Year 9 entry to Cambridge secondary

[MoronikaFaceache]

Hi all,
just after some views and advice regarding in year transfer to start year 9 at a Cambridge secondary.
We are in London at the moment but moving to Milton in July.
There are a few schools that have started handling their own admissions for in year applications out of main entry point: Impington, Chesterton, Parkside.
Applications opened 6 May. So we have applied for all but Chesterton, as they are full, didn’t even get a form.
For schools that have to go through Cambridge Council, so we will be applying for St Bede’s, Comberton and Cottenham. Deadline is 9 June.
We know that the many of the local state schools are highly regarded but unfortunately also extremely oversubscribed.
So we are also considering an independent school, if we don’t get offers elsewhere.
Perse has 20 on waiting list, St Mary’s and Heritage probably waiting list. Sancton Wood has places.
If anyone has any feedback on any of the schools mentioned, we’d appreciate it. Particularly St Mary’s and Sancton Wood, as that seems most likely if no state school offer. Although DD would much prefer coed setting.
We have seen several mentions on Mumsnet re Sancton Wood, but very mixed, not sure what to make of it.

TIA

That’s the complete opposite to our experience (and pretty much everyone else I know) at St Bede’s. Behaviour is excellent and any issues are dealt with swiftly and appropriately. I’d also take issue with your description of the SEN provision -one of my DCs years has children with Down’s syndrome, Deaf children as well as children with physical disabilities, and it’s not uncommon for a year.

What on earth does HR have to do with pressure on children?

HR - Hills Road

We heard back from Cambs Admissions and got an offer for Netherhall School.
Any thoughts or experiences?

What do you think chances are of getting a place now being on IVC waiting list - they can’t even tell us where on the list we are..😐

Currently between Netherhall or St Mary’s..

@MoronikaFaceache - sorry to hear that you're on the waiting list for IVC but it's good news about Netherhall and St Mary's. It's annoying that you don't know where you are on the list for IVC.

Good luck making your decision and hope you hear back from some people with personal experiences of Netherhall.

Bloody hell. This is pretty heartbreaking to read as a parent. I thought I'd done everything I could, the uniform is bought, child is ready. I know parents there who are happy. Is this based on personal experience? You're saying any other school with spaces is better than Cottenham?! Desperately wishing I hadn't opened this thread.

Please ignore that. My two youngest went to a school which most Cambridge mners would have fainted in horror at the thought of even walking past! They both did exceptionally well, both ended up at HR (Although I now wish I hdn't sent the youngest- her mental health was shot by the end of the two years).and both ended up at RG universities - not that I have a monkeys just wanted them happy.
There is terrible school snobbery in Cambridge and the area around. As far as I believe, being a Cambridgeshire person since birth and having been to two village and one city seconfary(and HR - even in the early days it was awful for 'normal' kids and I hated it) a child will do as well as its family and peer support.
I will admit to knowing little about Cottenham but I'm sure the children won't die from going there!

@Sprookjesbos I second what @waxymoron has said - I haven’t heard anything terrible about Cottenham and as far as I know the village colleges are all still very decent options with good reputations. If your daughter is ready to go then don’t let a random post upset you too much - I think you would have heard locally if there were terrible issues. Good luck for the transition from primary, in all likelihood it will be totally fine.

@Sprookjesbos: I appreciate Ofsted doesn’t see everything but its 2023 report rated it as “Good.”

Edit: Cottenham VC, that is.

Just to reiterate again that Netherhall has been excellent for mine. No complaints at all. Deputy Heads in particular are very good

This is where Mumsnet is tricky. If you’re set on a particular route, I can see that hearing negative things about a place isn’t very helpful, even if those things absolutely aren’t based on snobbery but on firsthand knowledge and experience (both children and teachers there) and a pretty well-researched understanding of the particular Astrea pedagogy and policies, which are thy thoroughly depressing and causing teachers to leave the place. Will your kid be fine? Sure, probably! But all of the above means I think that will be despite not because of Astrea and it’s prioritising of other things above the nurturing of genuine curiosity and human flourishing.

Thanks @changethestory1 I do appreciate you didn't set out to cause upset. I just happened upon this thread when browsing local .

I think the problem is, like so many parents, I'm not 'set on a particular route '. I'm taking the route we were left with. It's an awful situation for many parents in Cambridge.

I can only hope that if the school is as 'thoroughly depressing ' as you say for poor DD that I can either get her a place in - year elsewhere or change my job to homeschool her myself.

@Sprookjesbos
Cottenham may be absolutely fine. I know a lot of kids who left three years ago, and they had a great time; good results, no bullying, got on well with most staff, etc. I get the impression that it is a little less happy now, as Astrea seems set on imposing things that are not necessarily improvements, but the kids I know who are there now are still reasonably content.

The original promise when they joined the academy chain was that Astrea would not interfere in the day-to-day running, but that appears to have changed.

Hi @MoronikaFaceache ,
sorry if this reached you too late to be useful…

I don’t have experience of the state options mentioned here. However I can second the positive comments about St Mary’s sixth form.

It’s a breath of fresh air. Girls go there and just get on with school. Of course they have to deal with the usual adversity of teenage years but they have space to navigate it and support throughout.

Someone commented earlier that St Mary’s exam results are similar to other Cambridge state schools which is objectively utter nonsense.

I sent three through Cambridge private schools and wish I’d sent both DDs through St Mary’s from day one.

Happy to say more via DM but hopefully you’ve now made a decision you’re happy with.