cobham free school secondary

[surreymum2424]

Hi,

My daughter is in year 7 at the moment, not happy with current school and enquired about Cobham free school, there is a place there for her is she wants it, but can seam to find out much info, now he the secondary school has been open 6 months, I wondered what peoples views are and if they are pleased with the school, any downsides of the secondary part of the school.

Any views would be great

Could you ask for her to do a taster day there? Also, whilst I don't know the free school you might want to look at the other local schools as well. You might find you have more choices if you asked about spaces elsewhere.

I have a dc at CFS. not in secondary but we are very pleased with the school on the whole.

But it still hasn't even applied for planning permission for the new site, has it? Getting permission may take years as it has chosen another greenbelt location. You'll be lucky to see it built before your child leaves 6th form.

I agree with Banter, I went to an open day but this was a deal breaker. I can only assume it will be temporary buildings for a number of years and if they do not get planning permission for these on greenbelt land, they will surely have to search for another location, as from next year they will have years 7 & 8 with a full primary school. No way could they fit on current site....

That said, if the teaching is good and your dd is unhappy where she is, the lack of space, science labs, specialist rooms for DT/Food etc might not be such a big issue to you and if its smaller classes that you think would make the difference, you'd definitely gain this ! Suggestion of taster day a good one...

PS I agree with Springrain. Numbers in Y7 are low locally for local schools, so you assuming you live locally, you should have a choice of several excellent schools.

Wow, CFS will be bussing its secondary children to a vacated primary school in West Molesey, which is up near Hampton Court! docs.google.com/a/cobhamfreeschool.org.uk/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=Y29iaGFtZnJlZXNjaG9vbC5vcmcudWt8Y29iaGFtdGVzdHNpdGV8Z3g6NWVjMWY4YThhMjk2ZmI2

Having a secondary school in Molesey is a brilliant idea. Its actually a place that needs a decent secondary school. Years ago the council knocked down Bishop's Fox school and build loads of houses on the site. No shit.. those houses are no filled with lots of families who have no school.

IHaving said that I think that the old hurst park site will be a bit small. Maybe Surrey County Council are trying to make a point where they think a new secondary should be placed.

The irony of a free school having to rely on the LEA to get it out of trouble.

West Molesey kids all go to Esher high by the way - the catchment includes west and east molesey.

Blimey, not sure I would want my kids to go for a last minute site that doesn't have science labs, good sports facilities etc that you would expect from a secondary school. I think I would be looking to see if there were any spaces in nearby established schools, even if they had to travel a big, as it is not as if this site is even close for the population it is expected to serve.

Travel a bit

Cobham to Molesey is quite a trek to put it mildly. I think that the school will struggle to recruit parents. Molesey parents would be well aware that the school will eventually move to Cobham and Cobham parents will not want their children to trek to Molesey

If Cobham Free school became Molesey Free School permamently then they would attract more pupils. Cobham has outstanding schools like Howard of Effingham on its door step. I cannot see why a Cobham parent would want Cobham Free School for secondary education. A small secondary school could be attractive to those who an enviroment like Hampton Court House without the school fees.

Small is about right - they're consulting on REDUCING admission numbers in 2016 to 48 for the senior school and 24 for reception!

Don't most free schools want to expand rather than contract?

Just thinking, having a free school temporarily in West Molesey is a sly way for Surrey County Council to get out of paying for transport to Esher High as Esher High will no longer be their "nearest school". Such a situation is awful as 48 places is nowhere near enough for molesey children even if their parents wanted them to go to a completely untested school that is supposed to be moving to cobham.

With such tiny numbers cobham free school will have no problems fitting onto the old hurst park site.

Good grief, on what basis are they proposing to reduce their PAN? How can a consultation for a state school PAN change be valid when it has not been publicised to prospective parents? I could find only one of the Parish Councils and Residents Associations in the area with information on its website, Surrey Admissions has not publicised it, it is the school holidays, there isn't even a press release on the school's website! Here is the link, by the way: www.cobhamfreeschool.org.uk/admissions/admissions-consultation-2016-2017-policy

I can't see how a mainstream secondary school can function with less than 90 children in the year group The whole thing is a farce.

I now live in a different part of the country so maybe my opinons are irrelevent. I live in a town where there are not enough places for primary and an admissions timebomb for secondary provision.

It pisses me off that public money is being wasted on poncy projects on free schools when there are childen in other parts of the country who have to travel to the moon and back to get to school because of a lack of places.