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Original poster

OK, I want the REAL story on Lambeth Secondarys please....

61 replies

serenity · 18/09/2008 14:09

It's finally come to that dreaded time - I've got to actually apply for a place for DS1 (been panicking about it since he started Primary School )

ATM (before we go to any open evenings) we're tentatively going to apply in the following order...

Elmgreen
Dunraven
BTG (not going to lie about church attendance, so unlikely although he's at a feeder school atm)
Norwood (but that's just as a safety net)

Any thoughts/comments on the schools? The few friends I have with older children don't live around here so, with the exception of BTG, I have no personal experience of any of them. Any truly wonderful school within reach of Streatham that I should be looking at? Anyone else in the same boat want to panic with me?

TIA

OP posts:
TheBlonde · 18/09/2008 18:22

are you looking at any wandsworth secondary schools?

Original poster
serenity · 18/09/2008 18:37

No, just my local ones atm

OP posts:
bossykate · 18/09/2008 18:55

i hear at the dc's primary that the stock of BTG is rising considerably.

Original poster
serenity · 18/09/2008 19:25

stock?

OP posts:
bossykate · 19/09/2008 06:50

i meant that the school's reputation is rising fast.

Blu · 19/09/2008 07:13

Serenity - Look at ABT too. I know it's at the other end of the borough from you but only one bus ride! My organisation have done projects with them, and we've been impressed, and they seem to do well. I would add that to the list and remove Norwood.

I am often amongst groups of Dunraven students in the local shops and parks...and they seem v well behaved. I ran their exam results past MB once, and she said that for a school which takes a genuine cross-section of ability, they do really well. A friend who is Head of Maths at another secondary (not local) has had dealings with Dunraven, and is very impressed with them.

But ...none of that is from the view of an'in the know' parent - good luck!

Blu · 19/09/2008 07:15

Graveney isn't that far from you...but very hard to get into.

Original poster
serenity · 19/09/2008 14:33

BK - Thanks, I thought that's what you meant, but I just wanted to check (think I'm getting a bit paranoid about missing something important!)

I know the Head at BTG has done a lot to raise the school - we're about 5 minutes from the school, if that, and when we first moved in we had loads of problems with the children from the school, windows broken and kids using the space under the stairs in the communal area to having crafty launchtime smokes in, but they've really improved over the last few years. My issues are more from the view that it's staunchly catholic, we're nominally Greek Orthodox (which is fine with BTG) but raging Atheists in reality, and I'm not prepared to lie or butter our Priest up in order to get in.

With Dunraven it's a similar story. When I was at secondary school, Dunraven was the local sink school and it's hard to get over that very long held view. Over the last 6 months though, as I've looked at it properly I've become quite impressed with it!

Blu that's fine, all impressions help, thank you! I don't seem to see the Dunraven lot down here - I think I must miss them when I do my school run, but it's good to hear they're OK in public. I think I'm more worried about the social aspect (bullying etc) than I am about the academic side.

OP posts:
Original poster
serenity · 19/09/2008 14:40

Just had a look - Graveney looks quite good, worth a visit I think, thanks

OP posts:
Blu · 19/09/2008 15:00

I don't think there's any question of Dunraven being a sink school now!

The Head at Elmgreen was the Deputy at Dunraven.

(ABT - ArchbishopTennison, by the way)

When I started negotiating with Lambeth schools Norwood was lovely...a lot less so now, I think - but realise it is probably your nearest? Or are Dunraven and Norwood about equidistant?

Original poster
serenity · 19/09/2008 16:30

Yes, I think we're pretty much in the middle of the two (My sister used to go to Norwood, when it was Norwood girls, luckily I missed out on that little pleasure ) I haven't been particularly impressed by them so far, but I'm going to pop into one of their open mornings.

ABT is just so far I used to travel by bus to school, but I was far more savvy and independant than poor old DS1 is (I used to travel by myself from Norwood to the Elephant for saturday morning Art classes when I was in Yr6)

OP posts:
Blu · 22/09/2008 10:50

aaaah - your lovely boys!

But Serenity - he will be a whole year older by the time he goes to secondary - and they do seem to do a 'growing up' leap between leaving Yr6 and arriving at the door of Yr7....oh, listen to me, with my oldest at 7...but I have noticed this very startlingly with all my neices and nephews!

