Dunottar/ Reigate Grammar - Merger, or what?

[quandry]

Got the letter today, and I have to say I don't really understand what is going on?
Is RGS bailing out Dunottar to save it going under?
I can't see the advantages for RGS at all?

Someone suggested that perhaps they'd make it co-ed, less academic school in the future (like a Box Hill in Reigate?) and share facilities more? (Sports fields closer than Hartswood?)

You make a very good point, but the obvious is not always the outcome. It would be better in my opinion not to have a public running commentary on the thoughts of the action group. I am sure that there must be many issues that we do not know about so I think it would be better to wait and see what the final proposal is. I want both schools to do well, respect each other and to continue to excel in their own way.

Given that they are now fundraising for legal fees etc, it would be interesting to understand what legal form the action group is itself adopting? In whose name is a bank account being set up in which to store the donations?

In any event, in the short to medium term the action group, however well-intentioned, has very little legal power. That lies with the trustees.

As I said, better to wait and see what emerges in the next few weeks and then make a judgement based on the reality. RGS and Dunottar have got on well in the past , let's hope this will continue. Any legal stuff and bank details are not for this forum.

With respect batman11, not sure you can dictate what is or isn't discussed on these or other forums, provided we keep to the forum rules. I've landed up with requests for donations all over my twitter feed, so it isn't an unreasonable question for anyone to raise, especially those of us with either children in the current schools application round, or children at local schools who could be affected by an influx of pupils from Dunottar. Hopefully much of the current uncertainty will be resolved by 5 March or 11 March which I think is the RGS acceptance deadline. I'm assuming that the current consultation period is the one required for employment law purposes prior to redundancies that than anything else.

Certainly would not want to restrict any debate. I just said it would better to wait until the final proposal is put forward. It may well be that it not up to the RGS governors to have the final say, there may well be a different constitution very soon. Watch this space.

LadyMuck makes a good point. I've also been deluged by FB & twitter messages asking for support and donations for the fighting fund. However nobody so far seems clear ( or is willing to share) what exactly they are fighting for. I'm afraid I'd be mad to open my chequebook until it's clear what's on the table, and this sudden change of direction towards co-ed hasn't given me a huge amount of confidence, I have to say...

(Nor did meeting two Dunottar families in SWOTS today trying on RGS uniforms... when I popped in for some hockey socks)

I think it is good that Dunottar are looking to support their current exam years through to their exams, and I guess that will reduce transfers in those years. But presumably that leaves years 5-9 looking for spaces, which presumably is pretty key for years 8 & 9 if RGS is the local option but has a 3 year GCSE course.

3 year GCSE course?

I thought they now make their options in year 8 (over the next 6 weeks or so I guess) and then study their GCSE courses over years 9, 10 and 11. Fenton had introduced the system to Pates when he was there, and it is becoming more popular with schools keeping an eye on the league tables: certainly Wilsons and Wallington now do this, and I thought RGS was doing this too. But I imagine it might be difficult to join a school once the GCSE course have started.

Not impossible to join an examination group late, it can work but depends on the student, subject and amount of coursework or controlled assignment as it has been called for the last 4 years.

Chocolate wombat: 'It would change Dunottar a lot and the staff are teachers of girls.' Are you implying that the teachers at Dunottar wouldn't be able to teach boys? Teacher training courses train teachers to teach mixed sex classes! They then practise a lot before they gain their qualifications (it's called teaching practice). A lot of teachers have also worked in more than one school and so they bring a variety of experience to their roles. It's a hell of a misjudgement to assume that Dunottar staff wouldn't be able to handle boys!

Not impossible for the right child to join mid exam course, but equally one must assume that a large intake would be tricky? Well done to the existing trustees to try and keep Dunottars exam classes going until summer 2015. And obviously I guess it reduces the risk of disruption to existing RGS pupils if RGS is the obvious other local school.

The girls at Commonweal, Purley weren't as lucky when their school was sold to Cognita suddenly. I assume the demise of Commonweal has helped to increase Greenacres numbers.

Did say I wouldn't comment further but have changed my mind! Seems there is a lot of that going on at the moment.
GCSE's will be studied from year 9 over a three year period starting from the next academic year.

Meant to add this applies to RGS!

Also some of the core subjects at RGS are IGSCE, I'm not sure exactly what difference that makes but may make it more difficult to come in part way through the course?

Agree with bookluva. I have taught boys, girls, and adults in private schools, state comps and at university. It's all about motivation and teaching in a calm, focused and interesting way. A competent teacher would have no trouble adapting to boys, in fact I would rather teach a " difficult" boy than a " difficult" girl!

I have child in year 9 at RGS and they did start the 3 year GCSE course back in September. Most subjects they sit are iGCSE's which are exam based and not modular with little or no controlled assessments.

Is RGS giving any sort of priority to Dunottar girls, or will the year 8s have to sit 13+ competitively (if somewhat late I guess)?

Bookluva, I agree that teachers are trained to teach both sexes. Of course. I'm sure they could teach boys as well as girls. It's just a question of whether they want to...that was all I was saying. It is a different experience and most teachers have a preference for either mixed, girls or boys teaching, even if they have done all 3.
And I stick by what I said, which was that being a mixed school would change Dunottar. Everyone knows that. And it is clear from the posts on here since the co ed idea was mentioned, that not everyone is behind that idea. Some still hope it will survive single sex, some see co ed as the future. DunottarVoice didn't seem to have given reasons for the change in direction with the campaign. Perhaps all options are still being considered, but that wasn't the impression from what was said at the weekend.

All of this is an unsettling to the teachers as the pupils. I feel for them at this time of uncertainty and hope there are good outcomes for them. I should think they are consulting their unions!

My understanding is that they are required to sit the entrance exam as there were a number of Dunottar girls at RGS last week for the day. I would assume that RGS wouldn't offer a place unless they thought the child could keep up with the pace as it wouldn't in the long run be of any benefit to the child if they are constantly struggling.

The unions can't do much and staff will be treated properly whatever hapens .

I think all the local schools will be sympathetic to Dunottar applicants. Everyone is sorry about their position. I think all schools would use entrance exams to ensure the girls are right for the schools. The schools need to firstly consider their existing pupils and only take new pupils if they have capacity and the new girls will be of a similar standard. Otherwise there would be disruption to existing g pupils and no Heads are going to want lots of that, although Im sure they would all be more accommodating than under normal circumstances. Posters on here have also suggested schools are offering places which pupils don't have to accept immediately in case Dunottar survives. Seems very decent. Hard for parents to then wait for the next few weeks.....there must be a real emotional struggle at that point about whether to go now or wait.

Presumably lots depends on which year group your child is in. Better for say year 8s to get in via 13+ wherever and have a good run up to GCSEs. Year 10 and above appear to be underwritten until 2015. Year 9 looks potentially to be the hardest hit. Waiting can't be fun, nor is doing competitive exams "against" your classmates, but still much better than to find out at the end of August say.

I wonder if the governors have considered converting to a state academy? Two schools in bristol have done this very successfully - Colston's Girls' School and Bristol Cathedral Choir School. They are now the two most over-subscribed schools in the city and results for their first comprehensive intakes at GCSE were very strong.

I wondered that Marmitelover but it all feels as if the 11th hour has passed - too little too late. It would be a shame for D to close but their market is very niche and suffered from a lack of clear direction for the future over a period of years. Even if D survives this crisis it would take a huge leap of faith to stick with it, while in fear that it will recur. I know feelings are high and campaigning is strong but how many parents and staff can honestly say they haven't already made a few calls as a contingency.