Secondary School Open Days/Evenings - 2015 Entry

[SandersteadMum]

The open days for September 2015 entry are already starting in the Croydon area. We have created a new area to list the open days for you:

local.mumsnet.com/croydon/school-open-days

And we have a list of schools here:

Do let us know if we have missed anyone out or if we are missing a vital piece of information. It would also be great to hear our your visits go.

Good luck!

PS: Extra points if you can recognise all of the schools in the photos here!

On our Facebook page, (www.facebook.com/MumsnetCroydon)

one of our followers said,

"It'd be helpful if someone created a potted guide setting out which schools you ACTUALLY have a chance of getting your child into, if your child falls into the same camp as the majority do - a child who won't pass the grammar school tests, can't afford the fees for private schools, and doesn't have church going parents. I've had to trawl through the admissions information of dozens of schools before coming to the conclusion that there are only about 2 schools that my child has a realistic chance of getting into, other than the 3 or 4 unpopular, failing schools in the borough which always have places. Someone needs to create a table to simplify this."

Wouldn't it be great if someone could create an app where you just had to tick the criteria that applied to you and your child and it came up with the choices available to you? I guess the information would always be a year out of date though as 'catchments' seem to shrink every year.

I like the sound of that app! Great info on the Open Day pages. Thank you.

Has anyone been to the open days yet. Are there any schools that have impressed (or not)?

Massively unimpressed by Shirley academy of performing arts. It felt very very 'tired'. One of the English teachers told me that the school has no library. How is this possible in a big comprehensive with a sixth form?
The Norwood School on the other hand impressed me. It's a Lambeth school but 15% of its places are awarded to children with performing arts potential, so it's of interest to those of us in the north of Croydon whose children are willing to attend a selection audition. Really had a feel of energy and positivity about the place. Small classes, setting across a range of subjects from year 7, and behaviour management seems good (went during school hours and invited myself into about 10 classrooms, as encouraged to by the head). Didn't see one thing which worried me.

Harris CP - the usual bun fight. 3000 anxious parents on site for the one open evening. I think it's very unfair on children and parents to expect them to get a feel for the school under such conditions - not right when you think about what an important decision choosing a secondary is. But that's Harris CP all over - arrogance and complacency. My daughter is at Sydenham school in Lewisham a mile down the road. They get better GCSE results for their high achieving pupils than Harris CP but you don't see quite the degree of middle-class jostling over places as you do at Harris CP.

If you are considering Independent schools, don't miss Croydon High's Open Morning on October 11th. Senior school is from 9.30-12.30 and Juniors in the afternoon - 1.30-3.30pm. Guaranteed to surprise you!

Don't forget, the deadline for applications is tomorrow, October 31st!