One of the reasons I quite like ABT is because it is a smaller school than many others...but it is boys only...and a bit of a way awa, as you say. But there is one through bus, isn't there?

Original poster
serenity · 22/09/2008 11:46

I find school sizes fairly terrifying tbh. My secondary school had just over 300 pupils at the time (although now it's on two sites so I imagine it's as big as all the others, seems to be the way all schools are going), so pretty much all the schools nowadays seem huge in comparison.

OP posts:
Original poster
serenity · 22/09/2008 11:47

DS1 is not growing up. I refuse to allow it. He's not going to be bigger than me, and he will not get sassy and leave home. Got it?

OP posts:
Blu · 22/09/2008 11:52

Actually, you're right - mine won't either. I was just trying it out, in a 'if Serenity's lovely boy can do it, so can mine' sort of way.

Has he talked about any strong preferences one way or the other? Do they have 'returners visits' or anyhting at his primary?

Original poster
serenity · 22/09/2008 12:59

Most of children over the last few years have gone to BTG (prior to that it was St Josephs and Virgo Fidelis) He's not that bothered tbh (very laidback, like DH ) He's quite up for Elmgreen, but that's because he's convinced that a nonschool friend is going. I've tried to point out that A, neither of them might get in, and B, even if they do it's a big intake, they might not see each other, but I don't think he realises quite how different it's going to be. Dunraven and Elmgreen have saturday open days, so I'll take him along to those, he might get more of an idea that way.

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Blu · 22/09/2008 17:33

The Mum of a Yr 6 was teling me today that she has been to look at Chestnut Grove, and was v impressed - it has an 'outstanding'ofsted, and apparantly used to be problemati and is now getting better and better. Right by Balham tube - how's that fotrvel from you?

But...where are the people who actually have children at these schools?

MadBadandDangeroustoKnow · 26/09/2008 23:12

Serenity - you must be my virtual neighbour.

All then people I know with children at Dunraven and Graveney seem very happy with them (subject to the usual quibbles about entrusting your child to any educational institution). The children all seem happy and well-motivated, too.

Have you thought about Kingsdale (accessible on the 322)?

Original poster
serenity · 27/09/2008 01:27

LOl, if it's at all possible I have actually had worse experiences with Kingsdale than I had with Dunraven - it was the nearest mixed school to me when I was that age. I was a geek and got an assisted place at a girls school in Streatham, but most of my friends went to Kingsdale. It's their time there (plus Dh's less than stellar educational experience at Stockwell Manor) that's made me so paranoid about where to send the DCs.

Whereabouts are you MB&DTK? I'm the Common end of Streatham

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Original poster
serenity · 27/09/2008 11:36

Went to the Dunraven open day today, and was very reassured - I was impressed with what I saw, the pupils who were there were very friendly as were the staff.

OP posts:
Blu · 27/09/2008 12:41

That's good to hear, Serenity!

MadBadandDangeroustoKnow · 28/09/2008 21:50

Serenity - I haven't (yet) had any experience of these schools but my friend's lad is happy and doing well at Kingsdale.

I don't want to blow my cover here but I live very much in your neck of the woods.

redpanda · 01/10/2008 16:24

There were some very positive comments about Kingsdale on the East Dulwich Forum website today - sounds liike the new head is doing well and the school is on the up.

Original poster
serenity · 02/10/2008 12:13

I'm sure Kingsdale is fine now....it's been a long time

Well, went to the BTG open day today and I'm sure I'm going to be in the minority but I really didn't like it. Reminded me far too much of my school, which I did really well in academically but sucked at the whole personal development thing. Far, far too much emphasis on the religious side for me or DH to ever be comfortable with (but it's a catholic school so I did expect that) IMO far too stifling and rigid (I was getting antsy and rebellious just listening to the Head) I know it would DS going there, not me, but I can hardly support his education if I can't support the school itself.

BTW, on contemplation we've actually moved Dunraven up to top position. I think DS1 would really flourish there (and he's now desperate to do after school fencing lessons, lol)

OP posts:
Blu · 02/10/2008 12:32

En Garde, Sereneboy!

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