Anyone know Ibstock Place?

[refusetobeasheep]

In Roehampton? Considering it for my daughter but I don't know anyone who has kids there. So any info / thoughts welcome!

GandT I agree with you! I have DC at 3 different schools, all have their good points and things that could be better. Of all, I think Ibstock is the only one genuinely trying to listen and engage with parents.
My DC are very happy there and have so many amazing opportunities as it is a lot more inclusive than the ‘alpha’ environments at many other Sw london indies.

Im not sure why it has a small minority of parents who like to publicly bash the school - most people I know are very happy with it.

@GandTtime - couldn’t agree more. With the exception of a small handful that complain about most things in the WhatsApp groups ( the same handful!) everyone we know is really happy there which suggests they chose a school that suits their kids and their values. I personally love that the school champion inclusivity as it ensures all children can be happy and thrive and I like the fact that the kids are given warnings which lead to detentions if they don’t take heed. You will get a really good feel for it and know if it’s right for you by walking around and chatting to the pupils and teachers - certainly lots on this chain doesn’t resonate with me or any of the parents I know!

Really interesting thread. A question for me is how can any school really, properly champion ‘inclusivity’ when it is now so academically selective? What about the academically average pupils who don’t get offered a place after the 156 questions in one hour entrance exam that they administer at 11+? I know this is the case in many indie secondary schools but IPS really is no more ‘inclusive’ than any other indie school.

My DC was impressed by the grounds, the swimming pool and the dining hall food at the open day but it’s very helpful to have some perspective from those with children at the school. In all honesty it doesn’t sound like a match for us. It sounds like a school which prefers compliant, conformist, easy to teach children as opposed to anyone more individual, free spirited and unique.

I may be wrong but that is the feeling I got when scratched the (very polished) surface.

Very interesting email HackettGreen and thanks for your honest feedback.
Food for thought for prospective IPS offer holders…

Hi Vista123, I'd be interested to hear your personal experiences with regards to Ibstock? Did you have a child there?

Hi Londonsummer

No personal experience of Ibstock (other than the assessment process) - was just referring to the previous post by HackettGreen.

It’s really disappointing to hear that first impressions are not good for those applying to Ibstock. I do honestly believe that it’s important to make a good start especially with anxious 11 + parents.

However, I do have dc at the school (a teen who is currently using the counselling service) and they have all been amazing and it wasn’t difficult to access in any way at all! We have found communication always honest and open and staff very easy to get hold of.

I do think it’s a little rude Burbia to tell people to find ‘a better place’ when you have no experience of the school in more depth than a simple telephone conversation with a receptionist. I hope you find your perfect school (if one truly exists) and your dc is as happy there as mine are at Ibstock.

Thanks vista123. As discussed on another thread, Ibstock stage 1 CEM exam experience this year was unnecssarily stressful for the children.

I worked at the school for a year. The whole school is a mysogenistic nightmare for the pupils and staff . A culture of fear prevailed amongst all teaching staff. Females at this school are not looked after in any way shape or form.

Female staff were repeatidly scared of their managers, feird for their jobs and accepted bullying managerial tactics.

10 women teachers complained about one manager, nothing was done about this.

If you want to send your son to a school that breeds mysoganiny or a daughter that that accepts that rubbish . Send the to Ibstock Place School.

Yes, please move.

Great to know that you are relinquishing your place at the end of the year @HackettGreen I have two daughters at Ibstock and am waiting for a place for my son. I don't recognise the school you describe - my children are very happy and enthusiastic, involved in so many extra-curricular clubs and love their learning. The Head and staff really care about the children, who are generally lovely, even if some of their parents are very demanding and critical. Typical SW London types.

Some children will always have problems, whichever school they choose and however good the counselling service (which is excellent at Ibstock and which is open to everyone). IMO Ibstock is fabulous and if you're child gets a place, they are very lucky.

@SusanClaire Why would any self-respecting professional go on Mumsnet to make anonymous accusations about colleagues?

I agree. These posts seem very strange.
My DC have thrived at Ibstock and and we are very happy with the school.

I have dc at Ibstock and also a good friend (female) who teaches a co-curricular subject there. She has nothing but high praise for the place and its teaching staff. She also works in lots of other schools and says that Ibstock is far better than some of the ‘sort after, high league table’ schools that praise themselves on mental well-being and pastoral care.

I understand why some parents are not happy at certain schools and have their own reasons to leave but Ibstock is not alone in this and there has always been lots of movement within the secondary schools in London, even amongst my dc’s peers from primary school. It’s a difficult decision choosing schools at 11 plus and not everyone gets it right, but we have been extremely happy at Ibstock and I am quite frankly shocked at the pp who felt they had to rant about the school on mumsnet in a very unprofessional manner.

Hi all, my DC has just been offered a place at Ibstock and currently considering it so would be grateful for more up-to-date information on the level of discipline, detentions? I was concerned to see older posts from 2021 about "punitive approach" and many detentions handed out for small reasons etc. How has the situation changed now with the new Head? How is the pastoral care? What are the positives and negatives about this school in your opinions? Thank you

I have replied on other threads but I can’t recommend the school at all. Obviously some parents are still happy but there are many who aren’t and are forming groups to support each other in their frustration.
Pupils are disciplined harshly for minor issues yet larger behaviour issues such as bullying or constant disruption in class are largely ignored and have grown out of control.

I’d agree with the misogynistic comments too particularly from the boys. I hear from friends in the year group that the current Y7 is full of mini Andrew Tates but the school won’t act beyond doling out meaningless detentions.

The Head claims to listen but rejects any criticism and is not very visible to the pupils on a day to day basis and his deputies - one in particular - can be downright rude to parents, pupils and staff alike. So many complaints yet no action taken or apologies given.
That was probably my biggest issue. No ownership when mistakes had been made which obviously they will be, just outright denial even when a parent had concrete evidence of an incident or issue.

We tried hard to work with the school to resolve our own issues but ultimately they didn’t want to know so in the end we voted with our feet.
They sell themselves well and if you have a bright child who is unlikely to have any pastoral issues it’s probably fine but I would agree with the majority of negative posts on this thread as they mirror a lot of our own experiences.

It’s a great school and the pastoral care is very good in my experience. I have a a boy and girl in the senior school and they are happy and busy with lovely friends and their teachers are dedicated. My daughter has accessed the amazing counsellors a few times - she is very driven and does lots of sport and clubs on offer - there are so many - and she’s been helped with juggling time/pressure she puts on herself. There are warnings and consequences for missed homework and interventions or detentions for misbehaviour, yes and there should be if you want a safe school.

Pupils who are persistently difficult and whose parents can only blame the school rather than working with it are probably eventually encouraged to move on and I wonder whether that is the case with one or two commenting here?. Some kids who can’t hack structure end up at ACS which is a relaxed school for spoiled children it seems.

There is a lot of communication with home I think but some parents are very combative and know it all on the WhatsApp group, so I can’t imagine they are easy for the school to deal with. Most families are local and there are some lovely parents. The kids are great. Bullying, including misogyny or racism it rare and is taken extremely seriously and the children are all educated about values and kindness contanstly.

Sadly our experience is not a positive one either.

The offer holders day when we joined was very impressive with a strong focus on pastoral care. That convinced us this would be a good school for our DC. We live locally and were aware of the negative reputation historically.

Please proceed with caution and try not to be blinded by the impressive Offer Holder Days, Instagram posts and other marketing events.

In our experience, racism and misogynistic behaviour from the boys is commonplace and the senior leadership team are either unwilling or lacking the professional skills to manage it.