Chis and Sid or Townley

[CokeZeroPlease]

First choice was c&s (mixed) grammar and we were offered Townley on offer day. DD just went to the y7 induction at Townley but wasn’t particularly happy afterwards, lots of tears saying its all too much, although I don’t know how much of that is due to leaving her very small nurturing primary school, any secondary is going to be a shock !

She’s very sporty which is why c&s won for us first time but I’ve now become quite pro the idea of all girls, however we’ve now been offered c&s. Any one with experience of either school? Distance wise is about the same.

Where in the country are these schools?

My experience of Chis and Sid is that year 7 is brutal. Lots of pressure, tons of homework with sanctions if not completed. My friend's daughter got a detention in her first week of year 7.
Year 8 is much better and the kids I know who went there all did really well. But several kids left at the end of year 7 and went to comprehensives.
I don't know anything about Townley.

@GodessOfThunder Both Bexley schools

@UmbrellaSoldiers oh blimey that does sound intense. I wonder if that’s typical y7 grammar experience or if it’s just C&S take a very hard line ?! Do you know anything about the pastoral support there ?

I don't know about other grammar schools, but the parents definitely felt it was coming down hard to set expectations in year 7. I believe the pastoral care is good, but academia is priority. When it comes to 6th form it is assumed all will go to university with very little focus or support on any other paths.
Pupils do achieve well there though!!

Thanks @UmbrellaSoldiers

I would love any insight on Townley if anyone has current dds there

Dd is at Townley just finishing Y7. She’s been very happy. There is homework and detention if not done but she’s kept on top of it and I haven’t heard of anyone leaving at the end of the year. It’s a diverse and welcoming school I think the older girls seem to support the new ones in early days, lots of clubs available. I would have preferred BGS when we were choosing but she wanted Townley and it’s been good so far.

They required us to buy a Chromebook (pupil premium would cover this if eligible and the cost could be spread), there is a smartphone ban for her year (but they all have them just can’t use in school), so those things annoyed us at the parents initial welcome session. But actually both have worked well.

Hi @newyeardelurker thats lovely to hear glad your DD settled well. And nice that the older girls are very welcoming.
DD is very keen to learn and possibly on the slightly geeky side (love her to bits) but I want her to go somewhere welcoming and accepting where she doesn’t stand out for having her hand up all the time !

Well if she’s slightly geeky she may be reassured that the gaming club is oversubscribed! Good luck deciding the right option for your DD.

DD is in year 8 at Townley, she's happy enough, she had been on the fence between that and BGS and we let her choose. We are only a few minutes walk away from Chis n Sid but it was always third choice for her. I went to Chis n Sid a very long time ago and I think it's always supposed to have been good for sporty kids. If your DD is really into sports I'm not sure Townley would come anywhere near it on that side.

We never got to see the schools when we applied because of covid. I would definitely pay heed to gut feelings after visits or see if you can visit again.

I think year 7 was a shock to all DD's friends whether they were at grammar or not. As a pp said expectations were being set. DD also came from a smaller primary but got used to the size, noise and crowds quickly.

Based on DD's experience this side of her would be fine at Townley.

Yes she is sporty which is why we liked c&s but part of me wonders if she’d enjoy an all girls environment more. She came back totally overwhelmed from the Townley induction, knows nobody going and lots of tears but I don’t know how typical that is. It’s a shame we’ve missed the C&S induction now and other then this thread I can’t find loads of info on it

DD had a summer school at Townley before starting. I think this was good for DD but not sure if that was offered again. I think DD was one of 2/3 that came from her primary school. There are girls coming from quite a distance to Townley and from lots of different primary schools so there will likely be others in her position. There does seem to be fewer issues between the girls than some of DD's friends have experienced at other schools in the area.

DD has a girl join her class this year who apparently wasn't happy at Chis n Sid but according to DD she left and may have gone back.

I did tell DD that if she wasn't happy or fitting in that we would try to move. Fortunately she's been good there.

Perhaps it might be worth contacting student services?

That’s a good shout re student services whatafaf. Thank you and I’m pleased your dd is settled and happy with no issues, hopefully will be my DD in a year !

Sorry last question whatafaf does your dd use the coach service at all? We are chislehurst so I am thinking it may be useful

I'm dropping her at the moment as Townley is only down the road from DS's primary in Bexleyheath where we used to live. We are now in Sidcup and have a direct bus. Fingers crossed that what your DD experienced was just an overwhelm blip and she settles in well.

.Class sizes at Townley in the lower years are larger than most (32) which doesn’t help with the sense of being overwhelmed. Bear in mind that although someone mentioned someone moving between grammars that isn’t very usual so don’t rely on that before sixth form.

At Sixth form there is a lot of movement between schools as a natural point of switching based on subjects available, journey times, friendship groups, teaching staff. DD is at a grammar in a neighbouring borough but just completed sixth form so not as current as some but has had the insight of those who moved from both schools into her sixth form and neither seems to stand out as hated.,

Townley is a bit more pressured as they typically do 11 GCSEs Chis n Sid is a bit more flexible on number chosen including you can choose between separate sciences or combined science but separate sciences are compulsory at Townley..

I hear the opposite to a pp that it is townley that has immense pressure on the girls. This is via a friend who works in both schools. The chis and sid children seem overall happier and well adjusted, the townley girls are more anxious and lots of girls self harming and eating disorders are rife.

My brother and also brother in law went to chis and sid - both did well. And yes it is a very sporty school so if your dd is sporty go for chis and Sid!

Listen to your dd. If she starts with a heavy heart and Townley doesn't go well, it will be forever your fault. Take the C&S offer. If your dd starts on a +ve note, it is likely to work out better.

I know nothing of either school.

I do wonder if at least some of the pressure comes from expectations at home? I guess I will see as we progress through. I probably should have mentioned earlier that DD says her friends have tutors and have had them since the beginning.

It's a shame the BBC documentary isn't still available as the grammar was Townley though there are a couple of clips still on the site.

I didn't say earlier that my school was not a good fit for me and I still remember begging to move and I think my mum just couldn't deal with it. Your support is going to mean everything. Best of luck whatever you both decide to do.

@PettsWoodParadise another parent told me the larger classes are due to the council asking the grammar schools to take a bulge year going from 192 to 224 places. I know BGS agreed to do it a few years ago and maybe Townley has agreed to do it going forward?

@euff i gather it is also to do with finding. However it has also affected staff retention on a small part. So do check staff vacancies at the respective schools. DD’s school was fortunate to have a full complement of teachers throughout her 7 years (paid above average so buildings suffered) and most grammars have fewer recruitment issues than some other schools but I know a friend’s DS who had very random science and maths teaching at his comp.

*funding not finding

neither - there are other grammars around, much less snobby than chis and Sid. Townley is better, I would say, but go for a mixed grammar with a smaller proportion of intake from private schools, for a more normal, down to earth school experience and greater diversity in friendship groups

@PettsWoodParadise that's a good point. One of the BBC clips talks about it and shows Townley using a leaver to teach year 7 to plug the gap.

@orangeleavesinautumn that's interesting. It was very snobby when I was there but that was a long time ago and the teachers still wore robes etc to assembly. I know none of the same teachers remain so would have thought it might have changed. I always felt that the sporty students got on very well with the school.

Same with BGS, friends my age who attended all said it was a lovely, caring school and want their kids to go there and parents of kids attending now say the same thing.