So they didn't recommend it for Science.

I agree alot of stuff on ratemyteacher is just personal opinion of students who are in to different subjects.

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