Cobham Free School

[Janacek]

Looking at this school for my ds (senior dept). Wondered if anyone had any experience of the primary dept? DS is 11 and musical.

[apple6]

We have had a terrible experience with Cobham Free School. The school marketing is a very slick operation and very convincing. We fell for it but in reality the school did not deliver on pastoral care, on discipline or on teaching and learning. Our children's handwriting and reading went down hill, they hated the constant chaotic atmosphere and shouting from the teachers and they became disengaged with learning and stopped wanting to go to school. We pulled them out as soon as we could; when we realised that the school did not want to listen to our concerns let alone address them. The governors are either related to or are friends with the Headteacher so its no good complaining to them. We were bitterly disappointed and have since heard from many families that things have not improved. Parents who complain are being told to take their children out. The aspirations of the school are admirable and we thought it all sounded too good to be true. The reality is what you read or hear on a visit is not the true picture. The teachers are struggling to manage their classes and the Senior Management is deluded that they are doing a good job. Ask questions about value added and ask to see copies of the curriculum for the Year. I don't think there are any? We had to beg to be given a copy of the timetable. Be wary and speak to those who have left the school before you decide. Don't be fooled by the hard sell and the smiles.

[Bar123]

Have to agree with apple6. We have been there since the beginning and have been promised many things that has never come to pass. We have been to see the head and the vice but had the same experience. No one has listened to our complaints and we were told that we are free to leave the school if we are not happy. I am very disappointed and heart broken as we do not know what to do or where to go with our children.
The school looks very good on paper, but reality is a different story. In my opinion they have bitten off more than they can chew and instead of getting one school to run properly (like the infant school), they have taken on another.

[Victoria18]

I'm stunned by apple6's comments and I do think it's important to point out that apple6 withdrew her children after just two terms at CFS, which I would argue isn't nearly long enough to make a fair assessment of a brand new school. Yes, the first term was a little cramped in the temporary setting of a converted gospel hall, but we all knew it wouldn't be forever and, indeed, by the second term the school had moved to its permanent site and the children were in bright, well-equipped, warm and welcoming new classrooms. The CFS I know is one where the children come out of school each day with happy, alive, vibrant faces; where the teachers are passionate about what they do, where music is thriving (two wonderful Christmas nativities, complete with staff-parent choir and a brilliant live 'Dad' band; and a pupil instrumental music recital organised by our brilliant Head of Music, where children performed to parents, reducing many to tears), and where the parents are committed and fully involved. My own two children are thriving and when I ask how their day at school was, they say "Brilliant!", which is a change from the slightly dazed and confused look my eldest gave me at the end of the day at our previous school. I'm sorry to hear apple6's children were disengaged with learning, but my two can't wait to crack on with their homework and tell me all about their day and I know a number of CFS parents who report the same. There are imaginative after school clubs, there's a weekly newsletter to parents with photos of the children and a report from each teacher on what each class has been up to that week; there's a thriving PTA organising some fantastic social events at which thousands of pounds have been raised for the benefit of the children. No school is perfect and every school will have its handful of parents who choose to focus on the negatives. I just feel sad that apple6 has chosen to write off an amazing little school based on the temporary challenges of the first two terms that she and her children were there.

[MimmieZ]

I actually think apple6 that those interested in sending their children to CFS should speak to the parents who still have children at the school rather than the one or two who have taken their children out. The vast majority of us with children at CFS are extremely happy with the school. I would personally recommend it to anyone. You moved your children from a private school to CFS and then returned them to a private school. Those of us who do not have the option of moving in and out of the state and independent sectors have embraced CFS for its genuine ambition of providing our children with the best opportunities within a non fee-paying environment and considering it has only been open for just over a year I believe it has moved forward leaps and bounds. I actually think parents like you who believe their opinion represents the majority are hugely disillusioned and quite frankly insulting to the rest of us who get enormous pleasure seeing our children go into school every day happy and watch them progressing at faster rates than I ever saw in our last school. Free schools are new and yet to be fully established - CFS is not perfect but neither is any school (as you know better than anyone having moved once previously). It is a shame to damage other people's opinions just because you were disappointed with your own high expectations of the school. You can never expect the same facilities and resources in a state school compared to a fee-paying independent school and are therefore more likely to be disappointed. I, for one, think CFS will give my children an outstanding education to allow them future choice and opportunity and, importantly, one that I can input into allowing both the school and children to learn and develop to their full potential.

