Bellahouston Academy or shawlands academy and placing requests?

[user1469377034]

We are currently in the catchment area for Bellahouston academy and had been thinking of moving to East Ren for the schools. However chatting to our neighbours they speak very highly of shawlands academy which their children go to through a placing request. I’ve heard it is quite difficult to get a placing request now?
I was wondering if anyone has any recent experience of the placing request process?
Also any thoughts on Bellahouston academy if we decide to stay put?
We didn’t grow up in Glasgow so have no experience of the school systems here so any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated.

No recent experience of placing requests but 2 years ago I know that Shawlands was close to not being able to accept even sibling placing requests but in the end was able to accept all placing requests. And our neighbours' ds2 started S1 last year on a sibling placing request - as did all their friends (nearly a whole class' worth ) who were at Glendale Primary.

Ds had a very happy and successful 6 years there (now going into 3rd year at Aberdeen Uni). Our placing request was primarily because it was a School of Rugby (it was actually its first year as that) and played from S1 (ds was obsessed and talented ) and Bellahouston didn't do rugby. He also had more friends going to Shawlands (partly because of his rugby ). We also liked the ethos of the headteacher (although she retired last year) and that they celebrated academic success as well as sporting and artistic activities.

The school turns out well-rounded young people who get good academic results (above its "virtual comparator" - the calculation that includes its demographic profile bit doesn't actually include the fact that the school has to cope with 55 languages spoken amongst its young people ) that go on to do well at Uni (very low drop out rate)

I'm sure he'd have been fine at Bellahouston - but we thought he would be happier at Shawlands. One of the things I liked about it was that the "clever kids" weren't seen as nerds (although it might have helped that ds was also into sport).

It's always worth doing a placing request but Bellahouston as back up should be fine.

Not sure where you are, but there are part of Pollokshields which have dual catchment - either Bella or Shawlands. Not sure if that is still the case though, as there was a consultation about changing that.

Thank you for the reply prettybird it’s been really helpful. We moved to Pollokshields 8 years ago but didn’t need to consider schools at that point. We are not in the dual catchment area but I know where you are talking about.
Everything you have said is very reassuring

When we moved here from Shawlands, before I was even pregnant although planning to be so sooner rather than later , I fully expected to have moved to East Dunbartonshire (which is where I was brought up and went to school) by the time said planned but not yet conceived child went to school In fact, we'd spent two years house hunting in East Dunbartonshire before looking Southside and finding our current home first night looking.

But once we moved - and we love our home - I found out about Glendale's good reputation. So that was primary school sorted

Then I check out Shawlands Academy and it fitted all our criteria (good results, holistic ethos and important to dh playing rugby from S1 ). But back then, pretty much all placing requests were accepted

It doesn't look like I'll ever move to East Dunbartonshire - unless it's after my dad dies and we move to his lovely place (but I'm hoping that he has his family's long-lived genes and will live for at least another 15 years )

Shawlands is a very good school. Might be worth giving them a call to get some idea how likely getting a place could be.

You're not my neighbour are you, CurlyDM ?

It's a joke as I've not had any recent conversations with neighbours, although I do have neighbours across the road whose boys go to Glendale......

Downstairs' neighbours' 2 boys are the ones currently at Shawlands.

I know quite a few children at Bellahouston and it’s not great TBH. If I couldn’t get my child into Shawlands I’d move.

I probably am. Or at least just round the corner prettybird ha ha

ALLIS0N. Can you tell me a bit more about why you feel Bellahouston is not that great?

I’ve a friend who taught there for years and even she wouldn’t send her kids there.

And I know a lot of Pchildren who attend the School of Sport which is attached to Bellahouston and some have left because Bellahouston was so bad. Even those who have stayed will admit it’s not great.

I’m sorry I can’t say more but SoS is a very small place ( only 115 pupils) and I don’t want to say anything identifying.

I’d go with Shawlands or I’d move house.

I couldn’t disagree more with what you’ve written.

Shawlands fills up eventually but I think all initial S1 placing requests are accepted so you should be ok.