United Learning and Greenacre

[Mumpower2017]

So shocked my lovely daughters school has been closed today! Number were falling so they joined United Learning to help build up the numbers and secure their future. For the past two years United Learning have done nothing, no changes, no marketing, except to fire some teachers! They brought in the head of another school to help and she did nothing either. Now they have taking over two local private juniors school, closed them and are making a big private prep school on the senior school site and closing the seniors school. Silly thing is that is most of the students are in the senior school. Can't believe a charitable educational company could act like this! Some very unhappy parents in Banstead!

11Eleven2017, I have a child already at Dunottar, and another hopefully to start in September. I think the impact of the Greenacre girls joining Dunottar will be fairly minimal. I was aware of the Headteacher leaving as an existing parent. I'm sorry to hear it tbh, as I really like her, but these things happen. The governors are currently recruiting for her replacement, I believe.

All in all, we've been delighted with Dunottar under United Learning. But, of course its a different situation - they saved Dunottar, but obviously have chosen to do so with Greenacre. That said, I still think that their offer to guarantee the displaced Greenacre girls a place at a UL school to continue their studies with the same exam board is a very generous one.

If you want any more info about Dunottar, do feel free to drop me a PM.

Hi mrsm43s thanks for answering. So no head found as yet... when is the current head due to leave?
Offer letters should be out soon... i think we'll have to go in to speak with them, about the unsettling current set up if wee were even to be offered a place. With Greenacres joining, my fear is it will be very 'girl' heavy... which it seemed to have done well to balance with last year's intake.
Difficult decisions ahead of us I fear as we were quite keen on this school...

I don't think it will end up girl heavy as I don't think we are talking big numbers of Greenacre girls in the first place, plus they won't all necessarily come to Dunottar. Plus, I expect they might adjust the G:B ratio in the offers to compensate if necessary.

As regards to the Head, I do think its a real shame Mrs Cole is leaving. I hope the next Head will be just as energetic and positive. I think they have plans to be in a position to announce the new Head by the end of February, so before you would need to make your final decision as to whether to accept any place offered.

I would not worry about there being too many girls coming from Greenacre. I am a Greenacre parent and I know there are only one or two (except for yr 10 and yr 12) coming over in each year group . From what I hear none of the yr 6 girls are coming so it should not effect you. Most of the girls ended up with spots at Sutton High, Royal Russell, Ewell Castle and Rosebery.

Very sorry this has happened, how stressful, and hope all the DDs involved find good places and settle in.

I was considering one of the girls' schools concerned for DD, and have started a thread on the education board.

The negative comments about UL have put me off!

I'm really shocked to hear about Greenacre closing.
DD spent 5 very happy years there in the Junior school and was all set to go into the seniors before we decided to move house instead. She is in Year 10 now so would know and remember several of the girls most affected by this.
I sincerely hope everyone finds an alternative school that they are happy with and manages to settle down. It's bad enough being the first cohort affected by the new GCSEs without being badly messed about like this.
The same goes for the teachers and headmistress.