South Devon Secondaries

[Grevillea]

Can anyone recommend either Ivybridge or Kingsbridge academies in South Devon?

I'm moving from Australia early next year with a 12 and 15 year old, ideally to somewhere within a 5-mile radius of Modbury.

From what I've seen online, both schools have good reviews, but I'd really appreciate some local knowledge.

The children will be moving from a private school, which they've attended since age 5, and so I'd like the transition to be as stress-free as possible (especially as they'll be getting a big enough shock to the system weather-wise, leaving in the middle of the Aussie summer!).

One is sporty & the other is academic. Both are musical. Given that we'll be arriving mid-year, I'm guessing it's unlikely that they'll get a place at Ivybridge - which appears to be oversubscribed - so would it even be worth applying there anyway? Kingsbridge looks great, but a bit more "relaxed"?

I've a lot to learn about the UK education system so any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks lovelies!

KCC has a good reputation locally I believe. Most local children go there including ( in the past) various relatives of mine. All had good results and a good experience there. The only issue I can foresee is that your 15 year old Would arrive slap bang into GCSE courses . schools usually start GCSE courses in year 10 (14/15 year olds) but there is also an increasing trend to start the courses in year 9 particularly for science. The exams are in the summer of year 11. If she is already 15 now then it might be that she will arrive in the UK year 11. Not sure how a state school would manage this since it’s clesrly not ideal since the syllabus your daughter is studying is unlikely to match up. Sometimes the private sector can manage this - particularly if they are an international school because they are used to it. But private options are few and far between in that neck of the woods. I suggest you contact KCC and ask them how it would work. Good luck

Thanks thisisconfusing.
My daughter is still 14 but as she's a British summer baby (birthdate end of July), I'm hoping she can be held back and start half way through Year 10, which would make her 15 and a half in January 2019. She's very academic so shouldn't find it too hard to catch up with the local syllabus.
I've emailed both schools but I guess the next hurdle will be not currently living in the catchment area ...
Good to hear KCC has a good reputation though.

Please stress to the schools about your preference to be held back a year. It is VERY difficult to get agreement for this at state secondaries I'm afraid.

Middle son is planning to go to Ivy for 6th form (currently at a Plymouth grammar). Huge school, excellent drama department and of course excellent at sport. Ds2 is very into drama (wants to go to drama school), hence the move. The other person I know moving from his school is excellent at sport. So if very into sport may be worth pursuing ivy.

And Modbury a great place to live. Are you beach Aussies? Kids will love Bigbury/Bantham if so.

I only know Kingsbridge and it is a great school. Lots of friends with kids there and all have done well, weather they are academic or more suited to vocational courses. The school seems to be able to provide for all really well.

Thanks everyone!
Yes, son is a surfie so Bigbury/Bantham was a real drawcard for us. Might just have to invest in a full steamer westsuit for him though- lol.

My only reservation with Ivybridge is that it seems really, really big - over 2000 students. Coming from a Kindy-Year 12 school of just over 1000, it might be slightly intimidating.

Would anyone have any knowledge of King Edward V1 Community College in Totnes? Just exploring further options...

Thanks titchy for the advice - interestingly, KCC was adamant my daughter wouldn't be held back a year (even though her birthday falls just 5 days out of the cut-off date) and therefore would be attending the school for just 4 months before sitting GCSEs. However, a grammar school said it would have no problem holding her back (providing a place was available and that she passed the tests).

KEVICS was really popular a few years ago, but I don’t know what it’s like now.

Ivybridge was quite popular with my kids primary over the years - quite a few kids went/go there. Primary classes tiny (about 15) with about 150 in the school at the time (it’s a bit bigger now). People who went there said it was fine and you didn’t notice the size because it was well run and because of the way it is structured. It’s weird - it didn’t feel huge when we looked for 6th form, although I was expecting it to whereas places like Tavistock - another large school- have always felt huge. It must be the way the site is arranged.

Was that Plymouth High willing to take out year? PHSG & DHSG quote different schools. Most parents I speak to seem happier with PHSG (although DHSG is supposedly the ‘better’ school based on results - it is quite pressurised from talking to Friends whose kids went/go there).

Devilishpyjamas, it was Churston Ferrers Grammar - they were very helpful.

I’d never even heard of it - it looks good - although bit of a pain to get to from Modbury?

Well, that's the thing. If the Local Authority refuses to hold daughter back a year at a state secondary then we're looking at a grammar school. She's bright enough; it just depends on whether they have places.
Which means we'll probably have to head further west towards Totnes ...

East rather! (everything's upside down in Oz!)

Grammars are state schools as well. So they shouldn’t make any difference really.

As most secondaries are academies now, they are their own admissions authority, so if the school is an academy then it can decide itself whether to admit a child into a different year. Grammar schools are state schools, so your issue is not state vs grammar, its more likely to be LA community school vs academy.

It would appear that KCC is not actually an academy, so are likely to be aligning with the local authority view which normally in most LA's to be negative about children out of year. Churston is however an academy, so can make their own decisions.