Secondaries within Exeter

[educationfather]

Hi
Looking for any up to date opinions on ISCA state school or west EXE in Exeter - we were hoping to move to Topsham and have read many negative things about schools in Exeter so just wondering how up to date they were and what anyone with children at these schools think

Avoid any school under the Ted Wragg Trust like the plague. Bullying is rife and their behaviour policies are more focused on punishing uniform discrepancies than actual negative behaviour.

St Peter's Aided School is just up from Countess Wear roundabout and not part of the trust.

Hi is that recent experience of a child within the school ?

that's a shame to hear any others with views welcome

I don't have a DC at any of the Tedd Wragg schools but had heard they seem very strict on discipline.

Have a dc at at peters, seems to be getting on OK. I dont know a huge amount about either of the schools mentioned in the OP

This was a recent article regarding the new Head at Isca School. https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/isca-academy-staff-survey-comments-8429828

My children are not yet secondary school age thankfully.

It would also be worth asking on the ‘mums in Exeter’ FB page as well. There is whole website / campaign against the Ted Wragg Trust. https://www.tedwragg.com/

Anyone else ?

Yeah, the Exeter secondaries and other Ted Wragg trust schools get good exam results on the whole, lots of parents are fine with them, there’s a pretty vocal online group who are opposed to everything they do. They are pretty strict but know plenty of kids who are getting on fine. Like all schools, government funding has had a massive impact on SEND provision and wider pastoral support, but they’re doing the best they can with what they have I think.

Thanks that’s a bit more reassuring of the bunch which is best ? We will be renting so I guess will try to rent next to a good one - is ISCA terrible it’s not getting good press

If you were happy to live just north of Exeter, you'd be in the catchment for Queen Elizabeth's school in Crediton. They run school buses to the villages.
https://www.qe.devon.sch.uk/ They also have a sixth form, unlike the Exeter schools, which only go up to Year 11 and then feed into Exeter College.

If you go to church, you could consider St Peter's https://www.spexe.org/ but they also have a percentage of open places too. Friends tell me that St Peter's is popular with Exeter parents and oversubscribed.

I think Isca had a new head a year or so ago and quite a lot of changes were made. I have friends with children there. They call the pupils there scholars now, if that’s your sort of thing…of the other schools in Exeter then St James or St Peter’s or QE in Crediton just outside Exeter might be worth a look

Both of my children attend West Exe. I have no complaints about the school (or the wider academy trust for that matter). The transition from primary to secondary was well supported and I have found the form tutors and heads of years I've needed to interact with helpful and responsive. The school is very rule and reward oriented but that seems to work well for both of mine. In the immediate circle of families I know from primary (a large local feeder) I would suggest 85-90% appear happy with how their choice. What I would say is the 15/20% who aren't happy are very vocal (and that might be for good reason for their circumstance) but I wouldn't say it's representative.

Phew - I was becoming very worried that Exeter was a no go zone for schools - the problem with all this bad press is I suspect it actually makes the schools worse as people I’ll their kids away

We have a DC at St Peters, they seem to be getting on well at the moment, but it's difficult to say either way at the moment as had little to either praise or be concerned about from the school. Aske again in a couple of years and I'm sure I'll have a clearer opinion.

Anything anyone can say positive about ISCA. ?

I have two children at West Exe school. As previous posters have said, there are things that are not ideal but the vast majority of parents and children get on just fine with the school. The majority of the teachers I have encountered so far have been ok and some have been brilliant (DS1's form tutor in his first year was outstanding). Whilst there are some issues, the vocal brigade are all mostly of a particular type and want the moon on a stick most of the time... For us the school choice was dictated by the fact that it was walkable from home, the majority of the children's friends would be going there, there was no long transport journeys needed, exams results are good and all other schools within spitting distance are run by the same trust anyway!

HUGE staff turnover since new head arrived at Isca last year.

The advice is always to visit and see what you think, ask the questions and decide for yourself whether it’s right for you.

Any further comments about ISCA greatly appreciated

I know someone whose child is starting y7 in isca in september, that's all

Anyone else with anything on ISCA - to be honest will be looking at in year admission so will base where we live on the school

Please😂

Have you tried asking on Mums in Exeter on Facebook. Think they are isca parents on there.

not sure I can join as a dad only came on here out of desperation- in our marriage I’m the researcher my wife is much more relaxed about schools

But thanks for the suggestion

Oops sorry. Obviously didn't read your username!

If you go onto "Devon Live" on Facebook and search for Isca Academy there are several articles which don't seem that positive unfortunately.