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Secondary education

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The school from hell- Loreto Grammar School review

36 replies

megan411 · 08/03/2021 05:30

I sent my kids to Loreto grammar, a catholic school, as it had the highest A-level grades and I was told the teachers were understanding and friendly. This was not the case! For one, the whole time my daughters went to this school, they received fifty or more bad notes, and "referrals" and no good notes. I know I'm obviously biased, but there were other children, whether they were related to the principal or from richer families, were receiving good notes almost every week without fail! There is also the problem of education. My daughters were taught next to nothing about sex education, though the school claims to have classes to this effect. The most they were taught is what a tampon was and were given a class on abstinence! I know it's a Christian school, but surely there should be proper, informative teachings from a school in the 21st century? Not to mention the fact that my girls were taught, in a RE program class, that boys would use them and not take them home to their mothers if they acted improperly. Really dark age teachings in this school. There was the erasure of any kind of homosexuality in sex education, and people coming in to give talks on relationships were actually told not to mention this topic to the students! Don't LGBTQ+ students deserve to be taught how to avoid abusive relationships too? I understand it was most likely a religious standpoint, but I disagree with these types of thinking when it restricts my children's identities and fields of learning. I haven't even gotten to the teachers yet, but suffice to say, if you want your child to to have a well-rounded and instructive school life, I would recommend you send them anywhere but Loreto Grammar school.

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 08/03/2021 05:39
Biscuit
therocinante · 08/03/2021 05:49

Every girl I know who's been to Loreto (and it's only about 10, to be fair) has come out with an eating disorder, horrendous mental health or a drug problem.

I assumed it was partly to do with the atmosphere at the school - very high pressure, very poor pastoral care.

So this wouldn't surprise me.

sashh · 08/03/2021 06:28

You sent your daughters to an RC girls' grammar - what did you expect?

therocinante · 08/03/2021 06:33

@sashh

You sent your daughters to an RC girls' grammar - what did you expect?
Also a good point.
AgentProvocateur · 08/03/2021 06:34

No idea where Loreto is, but did you really expect to get comprehensive sex ed at a catholic school?

dishydishemup · 08/03/2021 06:40

Why haven't you written a complaint to the school? This is not a good way of tackling those issues head on
Are your children still at the school?

LynetteScavo · 08/03/2021 07:06

@AgentProvocateur

No idea where Loreto is, but did you really expect to get comprehensive sex ed at a catholic school?
My DC received a comprehensive sex education at their Catholic school.

I quite like the idea of DD being taught boys would use them and not take them home to their mothers if they acted improperly. Grin

wellthatsunusual · 08/03/2021 07:09

There are two Lorettos in N Ireland alone, who knows how many there are in the rest of the UK. Care to narrow it down?

Happytobejabbed · 08/03/2021 07:12

I may have got it wrong but it reads that you chose the school for your daughter on the strength of its A level results.

There’s more to a school than its A level results - as you’re now finding out.

Results can be massaged. Brochures always show happy smiling staff and pupils.

Did you visit*, speak to others?

You wrote about notes, ( demerit notes?) what does a pupil have to do to ‘earn’ one? How do you know that everyone else has got positive ones?

Pupils - even your own child - aren’t always the best reporters of fact, especially when they’re not 100% happy.

Now if you’ve evidence of so many bad notes you need to have a few talks, both with the school and your daughter. I’m not sure if your daughter is still there.

To get so many - is your daughter as well behaved, decent, hard working as you think/hope/believe.

With regard to sex education - What were you expecting from a Catholic school? It has to be said that sex education has to be in partnership with parents. You shouldn’t expect schools to do all of it but I hear what you’re saying.

  • not sure of dates and so real visits may not have been possible.
KihoBebiluPute · 08/03/2021 07:25

Loreto is a particular order of catholic nuns - there are a vast number of schools called loreto in various countries.

I wouldn't send any DC to a catholic school because it is pretty obvious that the PSHE curriculum would be affected by the well-known attitude of the catholic church towards homosexuality, sexual activity and reproduction. Yabvvvu to have sent your child there not expecting them to be taught about these issues from an RC viewpoint. If your child is still there move them to a different school. If this is all in the past now then you had 7 years to take action and chose not to.

sashh · 08/03/2021 09:41

My DC received a comprehensive sex education at their Catholic school.

I'd hazard a guess it wasn't a girls school.

