Advice on St Clement Danes in Chorleywood

[onesie1001]

Looking for opinions on St Clement Danes please. We have been to see it and really liked it. However, heard from a friend who works with the school that children feel unsupported.

Any views greatly appreciated.

I have two dgc there one year 8 and one year 10. They have been generally fine but it is a huge school and the pastoral support can be hit and miss.

Very good results, most people very happy with it. Very good reputation locally, and highly sort after. I know dozens of children who are very happy there.

But - bit of a sink or swim school. Pastoral care definitely not consistent, and I personally think that the children grow up a bit too fast, compared to other local schools. My dcs chose other schools.

You could post on this forum:

www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/viewforum.php?f=18

Dd went there and absolutely loved it. Great support academically and pastorally from staff.

DS2 has offers from several schools for sixth form. SCD is his second choice.

I agree with the points (both positive and negative) made by Tuesdaynightname

Hi, I have 2 kids in SCD, one in 6th form and one in Y8. My kids, special my eldest, has been well supported both by teaching staff and pastoral staff in the school. I know, though, families that hadn't felt well supported by the school, and decided for younger siblings to attend other local secondary schools. I would think, though, that this is normal in any big school, and no matter how good a school is, there is always students that might not have felt happy in that school.
The school sets from Y8 for almost all subjects, for some subjects is may be just 2 sets but for others it will be 4/5 sets. I am not a "lover" of sets but I think it is common in secondary schools.
One think I don't understand is the comment that kids in SCD grow up too fast compare to other local schools.. my kids have friends in other local schools, state and private, and I can't see any difference between them.

TheSecondOfHerName - I agree with the points (both positive and negative)

It seems odd that you would choose the school as a backup option to your DCs existing school if you think the Pastoral care is poor.

I would also be interested in knowing why you think "the children grow up a bit too fast" compared to those at other local schools.

My dcs chose other schools

Really? Your 10/11 year old DCs chose their own secondary school on the basis of Pastoral care and "the children grow up a bit too fast"?

In answer to MumTryingHerBest

Why SCD is DS2's second choice:
He has ASD, ADHD and dyspraxia. His first choice of sixth form has a well-established Learning Support department with 20 members of staff and extensive experience in supporting students on the autistic spectrum. SCD does not have that, but neither do any other local schools. DS2 needs a back-up in case he doesn't quite get the grades required by his first choice. He liked the teachers he met at SCD and was generally happy with what he saw of the school, so has accepted their offer as his first back-up. He is 16 and I feel that he should have some input into where he will be studying for two years.

My dcs chose other schools
I didn't say this.

I don't know why Tuesdaynightname feels that the children at SCD grow up more quickly.

Of the children of my friends and the friends of my children, several have mentioned that at SCD there is alcohol available at parties from Y10 (my children were surprised at this, because in their experience there is alcohol available at parties from Y11 or Y12).

TheSecondOfHerName I just couldn't get my head around why you would choose a school with poor pastoral care for a DC with SEN.

Particularly in light of your comments regarding Parmiters:

"DS1 has a few female friends who go to Parmiter's and I have an acquaintance who teaches there. I've heard only good things about it."

That said, If SCD is the school your DC wanted as a back up, fair enough.

I didn't say this.

Sorry, I didn't make it clear, it was directed at Tuesdaynightname.

at SCD there is alcohol available at parties from Y10 (my children were surprised at this, because in their experience there is alcohol available at parties from Y11 or Y12).

SCD has a bus that goes from the end of our road. Parmiter's is a trickier journey on a public bus, which he would find difficult to cope with.

I am happy with the decisions I've made regarding DS2's post-16 education, and getting a bit bored with justifying them to a stranger who doesn't even know him.

getting a bit bored with justifying them to a stranger who doesn't even know him.

I didn't ask you to justify your choice. I clearly stated: "If SCD is the school your DC wanted as a back up, fair enough."

I agree with the points (both positive and negative) made by Tuesdaynightname

I edit this to

"I agree with some of the points (both positive and negative) made by Tuesdaynightname"

Thank you all for your replies.

MumTrying there was a recent thread on the elevenplusforum about SCD and a glowing review. I just wanted to cast the net a bit wider on here.

I agree the sink or swim position can happen in any school, big or small, state or independent.

I have to say that comments about Sen children do not always relate to other children who do not need a high level of support and are rather misleading if the high need isn’t stated in the first post. Nothing much that relates to Sen would ever have meant much to my DDs who also went to school in Hertfordshire. It was beside the point.

However all schools have a few minus points and you just have to weigh up how much, or how little, they mean to you. I know people who have been delighted with the school.

I was very impressed and my dc did very well there.

I know a couple of teachers there and a couple of students there, who seem v happy. Lots of DC here in Bucks do the SCD rest in year 6 as a backup in case they don’t pass the 11+ as each year SCD takes 20% (48) of its intake based on academic/musical aptitude.