[cookchat7]

My experience of Cobham Free School has been very positive. My son has been there since the start in September 2012 and is thriving. Yes the conditions were not ideal to start with, but the children coped very well and it was only for a few months. It is not the building that makes a good school but the teachers and their enthusiasm. Having said that they now have fantastic facilities to go with the brilliant teaching!
At the end of the day it is a personal choice and it's one I'm glad I made. My son has gained in confidence with reading and maths and is encouraged to do his best and beyond. Each child has their own personal targets and are treated as individuals.
He is in year 3 and already has specialist teaching in French, Music, art and P E.
Any concerns I have had have been dealt with swiftly and in a caring but professional manner. All staff are very approachable and are open to ideas.
We all want our children to be happy at school and to fulfill their potential. We have achieved the first one and the second is happening on a day to day basis and I have high hopes for the future. I really can't ask for any more.

[Pinkie15]

Like cobhamparent1 I also took my child out of another school to join Cobham Free School and I wouldn't dream of saying a bad word about the last school. Choosing a school for your child is a very personal choice and I find it incredibly childish that people want to force views on other people, especially when they appears to be bitter and resentful rather than constructive. It's such a shame that such parents find it hard to move on and still feel the need to try and spoil our school for everyone else and the huge numbers that are on the waiting lists. In my view the school becomes a better place once these negative and unsupportive parents leave, it gives the teachers more time to do what they do best which is teach. The teaching staff are simply amazing, I have never met such a dedicated team of people! They are so passionate about delivering an outstanding school and in my opinion are well on their way. I am so proud to walk in the streets of Cobham with my child in their smart school uniform. I am proud of being part of the school, as are the majority of parents. So many people stop and ask about the school, having already heard such positive views on it. I'd be amazed if 100% of parents were 100% happy - that would be unbelievable and not the case in any school!
The opportunities my child has been given in the last term and a half are endless, not just in terms of education but in areas that fulfill their school life, which in my opinion is equal to academics. I notice so much joy and happiness in the children that go into and come out of school every day. This is entirely due to the people in the school and their commitment to deliver the best they can. Having experienced other private and state schools Cobham Free Schol is by far the most inspirational environment I have come across. I am so excited about the education my child is receiving and grateful every day for the opportunity we have been given.

[Hah1945]

WOW. It sounds like the marketing team of CFS is writing these comments. I am sure just like you people are who do not feel so positively about the school are also aloud to have their opinions? I think cobhamparent1's comments are not fair either, apple6 can share her opinion just as much as any other person. She is just being honest.

[Pinkie15]

Ha1945 - Everyone is ALLOWED to have their opinion here of course. As for the marketing department, if you are referring to the proud parents of CFS making all these comments I think you are right it probably is them. As a parent myself I'm not aware of a specific marketing department at CFS but if we have to rely on the positive, supportive parents and happy children then that's the best marketing we could ask for! Seems to me at the moment that the only 'marketing department' here is operating from an independant school via apple6!!

[Hah1945]

WOW again...I can only presume that you guys know apple6 and have very strong feelings about her, otherwise her comments would just have been brushed off by you.

[Janacek]

I guess when I posted this thread I didn't expect everyone to have positive comments, no school can. We have asked around both here on MN and locally in the community of Cobham and the feedback (apart from the 2 comments posted here) has been overwhelmingly positive. We are currently at an excellent prep school and woud be foolish to expect CFS to be at the same standard as of course it is a new school and yr 7 is the Founder's year. We have looked around at all the secondaries both state and private and felt that CFS compared favourably for the needs of our DS and that is the point really. Interestingly DS has voted resoundingly for CFS and even if we had reservations which we don't , we would have a hard time talking him out of it. I also feel that as yr 7 is the first cohort there is an opportunity to get involved and help make the school a success and this appeals to us as a family.

[tigtog]

Hi Janacek, unfortunately we removed our DS from CFS. For us we fell for the it's a State Independent School, in some aspects it is, smart uniform, holidays and seperate teachers, some of which are good, others OK and some not so good. Hopefully the senior school will have more experience. The positive about CFS is the parents and the children and I hope over the coming years CFS respects them, as ultimately they make the school.

[nlondondad]

I was interested in this thread, because I have grown interested in the whole Free School thing, but I know nothing about Cobham Free School for or against etc. However I noticied an odd pattern in the posts. There seemed to be a burst of "pro Cobham Free School" comments which all had a rather similar kind of style, quite wordy. The ones I have in mind were:

EES36 Victoria18 MimmieZ cobhamparent1 cookchat7 Pinkie15

No doubt it was their similarly laudatory tone, (I particularly liked the comment about being "proud of the uniform") which led Hah1945, no doubt in jest, to refer to the "CFS publicity department."

