EFFINGHAM TRUST - Cranmore, St Teresa’s & MHouse

[AndreaKnowsBest]

Looks like the CEO of the Trust is leaving / retiring. Any news on what's going on there at the moment?

Friend of mine is moving to Horsley and has a daughter considering at St.Ts, but word on the street is that the school are offering heavy discounts to any boys looking to join the new joint sixth form, as very few have applied, and the new sixth form centre plus other promised developments have been axed due to lack of funds.

With the leader also 'leaving', my friend and his wife have become a bit warey of what's happening behind the scenes. Albeit this info has come to them second hand also.

Are there any current parents there who can explain what the school's plans are, if they are happy or not and whether the girls are picking up the bill for the discounted boys places?

Also hear that boys from local Howard Of Effingham state are being given free sixth form places? Is this real news?

Thanks a lot - he's not on MN so will pass on info and revert with his further questions.

Hi, I'm a parent within the Trust, and as far as I can see, the 3 schools within the Trust are in a transition phase, which you'd expect with the 3 schools coming together, especially with the fun of VAT! That's the bill we are picking up!
Honestly, I am completely happy with the opportunities my daughter is provided with, and she goes to school happy everyday, and we as parents have every confidence in the school and the results she'll get. The teachers really know and support her. They've been doing loads of stuff between the 3 schools which has been great.
As for the CEO leaving, he's been a Head for years! He's retiring, simple. I don't think there is anything suspect about that.
The sixth form looks great, and from friends that are applying, I hear numbers are looking good for September this year and next from friends that are or will likely be applying. Don't know about discounts though.
Your friend should visit, and she should get a good sense of the place.
Gossip, gossip, gossip I reckon!

We applied for St Theresa's for September this year, alongside StCats, Tormead and Priors.

We chose not to go with StTheresas as the 'merger' seemed to be going on forever... and tbf, it has! Parents we spoke to seemed confused about what was going on, and unsure what might happen next, yet in some cases they said there were cases when they knew more than teachers.

I'm sure it's a decent school, and came across OK, it's a little bit like a slightly better decorated Priors Field, but, in the end we didn't much like the patchwork quilt of it all and I've heard similar things from others about the sixth form not working out as planned for this year. Thinking long term, that's what ultimately turned us off.

I can 100% guarantee though the boys are being offered discounts, as my nephew's brother is one of them! So if you're considering StTs definately ask about what your fees are funding and what your daughter will get for them specifically.

The PP didn't seem to know much about this, which seems odd? Have they not been communicating with you?

We toured it too for year7 - decent school, not as good as some others, but good. However, DH didn't like the co-ed uuncertainty. We're all for a girls education which has the right dose of 'co-ed' in the right places, it also semi-alighened with our Catholic (with a small 'c') backgrounds, keeping the Mother-In-Law at bay(!), but fundamentally, in the end, we weren't sure of the whole things direction of travel, and I wasn't 100% sure they were either.

Following on this thread, does anyone have any further insight into these schools. In particular, having a look at Manor House website, I can’t deduce if it is a particularly selective school or not; how many numbers for senior school or whether it’s more mainly a prep school now, and/or whether the seniors merge with St T’s seniors or indeed move to St T’s site for their secondary education? The two girls’ schools have different entry processes too, so I can’t work out how separate they are or joined up? Is St T’s more religious than MH as well?

Manor House is not at all selective or religious

So the CEO is retiring and a new one is being appointed, nothing unusual.
As current parents we barely noticed the "merger," normal business at school for DC and we welcome the boys.
St T's has been a fantastic choice. DC enjoy going to school and academically are on course for excellent GCSE grades. They play tons of sport and can also do drama and dance. The pastoral care DC has experienced has been outstanding with lots of support and tlc. Our girls have a lot of fun!
We live fairly locally. Friends may be scattered so be prepared but it's a small inconvenience and we are very happy with our choice.

B

I agree with @underthestars100 . Also a current parent. In my eyes the merger is panning out to be a very positive experience for the students at all 3 schools. The merger is seeing nursery and prep moving fully to Manor House, a choice of senior education across the trust and the Effingham Trust Sixth Form in a separate campus style building at the St Teresa's Site. It was not an immediate switch to honor those families who were on the cut off points (such as those who wanted all girls up to A levels and prep at St Teresa's) a chance to finish the education they signed up for on the sites they were signed up at.

Before the merger, all 3 schools (of which some of them are about a mere 6 minute drive apart) competed or were sibling choices (if you had a DD and DS especially) and if you picked more than one you had to commit to double drop offs and pickups. After the merger there are now school bus shuttle links between the schools so drop off and pick up is seamless between sites. You simply pick the school closest to you to collect or drop everyone.

The schools also share resources (such as swimming pools and pitches) and events (such as one big firework night for all) as well as trips abroad (there is an upcoming Music Trip to Paris open to all Effingham Trust musicians so they can perform together in several venues including Disneyland Paris). Shared events mean that DD is making friends at all 3 schools which broadens her school community without enlarging class sizes for daily teaching. We're very happy with the school and in my opinion the merger is making the community a much stronger one.

The Effingham Sixth Form is in its first year of having boys and girls and most parents I know see the mixed education of A levels as a positive addition to the school. The facilities are amazing!

Looks like Manor House is closing down - bit of a surprise - didnt think that was the plan?

Times must be tough.....

Whats the news from parents?

Where did you hear this?

Current parent here.

No, Manor House is definitely not closing.

The Effingham Trust are investing to grow their prep site at Manor House further.

Manor House was earmarked to become the feeder all girls prep to St Teresa’s under the Effingham Trust nearly 3 years ago when it joined with Cranmore and St Teresa’s.

A bigger, mixed Sixth Form was built at the St Teresa’s site for the trust’s girls and boys. It opened this September which necessitated the move to another site for all prep girls.

In September the preps and pre-preps at Manor House will start to grow into the site and will have more leadership opportunities in Year 6 as it becomes a fully fledged standalone prep.

After completing prep at the Manor House site, the trust girls will then all progress to the much bigger St Teresa’s Senior School site.

The senior girls from Manor House are moving to St Teresa’s Senior School from September to allow for this growth and to streamline provision and resources across the trust. It is also leading to more GCSE options for senior girls in the trust as they’re combining options from St Ts and Manor House.

Hope this helps!