King Richard or Mayfield?

[TalkinPeace]

Just to put the other comparison threads into perspective.
This is the sort of choice that the rest of us face.

Well exactly.

My DCs went/go to local state secondaries, as do DPs', and the choices are more like risk assessments.

risk assessments
yup, thats a fair view

Bit of a sparse thread, this, TalkinPeace

My DD got to university, though, after state sixth form college.

LOL, funny that.

Kids from both those schools go to Uni as well .....

Indeed. My DD is even sitting on some excellent RG university offers despite going to a state school that you don't seem to have a particularly high opinion of, TIP.

MissMillament
I'm a massive fan of comps.
The ones in Pompey have issues, but there are fab kids at both of the schools I picked pretty much at random from the ones DH has been to.

My point is that there are so many threads grieving over whether to apply for Charterhouse or Eton, that the reality of "choice" rather gets left off this board.

If only more of the policy makers would get themselves outside the north circular and remember that 93% of kids are at State schools, provision for all kids at all schools would improve.

Its timing. Wait till the state school allocations and there will be plenty of anxious posters looking for support advice and experience.

Perhaps though a case for a specialist thread for those privately educated individuals who prefer to be snide about other parents making the same choices.

Well there is always Charter or Miltoncross! There are some decent schools in Pompey though, ALN, Springfield and St Edmund's for example.

I didn't mean that you weren't a fan of comps in general TIP, just that you have mentioned before not being a massive fan of the one my DD goes to!
And I agree with your OP btw - hard to believe when reading MN sometimes that only 7% of children in this country go to private school.

racks brain trying to remember which one it is !

Needmoresleep
This thread is 3/4 jokey - for a start my kids are in years 10 and 12
BUT
we all know that policy makers lurk on MN and its scary how unaware they are of what choice really means for most people

I post on other parts of MN and there are lots of discussions about schools by people who regard this board as deeply intimidating and unrepresentative.

Yes. But aren't the 'jokey' threads part of the problem. There seems to be some moral high ground situated somewhere near the south coast that seems to allow residents to believe they have got it right.

They may have. However the rest of us are doing our best to muddle through without the same choices. Jokey asides can hit the wrong note.

I think the OP makes an important point, albeit in a light hearted manner. The normal secondary school dilemma is the choice between a variety of schools with flaws. As for the south coast gibe try picking a state school on the Isle of Wight. Pompey is now improving but it has been pretty dire for a while. The south coast and the south east are two very different places.

This caught my eye as a mate of mine says King Richard was one of the best schools they ever taught at - challenging maybe, great yes!

cartoons
your mate has the place sussed. I've never been but DH has.

I gather it is not such a great place to work under the new regime. However I have to say Pompey kids are great to teach and don't regard teachers as the 'enemy', just very fond of 'banter' and want you to be a mate/mum! I am starting to wonder if I know your husband Talkin.

As a teacher who has taught in a number of Pompey schools, having moved back to the area after a short time away am appalled at the state of the Secondary schools- although not that much different state than it was in 4 yrs ago when I last taught here. DS survived and is now fully grown and gainfully employed. Thanks to a pushy parent who knew the education system. Same can not be said for many of my pupils.
Scrooge I think the very experienced ember of staff that joined our school in Sept would disagree with you, he has had one group in particular try to hound him out. MANY pupils in a number of the schools in the city have a belief that they can "get rid" of teachers.....and the way that staff move through schools i can see why they would think they wield such great power. OH yes he has just accepted a job with a nice private school, and he came fro teaching in inner London.
Pompey schools are a VERY different kettle of fish to the nice Grammers in Bucks/Oxford..........as they are in many areas. However these areas seem to dominate the MN posts

By the way
I chose the schools because they were ones near each other with equally bad results.

Portsmouth is not unusual.

Mumsnet is the unusual bit!

Mumsnet meeds a seperate board for private education esp London and the SE as talk of those schools on here dominates. The rest of the country is a different world

Kscience I have to say that has not been my experience teaching in Pompey but the school experience can be as different for teachers as it is for pupils. Let's face it SLT can be the biggest difference to situations like that.

Of course pupils in Pompey are different to inner London, just look at the investment in schools there,but some schools are improving quickly, just look at St Edmund's 94% 5 A-C and 79% A-C inc Eng and Maths also Charter achieved similar. Some schools still have difficulties but the situation is improving.

When I returned after treatment for cancer, bald and slightly concerned, I was humbled by the way the pupils responded to me. It was only when my hair grew back enough for me to leave the headscarf at home I ever had to reprimand a pupil.

Interested to see these schools mentioned, as I went to one of them a loooooong time ago. It was a grammar, changed to comp whilst I was there (I did say it was a long time ago.).

to the nice Grammers in Bucks/Oxford..........

Oxford doesn't have grammars, and some of the City schools are challenging.