Views on St Gabriel's Newbury

[PreggieMum]

Considering this as a secondary school option for DD. Interested in hearing opinions of the school from parents who have had children there.

Thanks.

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows the approx. pass mark for entrance exams at St Gabriel's.

DD has fallen in love with the school. I'm feeling worried about the entrance exams which I know she would have to sit later this year and also I want to finnd out what the bullying situation is like, as it is an all girls school.

DD is currently in a state school and is in top group for English, but middle for maths and I know she does have a tendency to panic a bit in exams.
I've just tried running a few 11 + papers by her over the weekend and results below:

Verbal reasoning paper 85%
English reading 80%
Maths 40%
Science 50%

Do you think that with some practise she may get through the exams? The English & verbal reasoning I think she will be fine at by the time she needs to sit the exams. Maths & Science are my worry.

Any help & advice would be much appreciated :)

'This is not a qualified answer as I don't have children there nor do I have close friends with children there. However, I am relatively local and hear 'acquaintances' rather than friends talk about it. Pleasant atmosphere - never heard of any bullying. Not particularly academic, I've heard the comment several times that the exams are a formality and as long as you are willing to pay then children get a place. Two of my friends with academic children chose state over St Gabriels.

It depends of the size of the year coming from the junior school. Every girl in year 6 of the junior school gets a place in the senior school. Several girls join at the start of year 6 for this reason.
So knowing if the junior school is full for your daughters year is important, if it is it will be harder to get in as an external candidate.

I understand that the exams are not hugely tough. They don't focus purely on grade based results and offer extra support to children with dyslexia or other difficulties.

There is some of the low level sniping that you get in girls schools, but I've never heard of anything really awful. The year groups seem to be big enough that everyone finds a niche.

Thanks. We would have chosen a state school, however children in the year above DD that are in catchment have not managed to get into our local secondary school this year.

We are just on the edge of catchment, so we are very likely to find ourselves in the same situation this time next year which is why we went to the St Gabriel's open day.

DD has now very much fallen in love with the school, so I think this would actually be her choice over the state school....I'm just so worried now in case she has problems with the exams, as she really has her heart set on getting a place.

She hasn't stopped talking about the school since the open day over a week ago. It is really lovely to see her so enthusiastic, but she will be distraught if she doesn't get through the exams.

No idea these days, but I went there in the 80s and completely adored it. Wasn't bullied, did tons of sports, loved the lake and grounds, and the nooks and crannies in the old convent part (rather than the newer buildings, I mean). Such a blast from the past seeing your thread!

I know this is a old thread but did you send your daughter to st Gabriel’s? X