School dilemma - Lewes Priory or Ringmer Community College - advice very very welcome!

[lizziedahlia]

Hi, I'm having a real dilemma over which school to choose for my Year 6. If there's anyone local on MN who has any words of wisdom regarding either of these schools I would really love to hear! I'm finding it difficult to choose between Priory, which seems to have great academic results(72%A-C incl E and M)/value added 999 in 2011/wider curriculum but also bigger (1200) and possibly less strong on pastoral care, or Ringmer, less good academic results (53%A-C incl E and M, though they say that a problem with English is being resolved - Maths was 72%A-C)/value added 983 in 2011/only one MFL at GCSE, but seemingly strong on pastoral care and smaller - 730. Priory is a 10 min bus ride away; Ringmer a 15 min walk. My child's friends are currently undecided.

I'm choosing for a highly anxious, inflexible child (on school action plan for support with this) so am concerned about pastoral care, but child also v bright (says his teacher) so want to make sure gets the chance to do well, and feel reluctant to narrow down choice of possible subjects at this age.

This is my first time on MN so hope I've done this right and I'd be so grateful for any advice, even if not specifically about these two schools, about how much to worry about results/wider curriculum and opportunities as compared to good pastoral care.

Thanks

Do you think your DS may have an aptitude for MFL and will want to take more than one? One of the problems with smaller schools is there are likely to be fewer options. OTOH, if you feel your DS will feel overawed by a large school, this may be balanced out by him feeling less anxious at a smaller school.

In terms of results, those of the Priory look better, but it also has a greater number of high achieving children on intake - 44% at level 5 compared to 30% at Ringmer. Of the level 5 children, 97% achieved A-C incl E and M at the Priory and it was 93% at Ringmer in 2011, so not such a large gap.

Only knowledge of Lewes Priory is that it's next to the sixth form college, but have friends whose children went to Ringmer & were very happy there. A quick text to said friends & the reply was that Ringmer felt more comfortable & had a stronger community feel. Only one person's opinion, however most of their children's friends chose Ringmer over Priory.

Best to take yourself around both schools during a normal school day & you should get more of a feel of the place than during the sanitised open evenings.

My DC are only Y1+2 so I don't know too much about the secondary schools here yet, so can only repeat what I have heard about them from others. Priory used to have a very good reputation back in the olden days when I was at school, but it does seem to have lost this somewhat now and I know several people who choose Ringmer over Priory in the last 5 years or so. also one parent told me they chose Ringmer because of the way they have form group with pupils from different years together. Her DD, who was quite anxious about starting Y7 liked the idea that she would 'know' some Y10/11 pupils from her form group, they would her show her around, be there as an alternative to talking to teachers about problems etc. This was about 3 or 4 years ago though so no idea if they still structure things that way now.

well i went to lewes priory many years ago. great school but i came out with poor results :( As far as im aware both are great schools. I live 10 miles away and know quite a few children who bus into Ringmer and are very happy there. I would let your child decide. Where are their friends going? Open days are this month. Ringmers next week. Go have a look at them both. I would choose Ringmer.

Hi,
I'm having the same dilemma this year and wondered what you chose in the end and how its going? Such a difficult decision to make...Ringmer seems amazing and my son loved it..feels very welcoming but sons friends are going to priory..none of us know what the best thing to do is! :)

Has anyone got any up to date information on Ringmer please for September 2016 entry ?
Thanks :)