OK I know we are spoilt but, Cotham, Redland Green or Colston Girls?

[MsIngaFewmarbles]

Does anyone have any views on these? I've checked the boundaries and we should be able to choose from any of these. I know Colstons have a lottery system for admissions so proximity wont make much of a difference.

Good/bad/odd, all information welcome.

I used to teach at Colstons when it was independent - was always very good and have friends still working there now, who say that the general ethos has remained. Obviously all girls, which may be a pro or con depending on what you feel about it. I think they have languages specialism, certainly used to teach french, spanish, latin and russian. Down sides are they have to travel to sports facilities, although do have a large gym on site. Still high achieving, although results are bound to drop over the next few years as the mixed ability cohorts come through. They take a third from each academic band - good if you are top or bottom, harder to get in if you fall in the middle. Still smaller intake than other 2 schools you mention - think class sizes have remained slightly smaller as well (maybe 24ish?). Due to being all girls and at the bottom end of Gloucester Road it is quite ethnically diverse.
Don't know as much about the other 2. Cotham has a reputation for being quite good in performing arts - was always the school of choice before Redland Green. Redland Green looks like it has science specialism, new buildings so should be well resourced - would say that it has quickly become the first choice school for many. I would guess slightly less ethnically diverse than Colstons due to location? But am willing to be corrected!
Personally I would just visit them all and see what feel you get for them. Colstons is much older, and feels quite traditional and indeed keeps a lot of old school traditions such as founders day etc, I know people who have visited and said it wasn't for them.
You have a difficult choice - although most people in Bristol would give their right arm to be in your position!
Whichever you decide on I think you will probably be happy with.

Thank you jo, that's really helpful. I have a feeling that DD would be at the top end of middle so the info about cohorts is really good to know.

We are going to visit all the schools with DD in September and ultimately I think our decision will be based on our impressions then. I just think it's helpful to have some information before we visit.

Colston's does have language specialism and as well as the "banding" + lottery there is an additional language aptitude test and a small number of places are awarded for dds who score highly.
Agree that the school is VERY traditional and reminded me a lot of the old-fashioned all-girls grammar school that I attended. We wanted something different for our dd so it was not one of our preferences.
The exam results are great at the moment, but they are still for the former independent school pupils and this could change as the first "academy" mixed/ability cohort do their GCSEs.
Am out of catchment for Cotham and Redland Green so have not looked at these options but have friends whose children go there and are happy with the schools. If your dd/or any younger dds have any additional learning needs such as dyslexia then I have heard that CGS and Cotham have better learning support. HTH

Need to add that the sixth form for Redland Green and Cotham is known as North Bristol sixth form centre and is "shared" between the 2 schools. Am not sure how this works in practice and whether (or not) this affects numbers staying in the sixth form.

Thanks crazy, thats really useful. We are very fortunate and none of the DDs have SEN. I think Colstons appeals to me as I went to the local comp which was mostly filled with kids from the sink estate next door. Expectations were not very high to say the least.

I agree that the exam results are likely to drop a bit as the less 'selected' kids come up to GSCE year. Can you explain what an all girls grammar is like please?

My girls grammar school had very high expectations of pupils, strict uniform and behaviour code and excellent exam results. The main advantage of an all-girls school is that there is less gender stereo-typing so a greater number of girls do science courses, for example, as these are not seen as boys subjects. Also girls are not distracted by boys. However sometimes in girls schools the provision in Science subjects (such as Laboratory and IT facilities) may not be as good as it is in co-ed schools so you need to watch out for this.
There are no "sink estates" in the catchment area for the schools you have mentioned, so this shouldn't be a problem.
You may wish to compare CGS with the Cathedral school, which is another former independent school that converted into an academy, but would not recommend applying to more than one "lottery" school.
My dd is in Y7 at St Mary Redcliffe & Temple school so please pm me if you would like further information about this CEVA school. HTH

I realise this is an old thread but thought I would update the situation for Colston's Girls' School entry.

Girls sit a Non Verbal reasoning test in the November, with the option of sitting a languages aptitude test straight afterwards, as 10% (14 places) are awarded to language scholars.

The girls are put into 5 bands based on ability - there are an equal number of girls put into each band, so it doesn't matter how well or badly a girl does in the test.

Names are drawn out randomly from each band, and places allocated, although places are first awarded for siblings, children in care and SEN.

If you are unsuccessful then you can stay on the waiting list. You won't know where you are on the waiting list, as names are drawn out randomly when a vacancy occurs. This is different to BCCS, who will tell you where on the waiting list you are. I think a separate list exists for language scholars.

The facilities have all been updated, with £12m spent on new buildings and refurbishment of existing facilities. The Ofsted report in 2010 rated the school as outstanding across the board. 2013 will be the first year of GCSE results for the comprehensive intake - it will be very interesting to see what happens.

DD1 starts in September...

Sorry to bump an old thread, but wondered if anyone had any current thoughts on Colston's?