Cheney School Oxford - any thoughts?

13 replies

crosspelican · 26/04/2019 12:36

We live in Oxford but might have the option of moving to a much bigger house in a more fun area, but which would bring us to an unfamiliar catchment area for schools - i.e. the Cheney School, about which I know nothing. Its attainment seems to be a bit grim compared to where we are in catchment for now, and unless we got bursaries, private is off the cards right now (2 girls coming up to secondary age).

Does anyone have any current experience of the Cheney School?

OP posts:

liza25 · 26/04/2019 13:50

Hi!
I have a friend who's daughter went to Cheney. According to my friend, the school have teachers who don't teach very well and yes, the attainment is grim. His daughter eventually moved to Headington Girls School. I recommend Headington although it is private, you can still receive a bursary.

NightmareLoon · 26/04/2019 20:57

Last year's attainment was an issue as all the higher ability kids took half their GCSEs in year 10 under the old letter grades (Vs number grades) and then the govt. decided those letter grade GCSEs were discounted from progress 8.

NightmareLoon · 26/04/2019 21:00

Btw my friend who teaches at Cheney has also taught at Cherwell and thinks there's little difference between them teaching wise - the difference is Cheney has a more diverse intake.

Original poster

crosspelican · 26/04/2019 23:52

I did wonder if that was the case a bit (diverse intake) and that's really interesting about the GCSE attainment technicality because they have a new head and I couldn't understand the sharp dip in attainment last year. Thank you!

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WhyAmIPayingFees · 27/04/2019 19:05

GCSE stats just can’t be trusted now. If a school does mainly igcses those won’t even count now. Schools that allow kids to stagger their exams can easily get penalised.

LOTR · 27/04/2019 22:01

I went to Cherwell and its was always regarded as good. The opinion on Cheney was that is was a bit rough...but that may have changed a little in the last couple of years

1805 · 27/04/2019 22:13

Check Cheney will offer the subjects you want for GCSE and A level's. My friends very musical dc couldn't do music there.

Original poster

crosspelican · 28/04/2019 08:14

Thank you for the responses!

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Sickoffamilydrama · 28/04/2019 08:18

When I was young Cheney was the school that all the bad kids went too or of they got expelled from another school they got moved to there, I've heard it's improved but still rough.

Pythonesque · 28/04/2019 18:57

The intake at Cheney changed significantly perhaps 3 years ago - at least, that's the impression I got. (I live in an area where kids used to always get into Cherwell then suddenly noone did. This year they're getting offers miles away or else the new Swan school) I know children whose families are happy with Cheney; one in particular has a current Y9 and younger one will start next year. The changes in intake pattern won't have made it through to results yet, it will be interesting to see whether there is a change or not.

1805 · 29/04/2019 19:43

Don't they move the more troublesome intake pupils around between Cherwell, Cheney and Wheatley Park every few years?

NightmareLoon · 02/05/2019 21:21

All the schools get the troublesome kids in turn (often anywhere there's a space, until there's no one left but Meadowbrook), except St Greg's as they're in special measures so can refuse to take them.

Wimbles101 · 13/05/2019 11:57

Cheney has changed a lot since I was at school in the area. It did used to be regarded as not quite as academic and 'nice' as Cherwell, but now as far as I know is regarded as the better of the two as far as I know. Which is made, because Cherwell used to have an amazing rep.

i went to Headington Girls btw, and in those days girls used to move from there to Cherwell.

Flip