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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Colyton grammar

72 replies

movingtodevon1 · 14/04/2023 09:23

Hi
We are in the process of relocating to Devon due to my partners work and are looking at areas within 40 mins commute of Exeter with good schools. My daughter currently y5 is very keep on Colyton but with no grammars in our current location we are clueless of wether she would make the cut with 11 plus etc.
She is bright, vey good with creative writing and grammar, her maths is slightly above average for her age but not her strongest skill. We wouldn't want to go down a tutor route so basically what Im asking is will an academically able but non tutored/hothoused child stand a chance or do I need to steer her away from this idea?

OP posts:
ChirpyChirpyCheepCheepBeep · 14/04/2023 09:59

Colyton is a super selective (so no catchment area) and takes the top 155 scorers from a very wide area - my child has friends who live as far away as villages south west of Exeter, Dorchester, Taunton. So there is a lot of competition for those places.

Not everyone is tutored but a very substantial number are from September of year 5. Those who aren’t tutored do a lot of work with parents.

Original poster
movingtodevon1 · 14/04/2023 21:41

Thanks, I'll have a chat to manage her expectations. Shes been doing online 11 plus practice questions and is doing well so we shall see nearer the cut off for applications if she wants to sit the 11+

OP posts:
Unsuredad123 · 14/04/2023 23:29

DD2 is in yr6 and had about 10 sit the colyton 11 plus, from her class although only 2 of them got in. I think it's been a similar stat over the previous few years in the primary school.

We didn't consider it to start with but she asked to try late in Yr 5 and got in. There certainly seem to be quite a few who tutor early, given how late dds interest in colyton was she didn't do much. Where abouts are you looking to move?

crazeecatlady · 14/04/2023 23:41

There are good grammar schools in Torquay. They achieve very highly with regards to uni entry

LudlowStreet · 14/04/2023 23:55

Very regularly poster, name changed for this.
I have two at Colyton Y10 and Y12, both very happy there. I also have another secondary school child, at a very good school. I would say Colyton is better though. Just little things like they always answer emails quickly, pastoral care has been very good with one of my (naughty) children. My children weren't tutored and one is very lazy academically, well, two are but one of those didn't get in. They had no pressure from us and partly wanted to do the test because they'd heard you get a big biscuit, all three enjoyed doing the test.

goodbyestranger · 14/04/2023 23:58

Colyton is super selective in the geographical sense but not in the sense of it being super competitive to get in. It bears no comparison to the London grammars for example. That said, I would tend to say that slightly above average maths wouldn’t see your DC make the cut. All eight of my DC attended Colyton from Y7 to Y13 so I know a bit about the school.

goodbyestranger · 15/04/2023 00:05

Also, if you are dependent on state education for financial or political reasons, then you need to choose your new home with great care, since not many state schools within forty minutes of Exeter are much good, and some are seriously bad. Maybe think about living in Ottery to be in the catchment for Kings, or your DC could be snookered educationally. Exeter School is good too, but independent.

Original poster
movingtodevon1 · 15/04/2023 00:16

We are still deciding what part of Devon to move to. Easy commute to Exeter is a must and no more than 40 minutes.
East Devon is my happy place so Im drawn but am open to any suggestions with good schooling. Private isn't an option financially at least for the next 5 years.

OP posts:
LudlowStreet · 15/04/2023 00:23

Woodruff and Uffculme schools are both good.

devongal1975 · 05/05/2023 12:47

Avoid Uffculme definitely. Massive behavior and bullying issues

ChessieFL · 05/05/2023 12:50

Does it have to be Devon? Taunton has good schools and only about half an hour to Exeter on motorway.

bestmotherever · 05/05/2023 12:54

Taunton has Bishops foxes which is meant to be good. Heathfield is bad and have heard good and bad things about Castle. The Kings in Ottery is outstanding but I would not rely on Ofsted reports. As previously mentioned, stay well away from Uffculme and Tiverton way

Original poster
movingtodevon1 · 05/05/2023 13:53

Thank you so much for the advice we had decided to base our house hunting around Uffculme or the Kings but based on today’s advise it looks like Uffculme is out!
perhaps looking further afield towards Taunton may be an option.

