Anyone with girls at Newstead Wood?

[wowsaidtheowl]

Just looking for an up to date opinion on the school. I expected to love it but went for a tour on Monday and left feeling flat and underwhelmed.

The tour was odd due to restrictions- hardly saw any lessons, couldn’t go into specialist room or speak to staff and the poor Year 7 girl couldn’t answer any questions about curriculum, trips - she didn’t even know her way around the school because they’d been stuck in their form rooms all year. We then had an opportunity to talk to the head of sixth form who didn’t know much about KS3 and couldn’t answer questions.

The buildings looked shabby and I was expecting that but I thought there would be amazing, inspiring teaching on show! But I also know that it’s a hugely oversubscribed school.

What do you as parents think of it? What do your children think? I know my daughter would be ok with pressure but I also want her to be excited and inspired.

It's a very good school. Hopefully @Pettswoodparadise will reply.

She did on another forum!

Thanks for the tag @Lightsabre I think the same question has been posted on the elevenplusexams forum and I have replied there.

Good luck @wowsaidtheowl

My daughter has just finished y10 at NW. Broadly speaking, she is quite happy there.

1. Buildings are shabby. But I don’t think you need to have shiny classrooms for good teaching (looks at own leaking victorian state y2 classroom ceiling and sighs).

1. We have found the school very nurturing and caring. My DD is quite anxious and hard on her self (sometimes think she would have been better at another school where less pressure to have swathes of 9s but too late now!). At times we have had to contact the school about her anxiety, and they have always responded quickly and helpfully.

1. Lockdown provision was good.

1. Inspiring teaching. As with most schools - and indeed most professions - some are inspiring, some less so. (DS at St Olave’s, always interesting for a comparison, and would say NW similar-ish).

1. We have been underwhelmed by the extra curricular provision, particularly Music - but all state schools struggle with this. And obvs, COVID has meant no school trips/ clubs for over a year.

1. Overall: DD is getting a very good education. I wish the extra curricular stuff was better/ broader, but friends with children at other state schools have similar experiences. We live at the edge of the 9 mile catchment so DD misses having local friends (most seem to be Orpington/ bromley/ beckenham) and this feeling was of course exacerbated in lockdown.

HTH and best of luck to your DD.

Thank you! That’s really helpful - my daughter sounds very similar to yours so it’s good to know that the teaching team have been supportive when needed.