The Leys for 13+?

[BusyBlue]

We are looking at either Leys or Perse Upper for our all-rounder DS, but don't really have any up-to-date first hand feedback.

We are leaning towards Leys at the moment, as we are a bit concerned about how Perse Upper seems to be expanding and have had some negative feedback on the pastoral side. We really want a more 'personal' experience, great pastoral care, but also want DS to be stretched academically and encouraged to keep involved in music, drama, sport etc.

Are there any current mums out there with DC at the school or have friends there?

Not a mother of pupils at the Leys but know a few ex-Leysians and staff.
General academic standard isn't as high as the Perse, but bright pupils will do well (many who are local will move on to Hills Road at 16+). Very good pastoral care - at least from the teachers I know! Rather traditional minor public school ethos to my mind compared to the Perse which models itself more on a grammar school pattern.
Plenty of music, drama and sport at both places, though perhaps Leys might push a pupil into participating more than the Perse.

Thanks Cantuse! I keep hearing about the Perse being more academic, but is that just because they are more selective or because historically that is the reputation they have (league tables etc). It seems the Perse is also undergoing some changes, which make me a little more hesitant.

I guess want I really want to know is if a bright child will be supported and do equally well at the Leys as the Perse.

I know some of it is down to the individual child's personality, but I can't help but think that being half the size of Perse, Leys pupils will get more individual attention?

No decisions made yet, so happy to hear from both sides!

In the past it may have been thought that the Perse was the place for the sons of academics, doctors and others in professionals whereas the Leys catered more to the local barley barons.
In reality that was probably never the case and no doubt plenty of academics and Addenbrookes consultants sent their children to the Leys. As part of the urban legend though, the Perse v Leys rugby match was always considered to be a bit of a David v Goliath match!
I've noticed rather smarter cars driven by parents to the Perse in recent years, so perhaps the moneyed rather than intellectual classes are more represented there than in the past.

We have experience of both schools but have to say we prefer the Leys.

The Perse has expanded rather rapidly and now feels impersonal. We speak to teachers who privately express the same views.
I feel the pastoral care is better at the Leys and it has a friendlier atmosphere.

Bright children do well , ourDS was given a lot of attention and encouragement.

Hi Cantuse and Granta. That's really useful feedback. It's so hard to cut through all of the hear say and rumours!

We have visited both and preferred the 'feel' of the Leys, although I couldn't really tell you why. Granta, what you said about the Perse expanding rapidly is one of our main concerns. Was it the actual teachers at the Perse who expressed their views? Very telling if that is the case.

Yes, it was teachers themselves.
One of the comments made was that looking across the staff room they could now hardly recognise a lot of the people sitting in it.

This school has virtually doubled in size over a relatively short period of time.

Had we known this was going to happen, I doubt we'd have sent our DS there.

The leys is smaller,feels friendlier.

Thanks Granta. I think it's very telling if the staff are saying that. I didn't realize it had nearly doubled in size, but we were quite surprised by the number of forms per year and class sizes. They sort of skirted around that by talking about the tutor system.

Unfortunately it does feel rather big and impersonal now at the Perse. Not what I wanted for my DS.

The Leys have stated they do not intend to enlarge the school.

how many pupils does the Perse have anyhow, in the Upper? Was it that many fewer just a couple years back?

There's now over 1000 in the Upper School, which is similar to some of the Village?Community Colleges (especially those that now have sixth forms). The Sixth form must be over 250. Class sizes used to be 24 to a class, so not particularly small by independent standards and only slightly below state sector in Cambridgeshire.

that's huge. they must be on some money raising campaign through increased student enrollment. curious where that money will be going.

The expansion is partly because of going co ed. They will not be making much from each pupil as fees are kept very low compared with the Leys. Somehow they are managing a massive building programme with lots of new facilities .

Class size is 24 with 2 tutors so 12 per tutor
5 classes years 7-8 then 8 classes years 9 onwards
Don't know about the sixth form

8 classes of 24 per year?? Definitely makes me think twice about sending DS a there!

yes, it's definitely a big school and not for the fainthearted

Hi Truffle. Thanks for the stats. Despite the size, do you feel it caters well for the pupils and supports their individual interests?

I'm not really sure by what you meant in 'not for the fainthearted'. What do you find is particularly difficult to get to grips with?

I think the Leys is quite a similar size to the Perse now isn't it? The Perse has expanded over the last 5 years (as it started letting girls in) but isn't doing so any more. I have DC at the Perse and would say it's a great school for DCs who are bright and self-reliant. I'm not sure what the school's pastoral care is like if you have problems but they certainly don't baby the kids much - they're expected to keep track of emails from teachers, manage a complex timetable of about 10 subjects a day, etc.

