Harpenden schools - anyone else been allocated the Lea

[510fudge]

We found out yesterday that my son has not been allocated any of his three choices and we have been given the Lea. There appears to be over 60 people in the same boat.

I am hugely disappointed but in fairness I don't know much about the Lea other than it's not in the most convenient of places for me and its Ofsted report is not great. Does anyone have any actual knowledge of it?

Go and have a look, then you will know and you may find you're pleasantly surprised. The Lea has had a bit of a reputation in the past but it is much improved and continuing to improve. It has a nice caring ethos.

Same thing happened to us. We are just over 400 meters from Crabtree but that seems to be to far. I also have no idea how I can take my my son there as I can not drive. Feel like its a bit of a let down. Its not just the offstead report that is bad but public feeling of the school has a terrible reputation so much so that its the cheapest part of Harpenden to buy property. Also alot of children that go there are from the local council estate. We moved from London to give my children a better future and feel like I am doing the exact opposite.

wigglysquiggly ....the Ofsted report is not bad at all ..it was satisfactory ...."a lot of children go there are from the local council estate" .... and so what? ...that reeks of snobbery. I think you are basing your judgements on hearsay and ignorance. You don't know what it's like until you go and see for yourself. Whilst I fully understand your difficulties if you don't drive and you live near Crabtree that is entirely another issue.

This is from findmyschool -

The proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average and is very high in some year groups. Many of these pupils have social and communication difficulties, including autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) or moderate learning difficulties. A high proportion of pupils start or leave the school mid-way through the year.

now this does not fill me with confidence. I do not want my child to be held back because the needs of his classmates are greater than his.

Not quite sure who "Find my school is", have a look at the school profile here schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/9192412/school-profile/
Quite honestly, I would say good teachers will stretch all members of the class, whether they be high achievers or not. You should imo be asking the head how they intend to make sure the needs of all pupils are met.
I know several people whose children go there and they are very happy.

It's a common thing for people to favour schools with low numbers of sen pupils. Usually they assume their child won't have them. A couple of my friends are thanking their lucky stars they went for an inclusive school as their child has sen despite academic committed parents. The find my school report tells you nothing about how sen or indeed other children are taught and nurtured. Go to see the school. Make sure you ask to meet the head. Read the ofsted report, don't be scared by it but remember to question areas in it that worry you with the head. A head that is moving the school forward will be proud of his/her school and happy to answer questions about the report without being overly defensive. Then start to form an opinion and a plan of what you want to do.

Agree with Lookandlearn - I choose a school with low Sen numbers (not for that reason) but later found my ds struggled and the staff were very unsympathetic - he was letting the school down...their approach was brutal, the effect of the highly competitive environment on his self esteem has been crushing.

The "good" schools in Harpenden are often good at playing the Ofsted game and many spend the whole of Year 6 practicing Sats Tests - the schools are reluctant to admit it but experienced parents know it - they know the class teaching alone doesn't result in excellent Sats results.

I have heard quite a few parents say their child was categorised as low ability through their time at a high performing primary school - the child was made to feel like a stupid failure...fast forward to the Seconday Schools which within a year had recognised potential and moved them up to the top sets....the high pressured primaries in Harpenden have left a trail of destruction behind them...don't be too quick to disguard the alternatives.

My nephew is another case in point. He is at a school with high says results but low inclusivity (it's their local school hence the choice, but on open day the head openly said they weren't good with sen, one of the ploys used to discourage parents with children with already identified sen, and joked about how middle class it all was). He is now struggling because he is not super bright but pretty competent and sees himself as poor. For me the holy grail would be a mixed catchment school with a high number of sen that still managed outstanding ratings, but I'd happily accept a satisfactory and improving school with a head who was warm to children and honest about his school. And also, remember that there is a certain amount if "playing the game" required to get good ofsted ratings and that inspection teams aren't as impartial as we'd like to think. Personally I think they're a bit mad not to jump through hoops but some schools and heads won't. So it's unlikely that an outstanding school will end up as a satisfactory grading, but a good school could tip into outstanding or satisfactory depending on the approach of the head.

My child started at The Lea earlier this year. I had worries - all were unfounded. Small school, small class sizes, head knows each pupil by name. My child loves going in each day. A hppy school. Yes there are a mix of kids with different backgrounds - a plus point for me.

I think don't worry about getting The Lea.

I would be interested in hearing what people are doing about this now after a slightly threatening letter to accept the place at the Lea. As far as small class sizes goes I think with a 60 intake this year that benefit is lost.

has anyone heard of any secondary age children living in harpenden who have been allocated an out of town school, eg luton or st albans?

Hi we're moving into the area and visiting The Lea this week. My son's teachers all tell me he is very bright, do you find that the non SEN children are challenged and still focussed? I am worried that in such a school, the concentration will be be placed on the SEN kids, I want my child to be happy but if he is advanced then I want to know HIS needs will be met. What is your experience? Thank you for your time.

My friend used to teach at a school in harpenden and said the main reason her school got good sat results was that most of the children had personal tutors. Unfortunately Ofsted really use results to give judgements so can skew views.

Not again! They did this last year and the parents formed a campaign group.

Has the new free school not opened yet then?

I think the Lea isn't so bad actually, but the LA tactics are questionable. I understand that last year there were some illegal placements and a lot of the complaints from parents weren't about being placed there, but about the Lea being expected to cope with additional numbers without additional resources.

Many felt that affluent parents were being bussed in to help with it's ofsted. That said, I believe it has some excellent parent governors.