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Original poster

Hunters Bar or Porter Croft

18 replies

Mochanso · 06/04/2011 20:18

Hai, we are moving to Sheffield over the Easter period. We got places for our girls at both schools but which one to chose??? Any opinions???

OP posts:
Hulababy · 06/04/2011 20:26

Infants or Juniors?

Original poster
Mochanso · 07/04/2011 13:57

Hai, Hulababy, got 5 year old daughter currently in yr1 and 7 year old daughter in yr2. So for now infants but as of September in both.

OP posts:
Hulababy · 07/04/2011 21:03

I only know about HB infants. Just had ofsted. Was found to be satisfactory with a number of good elements. Working towards higher things though.

You should go and visit them all.

huffythethreadslayer · 07/04/2011 21:06

I've heard mixed reviews of Hunters Bar. But like Hulababy says, check them both out and choose which one you like the feel of.

bosch · 07/04/2011 22:13

Live locally but none of my children go to those schools. HB very big (three class intake) but friends children are very happy there. Considered PorterCroft a long time ago for ds1, gather it's doing better now. If it was me, I'd favour HB.

Guessing you don't have time to check them out - current term ends tomorrow, do you have to decide before start of next term?

Original poster
Mochanso · 12/04/2011 17:45

Sorry for late response, busy with packing :-(
We visited both schools and had positive feeling about both schools.
I find HB very big and PC a bit too small, hahaha you can't win ;-)
We choose for HB and girls start after Easter, we just have to see how it goes. I know about their ofsted and was bit miffed by that.
Thanks for all your responses. You certainly will see me more on this local site asking for advice.

OP posts:
Hulababy · 12/04/2011 17:48

Mochanso - hope your girls enjoy Hunters Bar. I may very well see them around (I am in Y1 myself!)

Hulababy · 26/04/2011 12:31

Noticed we had two new starters today. I hope they both enjoy their first day.

Original poster
Mochanso · 28/04/2011 14:01

Thank you Hulababy. They both seem to like it. Lovely teachers and parents, all very welcoming. I am now very curious who you are , can you tell me or do you rather not :-)

OP posts:
Hulababy · 01/05/2011 21:55

I am in Y1, a TA. Pics on profile if you click on my name :)

TantrumTurtle · 06/07/2011 00:10

Hi Mochanso

I saw your post and am in a similar predicament. We're moving to Sheffield for September, with a daughter going into yr 1, and another daughter going into yr 3, they've been offered places at Porter Croft. I also got quite good vibes from Porter Croft, so see it as a positive option but am also concerned that it is a bit small. We'll all be completely new to the area so starting afresh... I know your girls got into Hunters Bar, but I was just wondering how you were all settling in and if you had any thoughts or further insight on Porter Croft [on paper it seems like a better school than Hunters Bar, though I know that's not everything]. Anyone else is welcome to chip in too. Thanks.

Original poster
Mochanso · 13/07/2011 14:39

Hai, where are you moving from? And to?
Girls settled really well in HB, both got amazing reports so can't complain about that.
What I didn't like about PC was that the classes were too small for my liking and that my daughters would be ending up in same classes. Also on the whole , and I don't mean it in any way racist or so, but there are not that many white children at entire school. HB is more mixed.

OP posts:
Hulababy · 22/07/2011 21:53

Hi :)

As said earlier I work in Y1 at HBI. It really is a very friendly school with a truely mixed catchment. It's not a small school by any means but everyone works hard and attainment is very good by all children.

TantrumTurtle · 23/08/2011 22:13

Is there any way other than the racist one not to be happy with the cultural mix at Porter Croft? Personally I viewed that as a positive.

Hulababy · 13/09/2011 14:13

TantrumTurtle - I wouldn's take the OP's comment as racist at all. A good cultural and ethnic mix is great. But that is nice if it also includes a good mix of white children also. Some schools don't actually have such a mix.

FWIW Hunters Bar has a truely mixed catchment with many different languages, culturals, religions and ethnicities in the classroom. There really isn't one big majority either way - children have backgrounds from all over the world as well as all over the UK. I have never worked in such a truely mixed school as HBIS.

TantrumTurtle · 05/11/2011 22:46

Hula, I do understand mochanso's sentiment, she wants want she feels will best suits her kids and reflect her family's attitudes, but it was she who mentioned the r word. I just wish people would be honest, even if only with themselves, and take ownership of their opinions. I agree that a school should reflect their catchment but if middle class parents within that catchment continually divert their kids to other more 'socially acceptable' schools....
we dealt with exactly the same issues with schools in London, and it was only when our school got an outstanding in ofsted, white middle class pArents started their bun fight to get their kids in. It makes me sick.
Porter Croft is an exceptional school, delivering fantastic care and learning for ALL their kids, so the attainment is very high. They have a good ofsted if that is how you rate a school and i wouldn't be at all surprised if it was outstanding next time. My girls are thriving and I have been particularly impressed by the nurturing and caring approach of all the staff making the school feel extremely child centered. I think the local community should get behind this school and support it. That way it stands a chance of having the mix that is so desired.

Original poster
Mochanso · 08/11/2011 15:06

Oh gosh, why oh why did I use the "r" word. I myself am a foreigner and so maybe I expressed myself completely wrong. Sorry if I affended anyone.

OP posts:
TantrumTurtle · 10/11/2011 23:54

All sorted Mochanso.

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