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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

First year of brand new school

23 replies

Maybenexttime08 · 15/02/2019 17:52

My son has the opportunity of starting in a brand new school opening for Yr 7 in September. We are nervous about this as while the trust has a very good track record, obviously being the first year of a new school there are lots of unknowns.

Does anyone have experience of sending their kids to a brand new school where they were the first and only year??

OP posts:

Candlestickchic · 18/02/2019 07:35

No, I don’t, but am wondering the same! Maybe it’s the same school.. There are pros and cons I think, so maybe it’s about working out which are most significant for your particular dc. I am still undecided and conscious d-day is fast approaching 🙁

Original poster

Maybenexttime08 · 18/02/2019 20:58

Ooh maybe - we’re in Horsham, West Sussex. I’m hoping the closer we get to d-day the more certain I’ll be!

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Candlestickchic · 19/02/2019 16:05

Yes it is the same school 😀. Are many of the other families at your ds’ primary considering the new school? My ds is at a very small school so I haven’t got a feel for how popular it will be. Though I know they have had plenty of applications from talking to the head. How many will accept their offer is another matter...

Original poster

Maybenexttime08 · 20/02/2019 08:21

Oh how funny!

At the moment my DS is at a school in Surrey as we’ve just moved down here so no others I know are going. The headmistress seemed quite positive that we’d get a place when we saw her and the school does sound exciting. The only other option for us is the all-boys which we also were very impressed with so we’re in a real conundrum!!

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BackforGood · 21/02/2019 23:03

My dd started in the 6th form when her brand new school opened.
They started with Yr7s and Y12s.
Our reckoning was that it was really important for the school for the first results to be good ones - so it would make sense for them to pull out all the stops to support any students that struggled.
Slightly different I know as we were looking at 6th form / A level placements, but the Yr7s started at the same time.

Like with anything - it depends what (realistic) choices you have.
Unknown vs a poor school with a bad reputation
or
Unknown vs a great school with a fantastic reputation

is going to give you a very different choice.

I would ask the questions about what subjects they could offer with specialist teachers - if you only have one year group in school, you have a limited amount of teachers, so what expertise will they be offering in music? Art ? RE ? Whatever Domestic Science is called this year ? etc - will they be able to afford specialist teachers in all these subjects, if there is only one year group of pupils there ?

BubblesBuddy · 22/02/2019 10:05

There are some issues with a new school that you need to weigh up. There is one in my home town and there have been some issues.

Firstly they took y7 and no 6th form. This means there are no role models, no senior sport, music or drama and in fact nothing to look up to. The ethos isn’t established. The teaching staff is small. If you don’t gel, there is no alternative. The buildings were not good enough. 5 years on they have a new building but sports facilities are poor and it looks like a warehouse for children. It’s an ok school and takes all abilities but cannot compete with the grammar. It gets parents away from the secondary they don’t like. However it’s not great but good enough.

Original poster

Maybenexttime08 · 23/02/2019 08:36

@BubblesBuddy - that is a really good point about variety of teachers. I think there will be about 6 teachers in the first year so won’t be covering every subject, and will obviously be doing a large amount of recruitment each year.

Our problem is the other choice of school is all-boys - while it has good results and we like it, we’re not sure about single-sex.

Impossible decision!

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BubblesBuddy · 23/02/2019 09:28

To put your mind at rest about single sex, many schools are single sex where I live and few people worry about it because they are the best schools. There are co Ed ones but many parents actively choose single sex. It is also important to realise that you have a role in how children view the opposite sex and schools are very much alive to ensuring boys are rounded personalities. You also will have an option of co Ed for 6th form now. I know what I would do: go to the established school. The new one would be too risky for me!

Original poster

Maybenexttime08 · 23/02/2019 11:25

Thanks @BubblesBuddy - real food for thought!

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HalleLouja · 02/03/2019 17:18

So we got an offer from the new school which is still being built and an established school as we had a separate application process.

Decisions decisions.

Original poster

Maybenexttime08 · 02/03/2019 18:34

Same with us - Bohunt and Forest - I want Bohunt, husband wants Forest - we’re in stailmate!

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Candlestickchic · 04/03/2019 18:39

Hi Maybe, we are also torn between 2 offers but going to go with Forest. Have you made your decision yet?

Original poster

Maybenexttime08 · 04/03/2019 21:11

Yup - going with Bohunt - I’m looking forward to the adventure.. My son is quite shy / a lovely misfit, so I think being the leader of a school will do his confidence some good.

We loved Forest too - it was a tough choice!

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Kiranshah471 · 05/03/2019 10:21

Hello Mums, for the people who leave in Barnet and have been offered the ARK Pioneer, what are your thoughts and are you happy with the offer.

MrsMigginsLovelyBaps · 05/03/2019 11:01

@HalleLouja, I think we might be in the same place - Herts?. Unfortunately we were offered only the new school, although are on the CI lists for the other 4 we ranked, but without any real prospect of success, so we're going to have to make the best of it.

My son is pretty ambivalent about it (of course because he's 10!) as a few of his friends are in the same position, but I was impressed with the Head of the new school and to be honest, we have no other choice.

I do worry about him being the only year there with lack of role models etc, but on the other hand, he'll get a chance to be a role model himself the following year and throughout.

Also, the lack of facilities for the first year and the number of teaching staff are a worry, but the potential to do what the consortium schools with great reputations already do, but slightly differently, does appeal., especially as my son has shown no signs so far of setting the world of academia on fire! (He's lovely and awesome in lots of other ways though.)

Kiranshah471 · 05/03/2019 11:10

We feel the same how ever, we have had an offer from out local school as well and are well confused.

HalleLouja · 05/03/2019 22:34

MrsMuggins yes I believe it’s the same school. We got a place at the boys school in St A but not sure if we should take it as it’s a long old journey from where we are.

I have reconciled myself with the lack of role models, bit of chaos etc it’s just we can see the other school and I really took a liking to it. Argh. Decisions decisions.

HalleLouja · 05/03/2019 22:36

Ps I know the head of maths and she seems capable. The head of English seems to have a good reputation and my friend was really impressed by the senco.

Kiranshah471 · 05/03/2019 23:03

Halle alpha, what school are you talking about.

HalleLouja · 07/03/2019 21:22

It’s a school in Herts.

theyellowjumper · 08/03/2019 20:53

My niece was in the 1st year of a new school when she went into Y7. She loved it, there was a really strong culture about building a new community, being the pioneers of the new school, etc, and a great relationship between staff and students, and a feeling that they were experiencing something unique. She left about 10 years ago but she is one of the most positive people I know when talking about her school experience. Of course there were some negatives, but I think you almost need to see it as a completely different kind of school experience, and something that, if well-managed, could be very positive.

Original poster

Maybenexttime08 · 09/03/2019 07:41

@theyellowjumper - my thoughts exactly and it is lovely to hear such a positive story. I’m excited about my son being part of something new where he can have an impact, and hopefully not just one of a thousand kids!

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theyellowjumper · 09/03/2019 11:06

@Maybenexttime08 that's good. I think it can also be positive for parents who want to get involved as there's no cliquey PTA already set up, and also much easier to get to know staff. I hope your son loves his new school.

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