Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

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

Original poster

The Trinity-Whitgift thread of 2013 continued

860 replies

Somelikeithott · 16/02/2013 16:46

Hi all as I posted on previous thread, I realised we had hit the 1000 mark, do felt obliged to open a new one. Hope everyone finds this thread easily

OP posts:
Kylep · 06/03/2013 19:40

As for somelikeithots comments I've been BUSY but back I was just posting what I've heard I didn't anticipate this. !!!
The headmaster is off on a sabbatical next year GREAT , apparently some boys don't get enough activities to do due to too much homework so it's not all hunky dory at T

GetMeOut · 06/03/2013 19:53

I think the sabatical is only for 3 months and is an academic break to do some research and then he has signed a long term commitment to be Head Master until he retires which I think is 10 more years ? We did all get a letter about it and I think it is all very positive in the long term. So T people relax again Smile

Kylep · 06/03/2013 19:57

Get me out -- we all thought it was 1 year , 3 months not so bad thanks

NotADragonOfSoup · 06/03/2013 19:58

letter

The sabbatical is in the summer term and to before any of you miscreants start your life as T parents :)

racegirl87 · 06/03/2013 20:05

Found this folks....
"So in the Summer Term 2013, from April 15th until July 15th, Mr Bishop will be on sabbatical leave. During his absence Mr Joe McKee, the Deputy Headmaster, who for the last 6 years has been responsible for the day to day running of the school, will be the Acting Head. "

GetMeOut · 06/03/2013 20:24

April to July of this year only As part of his sabatical He has been awarded a scholarship by Goldsmiths to do research into the graduate recruitment process in large companies plus spending time working with some large companies looking at their graduate recruitment process.
He will then obviously bring all this knowledge back to T and develop appropriate strategies in school to help develop students in their final years.

Ref the other point , yes, a lot of activities and homework, but they do try and instill good studying methods and strategies and organisationsal skills. It is a shock at first but my Ds is a changeling now ( is this organized child really my Ds !) got to wear them out to use up all the testosterone seems to be the general philosophy !

Original poster
Somelikeithott · 06/03/2013 20:41

Kylep, welcome back! I'm not too concerned about the things you've heard, we've all heard all sorts. I'm more concerned about who you claim to be and therefore inferences made. Question is, have you been honest on this thread, about who you are / the 'facts' you have posted? I can pick apart some of your posts, but as my desire is to remain anonymous on here I won't even make further reference to this issue. But I have now concluded its best for us all to be circumspect and not believe all we read on here. Also let everyone be happy with the choices they've made, move on and don't feel the need to belittle others' choices or schools. There are lots of good schools around and we as parents are doing our best to match our DC to the ideal schools for them.

OP posts:
Kylep · 06/03/2013 20:51

Well obviously everyone wants to remain Anonymous but you insulting my post and who I claim to be just not on if you think you've made the right choice then GOOD for you I am perfectly happy with my ds and his new school but thought I would just share my info which btw seems to be true after all these long discussions I however do have more but will keep it to myself don't want another rage !!! However I did a lot of research and to my knowledge all has been spot on good luck to all

SHAZ00M · 06/03/2013 20:56

OK, I said I would disappear gracefully but can't let the last post from Hott go unchallenged. How have I belittled anyone's choices. I am a Whitgift parent trying to do the best for their DS, but was simply giving my views of actual life at the school and some of the issues you will face.

As for Kylep and inconsistencies, not sure what you have spotted, but for us existing W parents the one person whose activity on here that we talk about at the school gate is the musings of BurntOutDad, his DS had the perfect ride through the Whitgift admissions process and whose writing style seems remarkably similar to a well known member of staff at Whitgift - coincidence?

Kylep · 06/03/2013 21:02

Burnt- you're talk of the town !!!
Somelikeithot - maybe just maybe I have inside contacts !!!!!!!!!!!

nothingyummymum · 06/03/2013 21:02

Somelikeithott, may I also go around looking for a particularly hot mum to invite over for wine?

Personally, I really don't mind some advice, some misgivings and even a good old rant. I detest gloating, though.