You do not usually see such unbridled enthusiam for a new school on Mumsnet. Anyway when I had a look at the record of who was posting it turns out that, what these six posters had in common was (apart for their aforsaid positive views of CFS) was that they have only ever posted on mumsnet in one discussion. This one. No others at all. Odd.

(In contrast cottoncandy who in much more usual tones mentioned that a friend had a daughter at the school "and she was very happy with it" has participated in more than 50 Mumsnet discussions on various things, which is the pattern one would expect.)

One does not normally get a number of posters in a discussion all saying the same things, in the same language, and which have never posted elsewhere.

Just sayin'

[Janacek]

OK fair comment nlondondad, however I am a prospective parent and live in Cobham. The "word on the street" is that it is a good school and indeed the many parents I have spoken to at CFS have unanimously been positive about the school. I won't have many posts on MN as I am fairly new on the site.

[nlondondad]

indeed. "The word on the street" has a value of its own, tho' it does need to be taken as part of the overall information about a school, it can, for example be out of date, but as Cobham new that ought not to be a problem in this case.

[Hah1945]

Hi there. I started following this thread as I wanted to find out more about CFS and would like honest opinions that include poitive and negative aspects. The parents I have spoken to are almost TOO positive. That may sound weird, but like the posts above that is all I seem to hear. However, I am worried about the fact that they dont have planning permission yet and that they are taking on more forms and a high school with no space for the kids to go to yet. I am worried about the fact that the current school has very small playing fields etc etc. When I asked these questions at the open morning , they dont seem to have answers for them, which is understandable ( it is a new school) but, this does not stop me from being concerned. We have to make the decision to move our chilldren from whre they are now, so I started to search the net for comments on thd school . That is how I ended up on this thread. It is a really emotional thing to move schools. I want to see the whole picture and to see if we can be in it for the long haul.

[MimmieZ]

I have never posted on mumsnet before but felt compelled to because I had followed this thread since last year as I am always interested to see what is said about CFS as we moved our ds there. I think like others I was dismayed to see such a negative and inaccurate post by apple6. I felt it deserved a response to allow those who use mumsnet to inform their decisions a chance to read an entirely different viewpoint. Quite possibly that is what other parents have also done. Just a passionate mum defending what is a great school!

[Janacek]

Well, we await March with the results of our school place. CFS is def 1st choice and I really hope it all works out as Cobham needs a good secondary. The is no doubt that the current parents at CFS feel proud of their school and that in itself says a lot. Thanks for all comments both positive and negative but I am a teacher myself and looking around and talking to the SMT I am reassured that this will be a great school for ds.

[Bumbez]

I found this thread searching for free schools and found your thread OP. Did you get a place? Dd 1 has been offered a music scholarship at a not-open-yet free school, on the Isle Of Wight. I have accepted, schools on the Island are not great, I hope I'm doing the right thing.

[nlondondad]

Note that each Free School is different. That is partly the point of them, so any comments made, for example, about Cobham Free School (which I myself, know nothing about as I am in London) are not really relevant to another Free School, in this case, on the Isle of Wight. All a parent can do is investigate the options they have open to them as best they can.

I imagine, as its a new Free School that this year applications went directly to it? So effectively giving you an extra choice (you might get two offers?) then I would suggest that you could, if offered a place, ask to meet the school proposers - they may put on a meeting for people offered places - to sort out any remaining questions or concerns you might have -meet the staff- that sort of thing...

[Bumbez]

Yes you are right I have had 2 offers, On the Isle Of Wight the only good secondary school is a faith school, 12% of Island children get to go there. It was our first choice but we didnt get in. I guess the worst that can happen is that if it doesnt work out, I take her out and put her in the 'needs improvement' Academy round the corner.

There is a meeting next Saturday for parents to find out more, I'm actually quite excited.

The school is oversubscribed so I actually think she's lucky to have secured a place.

[Janacek]

Yes, happily we got a place and met the new Head at the yr 7 cohort meeting.He spoke very well and was passionate about hs new school. We were lucky as we only got our 4th choice school thro Surrey admissions .

[Janacek]

Meant to add that you apply directly to the Free school and a separate application goes into SUrrey CC for a traditional State school place.

[Hah1945]

What is happening with the planning permission for the new CFS school?

[Janacek]

All kept hush hush. Think we will know shortly.