MindyStClaire · 08/03/2021 09:48

I went to a Loreto school in Ireland and left nearly 20 years ago now. I remember full sex ed, including methods of contraception, in both religion and science classes.

therocinante · 08/03/2021 10:21

Ah I didn't realise it was a type of school, rather than a particular place - I'm talking about the one in South Manchester! Apologies if you're not, OP.

LongTimeMammaBear · 08/03/2021 10:33

My take away from your ranting is that :-

  • your DDs misbehave regularly
  • you have clearly no understanding about Catholic principles at all in that you expect sex education in a Catholic school
  • I agree, if you act like an immoral (using this word to avoid censure) , or let’s say, freely and without care sleeping around, then yes - boys may not view you as material to bring home to mum. I teach my own DD this. Have respect for themselves and then people will respect them.

This school is clearly not for you.

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 08/03/2021 10:38

Why are you relying on school to teach your daughters about sex?

Chickenkatsu · 08/03/2021 10:42

Is that in Altrincham?

TCMcK · 08/03/2021 10:56

I have a daughter at this school, do you mean the Loreto in Altrincham? I have no complaints about the school whatsoever.

KaptainKaveman · 08/03/2021 13:50

There's one in St Albans.

KaptainKaveman · 08/03/2021 13:51

@megan411

I sent my kids to Loreto grammar, a catholic school, as it had the highest A-level grades and I was told the teachers were understanding and friendly. This was not the case! For one, the whole time my daughters went to this school, they received fifty or more bad notes, and "referrals" and no good notes. I know I'm obviously biased, but there were other children, whether they were related to the principal or from richer families, were receiving good notes almost every week without fail! There is also the problem of education. My daughters were taught next to nothing about sex education, though the school claims to have classes to this effect. The most they were taught is what a tampon was and were given a class on abstinence! I know it's a Christian school, but surely there should be proper, informative teachings from a school in the 21st century? Not to mention the fact that my girls were taught, in a RE program class, that boys would use them and not take them home to their mothers if they acted improperly. Really dark age teachings in this school. There was the erasure of any kind of homosexuality in sex education, and people coming in to give talks on relationships were actually told not to mention this topic to the students! Don't LGBTQ+ students deserve to be taught how to avoid abusive relationships too? I understand it was most likely a religious standpoint, but I disagree with these types of thinking when it restricts my children's identities and fields of learning. I haven't even gotten to the teachers yet, but suffice to say, if you want your child to to have a well-rounded and instructive school life, I would recommend you send them anywhere but Loreto Grammar school.
So....all those years you sent them there and didn't intervene?
Yellow85 · 08/03/2021 13:56

I went to a catholic school. As far as sex education goes I was:

Expected to join the pro-life group

All girls (never the boys) were brought to assembly to watch an ultrasound video of an abortion.

Not to mention the silent scream video.

blowonitthen · 08/03/2021 14:04

Sounds awful - but just as I would expect from a Roman Catholic girls' to be honest.

SussexCharm2000 · 08/03/2021 20:32

There are several Loreto schools and I think it would be good if you can confirm which one you are talking about.

Having said that I attended one in the 80s and there was a decent sex education programme through the years. In the sixth form we even have a local Catholic GP come in and discuss the importance of smear tests and sexual health etc.

We did have a sweet old nun who decided to add her two penny’s worth on sex Ed in a RE lesson. She was at least 80! And uttered the immortal lines «girls your eyes are for seeing, your ears for listening and your reproductive organs for reproducing and nothing else». 😂😂😂😂

JumpLeadsForTwo · 06/04/2021 22:50

This clearly wasn't the school you thought you signed up for, but if your DDs received 50+ "bad notes" then it seems there was an issue with their behaviour- surely this wasn't down to the sex education?!My DDs both go to a catholic school and the sex Ed covers all the topics and more than I'd expect with an underlying "this is the catholic view however...." LBTQ+ and diversity is accepted and celebrated. There is a big emphasis on healthy relationships as well as sex. I think it has come a long way from the weird cartoons/ scary birth videos that constituted sec Ed of my non catholic education.

LilacTrees · 06/04/2021 22:57

Are bad notes bad grades?
I think notes = grades in French.
Or behaviour points for bad behaviour?

GCAcademic · 06/04/2021 23:04

@sashh

You sent your daughters to an RC girls' grammar - what did you expect?
I went to one of those 30 years ago, and it doesn’t sound like things have changed much since then, apart from that it’s now acceptable to stick a tampon inside your vagina.
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