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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Holland Park School

13 replies

Iamaworrywart · 07/05/2011 08:29

Has anyone got any experience of this school? Also do you know anyone who got admitted via their Art specialism. A friend of mine is thinking of applying for her DD next September but won't get in on distance so is considering the Art specialism route.

OP posts:

emilielondon · 07/05/2011 17:34

I wouldn't send my child there if you paid me but that is because I don't like some of their politics and policies - I am sure for other people it is their cup of tea. Whereabouts do you live?

Original poster

Iamaworrywart · 07/05/2011 22:30

My friend lives in Battersea, what in particular do you not like about the school?

OP posts:

emilielondon · 08/05/2011 21:41

Hard to say without revealing myself - let's just say I don't like the ethos or values.

triskaidekaphile · 08/05/2011 21:44

My partner went there. He is lovely.:) Don't think they had specialisms then!

londonmackem · 08/05/2011 21:49

I wouldn't send my child there and no school gets funding for their specialism any more and places were never awarded for them.

Original poster

Iamaworrywart · 08/05/2011 22:50

Londonmackem - why wouldn't you send your child to the school?

OP posts:

sinclair · 09/05/2011 13:31

I am in W12 so closer than your friend. It is a popular school well over subscribed and I know a few people who have got in with the art specialism, as admission criteria prioritise children from RBKC primaries. You do have to be genuinely interested as they do more art through school and are expected to take it at GCSE, AFAIK. Not sure the geographical spread of the art places this year but presumably school or LA can tell you that?

Lulabellarama · 09/05/2011 13:39

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster

Iamaworrywart · 09/05/2011 14:42

Lulabellarama - Thanks for that I will let my friend know your opinion, I know she will be going to see the school later in the year.

OP posts:

BarryShitpeas · 12/05/2011 12:41

Is it not still considered a sink school then?

HollandParkMum · 13/05/2011 09:44

I have a child in year 7 who was part of the first art aptitude intake this year. Happy to give more information if OP tells me what they want to know!
The school was actually our last choice as my child was scared to go there as the kids are badly behaved on the bus. My child is now very happy there. There are things I don't like about the school but on balance the teachers are very good, hard working and committed and the behavior in the school itself is pretty reasonable for that type of school and comprehensive intake. The school comes down hard on bad behavior in school which personally I am glad about. They are streamed and discipline tends to be better in the higher streams, though some kids still mess about and spoil it for others.

The Head Teacher strikes me as an extremely clever, charismatic man and while I don't like him, he has turned the school around from kids being free to wander Holland Park smoking joints to a higher achieving, better behaved, corporate body - not to everyone's taste but I think it is a definite improvement. I must say I have found the deputy heads extremely friendly, approachable and helpful in my dealings with them. Most parents round here now regard the school as very desirable and there were 70 appeals for non successful applicants in the year we applied. It is moving toward a much more academic ethos; for example kids in the higher streams in year 7 are working at KS3 level 7 or 8 in maths, science and English.

Original poster

Iamaworrywart · 13/05/2011 15:08

HollandParkmum - Thanks for that feedback. My friend's DD is very keen on art, but doesn't have a formal portfolio of her work which many private schools require to be considered for art scholorships. Apparently this school doesn't require a portfolio just an assessment. Do you remember what your DD's assessment covered and did she need to prepare for it?

OP posts:

HollandParkMum · 13/05/2011 15:47

They don't look at portfolios. My child applied the first year they ran it and they were tested at the school and solely on the basis of a work they create there. This took place on a Saturday in December. Basically there was an artwork displayed at the front of the hall and they all had space to sit on the floor and create their own in response; there were plenty of art materials to chose from. I think they are looking for natural talent and enjoyment of art as my child never had any special art classes but does have a natural flair. I don't think there is much preparation you can do. Some of the art aptitude kids do appear to be very talented but one or two don't have much interest so perhaps their parents encouraged them to sit the test. Quite a few of them seem to have arty parents but not sure if this is hereditary talent or because they have been doing art from a young age! Once they are in the school they are expected to do occasional workshops and extra art works etc from time to time for school exhibitions and so on. There is no obligation to do art GCSE or anything like that.

As you probably know, they do a banding test and they offer 6 places for art in each band (there are probably some kids who turn places down). Those places are allocated solely on art aptitude whereas otherwise it depends on sibling/attending an RBKC school/proximity. I don't know what the odds are - my I think RBKC publishes the admission stats for each school in their information booklet in September. I think about 1000 apply to the school altogether.

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