We have made our decisions and, come hell or high water, we have to make the best of it. We have actually tried repeatedly to move on on this thread, only to be yanked back. I think it is unfair to do that to parents who have also only just tried to do the best for their kids (along the same lines as somelikeithott )- as I'm sure everyone has set out to do. I, for one, am not going to get into a slanging match. I am not looking for any negatives at T. That will be too awful. I hope everyone who chose it, will be really happy and get the most out of it.

The threads of last year and the year before helped inspire me to become part of one of two amazing schools. I really hope the 2014 intake will not be put off by this. And I certainly hope that we will be able to inspire next year's parents with constructive input, encouragement and sound advice.

NotADragonOfSoup · 06/03/2013 21:02

whose writing style seems remarkably similar to a well known member of staff at Whitgift - coincidence

Are staff members generally uninformed about how the admissions procedure works then?

Original poster
Somelikeithott · 06/03/2013 21:06

Shazoom, my post was specifically directed at kylep, and no one else. And refers to postings from way back on previous full thread and the current one.

OP posts:
SHAZ00M · 06/03/2013 21:08

That's my point Burnt was remarkably well informed........and reported every twist and turn in great detail. Soup I believe you are a T parent but ask around W and you will find someone who has heard of the legend of Burnt!

NotADragonOfSoup · 06/03/2013 21:09

Why did he PM me asking about the admissions process then?

Original poster
Somelikeithott · 06/03/2013 21:11

Lol, yummymum, no longer look particularly hot, after this whole process.

OP posts:
SHAZ00M · 06/03/2013 21:12

Hott, ok apologies, as said not my intention to offend and hoping I did not!! simply giving my views on current issues. Now where is Burnt?

nothingyummymum · 06/03/2013 21:13

Am actually sitting here in tears. How on earth did it get to this?

basildonbond · 06/03/2013 21:15

very confused about all the mentions of 'talk at the school gates' at W... how many parents seriously pick up their children from secondary school???? I picked ds up after his first day in Y6 and thereafter have only been back for parents' evenings, plays, matches etc ...

There are a lot of existing parents at W (and T) and I don't think anyone on this thread could claim to be speaking on behalf of the majority

As for the claim that lots of dc get forced to sit their GCSEs at Croydon College, ds is in Y11 and got less than stellar results in his mocks (purely his fault for using the novel revision technique of doing no revision ...) and there's been no suggestion that he drops anything or doesn't sit all his exams at school. None of his friends have been told anything similar either. The boys have all been told that they need to perform at GCSE if they want to stay on for 6th form and they are all very well aware that not all of them will be there come September - am hoping that will make ds buck his ideas up a bit (why does he choose y11 of all years to take his foot off the pedal academically?? I blame hormones ....Confused)

SHAZ00M · 06/03/2013 21:16

Soup - he pm'd you? Was it something that could not have been shared everyone benefited from?

SHAZ00M · 06/03/2013 21:18

First 2 years at school you are allowed to park in Big side car park and wait for DS and parents obviously talk!!

NotADragonOfSoup · 06/03/2013 21:18

Why wouldn't he PM me? At least two other posters also did so in order to ask specific questions.

Original poster
Somelikeithott · 06/03/2013 21:18

No worries shazoom, I'm happy and all is well.

Yummymum, no need for tears, lets get back to the all important issue of our DC.

T or W or anywhere else for that matter, the dedication we have to our DC is what will stand them in good stead more than anything else!

OP posts:
NotADragonOfSoup · 06/03/2013 21:21

Having looked through my messages, 4 different posters PMed me about the admissions process.

Croydonmumtods · 06/03/2013 21:25

Oh wow this really is getting a bit mad. Just in case anyone was wondering I work for the FBI when I'm not posting on mumsnet!!! LOL re Burnt - if you are an insider well done still hope you have a ds who's good at football as we need him for the team.
kylep you have to admit you have been very inconsistent with your info.
nothingyummy can I have that wine now please.
hottGrin
Have to say the peacock brigade seem far more fun - or am I just stirring????