OP posts:
TreeByLeaf · 05/05/2023 13:57

Kings is great. But you’ll probably need to make sure you are in catchment AND at a feeder primary. It is very over subscribed, and there are a lot of new houses in Ottery. So I’d check the situation at feeder primaries , get in to one of those if possible , and go from there.

SingingWaffleDoggy · 05/05/2023 14:08

Woodroffe is good but a little too far for an easy commute to Exeter. The western edge of their catchment may just fall into that 40 minutes though and you’d be ideally situated for Colyton if that plan comes to fruition.
Honiton CC was awful but improving with the new head.
Kings is good but as above, you need to be in catchment and ideally in a feeder.

EveryWitchWaybutLoose · 05/05/2023 14:52

Have a look at the Torquay grammar schools. Doable from Exeter.

prettyflowerlover · 13/05/2023 18:28

The Kings School is meant to be good. Ottery is a nice little safe town. Might be hard to get into though unless you're in the catchment zone. The Exeter secondary schools aren't great, but as said by others earlier stay well away from Uffculme. Devon isn't the best county for schools in all honesty.

MightyEagle · 13/05/2023 18:45

There's a great lady in Torquay, Jane Powell, who does mock 11+ exams. We did a couple in person, but I think you might be able to do them online? She marks the papers, and tells you roughly where that score places you (top half, top third etc) so you can have some sort of idea what you're up against.

I wouldn't rule out Uffculme altogether just yet. I'm very aware that there have been some bullying issues in the past couple of years, but it's built a very strong reputation over many years, and I still know a number of kids who are very happy there.

amyamyamy1 · 13/05/2023 19:03

I would completely rule out Uffculme to be honest - my children were bullied to death there and the staff higher up at the school are victim blamers. I wrote formal letters to the headteacher and goveners, and they blamed my kids for them getting bullied. They completely refuse to acknowledge the school's problems. According to my kids grades the teaching was below average as they were bright in primary but underperformed at Uffculme. Many of my friends who sent their children there had similar issues with the bullying etc. Some of the kids ended up with mental health problems, and the teachers refused to acknowledge it and treated them worse apparently, so their poor mental health got worse until they snapped. About half the parents tried to take them kids out the school but the school scared them into keeping them there. It's a horrid school for me and few have good experiences with it in my experience

misskaren57 · 17/05/2023 14:40

Sidmouth is a nice town and I think the school is good. Ottery st mary likewise but unfortunately you probably won't get in unless you're in the catchment area. Don't think the schools in Exeter are great and Torquay may be a bit far but there's good schools there. Uffculme was terrible when my daughter was there, I've heard it's even worse now. Hopefully your child gets into Colyton, as the Devon state schools don't tend to be brilliant

goodbyestranger · 17/05/2023 20:56

Sidmouth is most certainly not a good school, although Sidmouth is a beautiful town.

The OP's DC may well have an issue with maths as far as Colyton goes, since just above average is very unlikely to bag a place. In OP's situation I would strongly suggest buying right next to King's Ottery. It ticks the commuting box and is far and away the next best to Colyton, but you won't get in out of area.

Original poster
movingtodevon1 · 18/05/2023 14:33

Does anyone know how Clyst Vale Community
College performs? Ive been told its good and the Ofsted report is encouraging.

OP posts:
ladyfromslough · 23/05/2023 13:12

Clyst Vale community college I've heard good things about and the google maps reviews are very good

Spring78Mermaid · 23/05/2023 13:19

Cyst Vale and St Peter’s CofE are two of the better secondaries in Exeter outside the private sector. Colyton typically only take 1-2 from each primary over a large area ie the kid in top set on top table has been my experience amongst peers. Ottery kings has good reputation but like mentioned you have to be very in catchment.

Unsuredad123 · 23/05/2023 20:28

Have a DC in year 7 of st peters, so limited information, however generally pleased with the school so far. Have friends who have had dc go through Clyst Vale and they have sung the schools praises. Exmouth Community College generally gets a bad review, however I know let's of people who are really pleased with it. I think DC who are in the middle sets struggle as not pushed as with those at the top and not given extra attention as with those at the bottom.

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