Oxford state schools - Oxford Spires, Cheney and Matthew Arnold

[KleineDracheKokosnuss]

I’ve been pondering where to apply for DC1 to go to secondary school and would love to get any views that are out there on the above three schools.

What’s the teaching like (especially for maths and science)? What’s the atmosphere like? What are the good and not so good aspects? Is there real SEN support? Are the highest ability students stretched?

Matthew Arnold probably the best of the three. But where do you live? They are on different sides of the world. The Cherwell is the best state in Oxford, and the Swan is going well too.

We’re south and based on roads/bus routes all three will be viable.

My daughter is at Cheney. It is a truly diverse school and they have their share of challenging kids but currently it has an excellent head and leadership team. I think the atmosphere is good and the teachers seem motivated and enthusiastic (which is an achievement at the moment!). The behaviour has really improved recently. Happy with the maths and science teaching but like everywhere they are a bit stretched and are recruiting for maths in particular.
Being a state school funding is tight, but I think they do a good job with what they have.
Definitely worth a visit - I was impressed when I looked around.
It's a 'real' city school with all that entails. My daughter went in with a solid friendship group from primary school that has made it much easier though, so can't say how it would be coming in cold.
My two BFs kids go to Matthew Arnold and Spires. From what I hear there has been a bit of a crisis in management at Spires and other friends kids there aren't happy. Not sure I'd recommend.
Matthew Arnold is okay, just another very stretched school resources wise. My friend has had issues with communication with the SEN team there.
Swan has been mentioned but feedback from our friends is that it is TOO strict and rigid. Detentions are given our for very minor things. Also we have heard of bullying there.

I think having motivated teachers and a good ethos is going to be key. How’s the pastoral side at the Cheney? DC1 is fairly introverted and struggles with ‘people’ sometimes, so I want to make sure there’s support :)

It's a mixed bag I think. Some staff are excellent and some not so good. It's a bit of a lottery as to who you get as a tutor/head of year. I think that generally they do care, but there are just so many kids that it's hard for them to deal with all of the individual issues.
We did have an issue with our daughter in the first year and weren't very impressed, but it did get sorted eventually and she's really happy now.

My understanding is that Bartholomew is the strongest on pastoral. I agree that the Swan is a bit marmite - I know of children who left within the year, and others who are LOVING the structure. Sorry, not helping at all by adding other schools into the conversation!

No- that’s really interesting. Bartholomew could also work as I can drive DC1 there. If they have strong pastoral it’s definitely going to be worth a visit.

It's got good buses too - it would have to really. I've heard of some bullying in Matthew Arnold this year (but surely that would always be the way in a big school?) and Bartholomew just seems nicer in some ways.

Was going to suggest bartholomew

cheyney is known for having some very hard behaviourally difficult kids who are not well managed by the school, but that is a couple of years out of date. That was the reputation for at least 10 years though. Difficult to turnaround a school like that but maybe it’s happening.

As a Cheney parent I would say that they have really turned around the management of the challenging kids in recent times and discipline seems to be under control now. They have a 'school within a school' so that the challenging kids don't disrupt the other kids, without giving up on the challenging ones. They will work hard to keep them in and not give up on them. But they do exclude if necessary.

that that’s good to hear @Arcadia

We are forced to move to Oxford quite unexpectedly and I am looking at schools for my Y9 daughter. Is it practical for her to commute to Barthelomew school from city centre?

I don't know if you would even get a place. It also depends where you are in oxford. If you really ean city centre then I would say that is not a good commute. If you mean north oxford/cutteslowe that would be a lot better.
If I was in the city centre, and needing a state secondary, I would be sending my kid to Cherwell.

Bartholomew is oversubscribed - I highly doubt you'd get a place coming into year 9. It's an excellent school though and worth a go.

Is Cherwell an option for you? The three you mentioned haven't had the best rep, although it's encouraging to hear the management has improved for Cheney.

Might be worth looking at the Abingdon schools as well, particularly Larkmead.

City Centre should be catchment for the Cherwell and that should be your first target, @Delphigirl , although it's v oversubscribed so you can't be sure. But Oxford has a more fluid population than many places, so you never know. Get on to the council asap and put Cherwell down as your first preference, then the Bartholemew.

Bear in mind that the bus out to the Bartholemew goes down Botley Road, so until October, and then again next Spring til the following October, your child will have to walk to the top of Botley Road, just past the railway station, to get the bus from Osney Island. But then the bus goes all the way there, and loads of kids will be on it.

Look up roadworks Botley Road or Network Rail.

@Delphigirl simce you’re coming in looking for year 9 places, you e got a better chance of Cherwell. Get on to the council to see where places currently are.

I’m not looking for any places!!! I’m already in oxford and the last of my 4 kids is in year 13.

Sorry, meant @concernedparent83