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!

Up and down the M5 and along the M4.

Gosh it's a minefield. Taking grammars out the equation I am feeling drawn to chosen hill. Will be going to the open evening next week. I like the sound of their pastoral care.

Hearing quite a few negative things about Tewkesbury atm but it's where everyone from her primary seems to go. Not sure why. She's very drama so a school that has a good drama department will be appealing.

I am a local music teacher so see kids from all of the schools, my own went to Stroud High - very pleased with yr 7 - 11 less so with 6th form and Ribston was on the whole probably the better experience very supportive staff, however Mrs Chong from Ribston has announced her retirement so changes are inevitable. Pates does tend to be very high pressured and I have had some kids that have been very overwhelmed by it all and others that are frankly over confident and Denmark I've had fewer students from but all seem fairly happy and contented. My only experience of Crypt I'd rather not go into the details on an open forum but I felt the follow up pastoral care that we received was next to appalling. If I were to do all this again the questions I would be asking at open days would have nothing to do with the quality of the education and extra curricula etc they all deliver on that. It would be pastoral care and mental health issues (not my kids but plenty of others and not just the grammars)

What ever you decide good luck x

Furthest allocated distances for this year's admissions www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/13850/secondary-allocation-day-2017.pdf shows that the furthest admissions distance for Chosen Hill was 2.49 miles last year.

Barnwood Park was 11.49 miles.

Churchdown isn't published in that document. Tewkesbury had only 5 pupils admitted under distance (rather than e.g. catchment) criteria, so data isn't published.

Thank you billybagpuss I couldn't agree more due to my own job role pastoral care is top of my priorities.

Tewkesbury seems to have a priority feeder school arrangement, rather than a catchment (sorry, should have looked that up first). So I can see how e.g. if you attended a Tewkesbury feeder school, you could be close enough to Chosen Hill to be able to have a realistic chance of a place there but still have Tewkesbury as a viable option.

Otherwise I was a little confused by the geography, as I couldn't see how you could be within the Chosen catchment or admissions footprint, but also able to access Tewkesbury, about 10 miles away.

Yes that is the situation. Trying to retain some level of anonymity so not disclosing too much about location.

We were also "on the edge" - Chosen Hill and Bournside are both catchment schools, another couple of streets one way Balcarras, another few the other way we would be in Tewkesbury district. School catchments round here are a bit of a lottery. We live on the "right side" of the A40.

Churchdown is on the very last (3rd) page of that document but it doesn't have the distances as they rank their own admissions.

Barnwood had an open day/evening yesterday. The 2018 intake will be co-ed for the first time so that will halve the number of places for girls as they are aiming for an even split (obviously that depends on the number of applications they get).

On last year's statistics, we are in the admission area for Chosen Hill and I also come under Tewkesbury Council. The council borders are really odd here, where I live is split between two different councils!

God it's all a bit of a nightmare isn't it.

God it's all a bit of a nightmare isn't it

No, not really - because - and I mean this kindly - you have said your child is a possible grammar student. All of these schools mentioned will serve an able child well.

If you're considering secondary schools, my DD actually went to Cleeve (although no one got in from Tewkesbury the year she joined). There was the odd moment with friends during her time there, but overall she was really happy, had a great relationship with the teachers and they totally supported her in every way possible, even the Head.

I forgot to say, go and look at any possibilities if you can, that may help confirm things one way or the other. We looked at two, Cleeve had a fantastic opening evening with lots of information, plenty of staff available, happy pupils, the other we looked at was completely the opposite in every respect.

Thanks beyondthepage but there are so many other considerations than academic achievement. Travel. Pastoral care for example.

Thanks ifonly hadn't considered Cleeve.