Forest Hill Boys

[JuneMyNameIsJune]

Can anyone provide their experience and opinions about the school?

I went to one of the open mornings and really liked the new head. He was open and honest about the funding issue and staffing crisis. I do wonder if they're just ahead of the curve with the funding issue and maybe they've made cuts in advance of everyone else.

Not one I looked at cos I have a girl but the closing date for applications was yesterday!

Erm, yes I know that! Just garnering opinion from people with experience of the school. Plenty of people look at schools in Y5 too.

Oh Phew. I was worried you might have got the date wrong and you might have to go into panic mode. I did a few tours in Year 5 too.

I didn't mean it in a rude way. I just didn't want you too miss out.

LOL - can you imagine the trauma of missing the deadline after shlepping around all those schools. I don't think I'd ever recover!

I have friends with boys there and they seem happy. Have you asked on one of the SE23 Facebook pages?

What other schools are you looking at?

I don't do Facebook but that sounds like a good idea.

FHB is the closest state school that we'd be guaranteed a place. Kingsdale and Harris are other options. Not totally sold on any of them TBH, hence wanting unvarnished opinions.

I am fingers crossed everything was submitted properly. Hopefully I will have relaxed my fingers by March. Long wait now!
Sorry I can't really advise on Forest Hill Boys though.

I’m also hearing good things about deptford green and don’t discount Hillyfields Ladywell

Ask on se23 life, it's the local forum. They've posted quite a lot about the school if I recall correctly.

Have 2 boys there, very happy with it, headmaster seems to be on top of everything with very clear plans for the future of the school, and both boys progressing well

Thanks milliememum - I am really encouraged to hear positive views from people who's children currently go there. I know several fantastic boys who went, did really well and are friends of my older ones but I don't know anyone with kids there now.

Also, thanks costacoffeecup - I checked out se23life. There were a few threads but they were mainly last year when they were in the eye of the storm of strikes. Interesting opinions on that so thanks for the heads-up.

@junemynameisjune , the school has had its, widely publicised, problems with staffing and finances , but they have kept parents up to date with their progression plan and how it will be implemented and changes they have made, like I say, I am very happy with the school!

Thanks - it's good to have confirmation of someone directly involved. I got a really good feel when I visited.

We can't get past the abysmal results even after visiting and despite recent improvement. Know people with boys there though that are happy.

@chandellina Do you have a preference for other local schools? I got the feeling that the results in the year of the strike were a blip in the history of an otherwise good school but maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe.
I think they've always been right around or below national average and below the London average. My son sat grammar school tests so a couple of those went on our CAF, plus Kingsdale and Harris Academies Crystal Palace and East Dulwich. We're also applying for a few independents.

It’s very difficult to compare the results of selective and non-selective schools. All those other schools you’ve listed select in some way - either through grammar tests, banding tests, scholarships etc. Obviously everyone wants their children to go to the best school, that’s a given. However, local authority-run schools like FHS have no control over their intake so it’s something to bear in mind when comparing results between schools.

I have two DSs at Forest Hill and am very happy with it. DS1 in year 11 and predicted 8s and 9s at GCSE, for what it's worth. The teachers seem to go the extra mile - phoning to tell you when your son has done something great, replying to emails on Sunday.