Not sure exactly what you mean by supporting their individual interests - There's a fantastic range of extra-cirricular opportunities at the Perse, but if your DC is shy I don't think anyone would be coaxing them into joining. It's also quite a narrow and traditional academic curriculum - you can't study drama, PE, economics or any of the more practical tech subjects (textiles, woodwork, cooking, etc) at GCSE, so depends what your DC's individual interests are how well they'd be catered for. I'm not sure how the Leys compares on that though.

The Leys is known to be easier to get into (it's a back up school for some who apply to the Perse upper) but I'd say the main difference is that it's more than half boarding (and more expensive). They can be there til 9pm in the evening if you want, and they have to do Saturday school. The Perse has similar hours and term dates to state schools.

From what I understand The Leys is half the size of the Perse, which is why it appeals.

I was really interested to hear what you said about the range of subjects at GCSE. I think Leys does offer some of those, but will have to check.

By encouraging, I mean do they place as much emphasis on music, drama, sport etc as the academic side and make sure pupils are aware what is open to them?

DS is academic, so don't think entrance will be a problem. I just want a nice, friendly supportive environment which will give him a truly all-round education.

Music and sport are fantastic at Perse Upper. drama is ok. Art is very much a poor relation although they do get good exam results in it - just not much emphasis on it

I think if you want a nice friendly supportive environment you are better off at the Leys. Perse is very competitive.

They place quite a lot of emphasis on music, sport and drama at the Perse, but they are very much extras, mostly outside the core curriculum, which is academic.

Thanks truffle and cambs. This is so helpful. I think the competitive element is important in schools, but to a point. I wouldn't want it to to be the overriding focus.

Aaagh, this is so hard. It would be great if kids could spend a week in a school to get a feel for it before we committed!!

the competitive element at the Perse must be a fairly new development. Back in DS's day, there was very little competition (or at least DS didn't notice it and came out with all As and A*s). It was more noted for typical boy traits such as only ever doing any work just before exams (which in the case of public exams tended to be easy for the average boy there).
I wouldn't think that the lack of provision for GCSE Economics, PE or even DT was a great worry for academic students.
The Perse is an academic selective school and the Head equates it with a grammar school (probably a super-selective one) whereas the Leys takes a wide range of abilities and is particularly good at getting good results (especially at GCSE) for the less academic. At the Perse, the less academic pupil would find the pace of learning too fast.

The Perse is most definitely not competitive. At least not once you are in - all the kids there know that just by getting in they are bright, so there really isn't much competition between them. The school is also excellent at celebrating all successes - sport, drama, music, general knowledge and debating competitions etc as well as academic, so everyone feels that they are good at something. The head makes a point of wanting to educate the whole child - the academic excellence is sort of a given, given their intake. Drama may not be offered as a GCSE subject, but the level of performance is very high.

Pastoral care is excellent - 1 tutor to max 12 pupils, and they have the same one for y7&8, and then one for Y9-11, so they get to know them well. There has been a big expansion, and that has caused some issues - lots of new teachers, many NQT. Some not as good as they may have seemed at interview, but they tend not to stay long. We have had issues with some teachers - but that happens at all schools and what is impressive is the way the Perse deals with the issues when raised. Can't give specifics as don't want to out myself, but everything I've raised has been resolved.

It is big - but it's not impersonal - it just means that there are larger friendship groups for your kids to choose from IMO. The money raised from extra fees has gone to build some impressive facilities - new block and new new block.

If your child is adventurous, POP is a huge selling point - like scouts only much much better- there's exploration, climbing, Adventure racing, wilderness, shooting and canoeing clubs, all run by the outdoor pursuits leaders, which give amazing opportunities to the kids. Really develops their leadership skills as well.

They do do DT at GCSE, but the systems and controls syllabus - so basically engineering. They also offer Computer Science GCSE now - proper programming rather than ICT.

I did like the Leys, but for us one of the main drawbacks was the fact it is a boarding school with some day pupils. And in the later years even they do day boarding and saturday school, whereas at the Perse kids usually leave at 4 (apart from outdoor pursuits clubs are usually at extended lunchtime) I think that's one of the big differences which should inform your choice - and let's face it, neither school is crap, and your DS is going to have a fab education and great opportunities at either.

I have children at both The Perse and The Leys and I can tell you without hesitation that a bright child will do equally well at either school. The Perse has grown very rapidly since my child joined in 2010 and I am glad that the expansion has now stopped. The Leys is a much cosier and smaller school where the Head really does try to get to know every child. Pastoral care is also excellent there. You should also consider whether your child prefers to be at a day school, or rather in a boarding environment (for The Leys that means boarding and home boarding) as a day pupil.