Anyone looking at secondaries in Gloucestershire?

[Whatshouldmyusernamebe]

Just been told my daughter should definitely try for grammar so bit stuck and not sure what schools to look at!

Cheltenham/Gloucester area?

Would do the test for grammar, there are Pates, Ribston Hall, (Denmark Road) High school for girls. Other secondary schools/academy schools tend to depend on your catchment.

We are glos/Tewkesbury not Cheltenham

Gloucestershire has 7 grammars-
1 mixed - Pates Cheltenham,
3 boys and
3 girls - the girls are Ribston Hall (SW Gloucester city), High School for girls (N Gloucester city) and Stroud High School (Stroud).

Don't know if Tewkesbury has any closer in Worcestershire?

Not sure. I don't think so. Also I think crypt is going to start taking girls?

Yes crypt will take girls into Y7 from Sept 2018 - they will be the only year of girls there below 6th form til the next year's intake, not sure I'd like that. My view is tempered by the fact that we went to see it for - mixed - 6th form and the vibe was somehow wrong for us. DD is going to Tommies - boys grammar with mixed 6th which suits us well(she went to a local comp for GCSEs).

Would go to all the open evenings if I were you, work out the logistics of getting there as well as the general feel of the schools. Pates was by far and away the most successful and modern of the schools we visited, but DD would not have been happy there even if it was the only school she could go to.

Take a look at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/13567/sixth-form-booklet-2017-2018.docx - gives an idea of the open evening dates - SOON.. end Oct/start Nov for the first lot...

Thank you. I've heard pates is very pressured. Yes good point about Crypt could be intimidating to be a year 7 girl with lots of older boys My DD is small for her age.

My DD has just started yr7 at SHS and is loving every minute. Very impressed with everything so far - good teaching, very clear homework expectations and lots of extra curricular opportunities (mostly through lunchtime clubs rather than after school).

Thats good to hear. Stroud is probably a bit too far for us though.

Looking at non grammar schools, Chosen Hill looks good?

Chosen has open days/evenings next week if you want to look around.

Which is your nearest school - ie the one that you are guaranteed a place in? It is not much good 'picking a good school off the map' if in fact your chances of getting a place are zero as you are outside its normal admissions distance and are not a sibling.

I'm only looking at school we are in catchment are for. Yes would be a total waste of time otherwise.

I'm not quite sure why you thought I was 'picking good schools off a map.'

The Grammars take from a really wide area though, so wide that it's drawing complaints from people near them that their children are missing out while pupils come in from much further afield.

I went round Stroud HS, they accept pupils from over 80 primary schools!

Is your DD just starting Yr5, OP?

Yes just started year 5 so another year yet before need to make any decisions.

Sorry for misunderstanding. It wasn't clear from your post re Chosen Hill whether it was a school hat was close to you and you had a realistic chance of accessing, or just one you thought was good.

You would be surprised / shocked how many treat the list of schools in a county as a 'menu' to choose from in their application form, rather than starting from where they live and looking at which schools they have a reasonable chance of getting a place in! Apologies again.

I think the mention of the Tewkesbury area and Gloucestershire grammars is a bit confusing for people OP, when in reality you can come under the Tewkesbury Council area and still be close to Gloucestershire schools.

Apology accepted :)

Gloucestershire grammar schools have no catchment - if you score highly enough in the exam, it doesn't matter where you live. Some of the girls travel a VERY long way every day, many from different counties.

Girls from Bristol travel to the Gloucester grammars! Very wide catchment

Yeah, Bristol, Swindon - some children have a very long school day with the commute!

Hi, I have heard a rumour that High School in Gloucester will look at taking boys in the future. Not sure, if this is true or not. We were considering High School for Girls but not so sure if the rumour is true and boys will be accepted. We might decide just to change option and go for Stroud High if the buses run to our area or opt for Crypt as it has an excellent reputation with boys and the buses run to our area.

You've got a fair list of schools, don't forget to look at the bus timetables to make sure they pick up in your area.

The HM at my DD's old school told us Pates take in the elite (obviously meaning very bright) from seven counties and he suggested Denmark Road. In the end she actually went to the local comp and got her A*/As there. I know you're not thinking secondary, and are probably aware being the area, but Tewkesbury hasn't got the best reputation for secondary.

My DDs both go/went to Chosen hill - DD16 has moved to Tommies for her sixth form as she wasn't really stretched enough, she got decent enough GCSEs but could have done better. DD15 will probably stay there for 6th form - she is a different child - more driven. Pastoral care at Chosen is second to none. Really good supportive learning environment.

The open evening is next Thursday 28th (DD15 is a prefect so will be one of those showing families round). It is a very (VERY) busy open evening.

Open mornings are Tue26 and Thu28 - a much more civilised affair where you get to see the kids in situ.

I've read this before about the elite of seven counties for Pate's and really can't figure out which seven that would be!