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Secondary education

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

Original poster

RGS Newcastle

41 replies

Minniemoos · 30/03/2008 14:41

DD is currently at an independent girls school and is thoroughly miserable there...imagine the movie "Mean Girls" but without the happy ending!I couldn't move her earler (she's now in Yr 7)because it was physically impossible to get her to Newcastle (my prefered choice)but I've since moved house and although it would be a bit of a trek, I could probably get her to Newcastle now.Does anybody have kids, particularly girls, at the RGS in Newcastle?I'd love to hear how they're finding it there.

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Bethtinne · 20/04/2008 12:43

Hi
I have just joined Mumsnet and you are my first contact!!
My own DD is in year 7 so I have looked at the schools in Newcastle.
Sadly I don't know anything about RGS but from chat to others and experience with eldest DD,a v popular and good school is Dame Allans(mixed). Many pupils from my middle dd's school( v good RC primary) went there. Others went to Westfield (girls only). My eldest went there and did very well and was very happy. La Sagesse has just closed and Central(girls only) has a reputation for academic excellence but is known as a hot house.
My choice would have been DA but DD failed the entrance exam!
Her father took me to court to prevent me sending her to Westfield so she has been forced to attend the RC High school where she is deeply unhappy in the lowest tier!
I am going to put a post on the board to try to get some feedback on our poaition later.
Hope this helps!

Original poster
Minniemoos · 04/05/2008 09:55

Thanks for the post - I'm a newbie here too!Is DD any happier at school? Mine's not if it's any consolation Have discovered there's a bus to Dame Allans that picks up from our nearest village.Travelling to and from school is a big issue for us because of where we live - right on the border between Co. Durham and Northumberland.DD has been at school in Durham since nursery as up until last year we lived much nearer Durham.She now gets the bus to school - which incidentally now picks her up from the same spot the DA bus picks up!No way would I have moved this far out if the bus hadn't come this way!!to be honest DA wasn't a school I'd considered because I've been having serious 2nd thoughts about single sex education.I'd always been in favour of it but the girls just seem to be getting bitchier.I can't decide if it's just DDs school or are all girl's schools going to be like that? She's very clever so academically she'll be fine at any school but she's very quiet, into her reading, music and animals (we keep unusual breeds of animals on the farm here as a hobby).All of that is branded "weird" by the other girls.Grrr .Her Dad reckons it'll just be the same at any other school.I'm losing sleep over the whole thing!!
I don't suppose any of this helps your dilemma but sometimes it helps to know there's someone in the same boat as yourself

OP posts:
popsycal · 04/05/2008 10:00

DOn't know much about it but it does have a good reputation
It is the first private school that comes to mind if I think about private schools in Newcastle

Original poster
Minniemoos · 04/05/2008 10:52

Just realised - I posted a similar query on the "education" section and I did ask about DA school.Typical of me - posted then checked and found out the boys and girls are taught separately so crossed if off my list!The little I now know about it has all been v positive so maybe it's time for a rethink.Gonna get to the bus stop a bit earlier next week and "pounch" on the parents waiting there to quiz them.Poor buggers, they'll think I'm the village loony and I'll end up with a restraining order slapped on me!!

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Bethtinne · 07/05/2008 13:21

Hi
I am going to try and contact you off list (using mumsnet) about DD's problem-thanks for your kind thoughts!) but in the mean time about schools-Dame A is unusual in that boys and girls are taught sep. for most academic subjects but are taught together for some and lots of the vocational stuff. They are on the same site and are all together when not in class. DA's is the school that my son wants to attend sadly DD failed the exam!!

Original poster
Minniemoos · 07/05/2008 16:47

Apparently, if you change the options in your email setting so you can accept messages from other people then I'll be able to send you my email address.It'll be free for you!!

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jicky · 07/05/2008 17:10

My niece moved from Central High to RGS for sixth form and was much happier there I think. Think nephew was bullied at RGS a few years earlier. dh went years ago and seems quite normal.

Bethtinne · 08/05/2008 20:02

Hi
Am trying to get settings changed so I can get in touch!!! am rubbish and failing so far!!

Mam1 · 12/05/2008 10:17

Hi

My daughter is in year 5 in RGS junior school and is the happiest little girl since moving from her previous primary school.
I also have a son in RGS Senior school who is very happy.

May I add that the teachers and staff are very approachable at the RGS. I would recommend

Original poster
Minniemoos · 13/05/2008 18:07

Thanks for all the posts. DD a tiny bit happier at school and I know how up and down Yr7 can be but we're still going to look at other schools in Newcastle.Unless we choose DA, transport will be a problem - doing the school run myself would involve HOURS of driving.Nearest train station is Stocksfield so one school mentioned the possibility of finding an older "buddy" to chaperone her on the journey.The other alternative is to find someone to lift share with or who drives into Newcastle every day.Not as easy as it sounds, living in the middle of nowhere as I do..In search of this elusive lift share I've had to start networking and have joined the village WI!Bloody hell, the things we do for our kids........Well at least I now know how to make jam

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Loshad · 15/05/2008 12:07

I used to go to your daughter's school minniemoos, and loved it there and there was a great atmosphere, but have several reports of bullying there in recent years - would not have been tolerated in any way when my dsis's and I were there (my dear mother's theory is the size increase and push for better exam results has seen pastoral side slip).
RGS is a very good school, know a couple of the teachers there. New uniform thing a bit odd imo - changing balzers/colur every other year nearly but that's a side issue.
DA not as good academically RGS, though head has good reports.
Advantage of RGs is it's proximity to tube station, and although your dd may be too young for that now, you could always keep her at current school say until end of Y8, then move her and she could train it in by herslef.

Original poster
Minniemoos · 15/05/2008 18:16

I agree with your mother!It was a lovely school when she started but it just seemed to get bigger and bigger.Seem to be new girls starting all the time - curious to know if they've ever said that they were "full" to a potential new pupil? Are your kids at school in Durham too? It's interesting you've heard of the bullying there - there's definitely not the "family" atmosphere there that they like to promote.We've talked about maybe staying for another year or so and then moving - like you say, she could get the train herself then and maybe there would be other new starters from prep schools.In the perfect world, there would be some similarly aged boys or girls living locally who are already there that she could meet in the meantime.God, I'd better keep going with the WI then.Any other ideas Loshad? They'll be gratefully received !!

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Loshad · 15/05/2008 22:52

No I live in North Yorks now, and mine are all boys anyway. But i've heard from several sources about the bullying, including two children of friends (one an old girl) who removed their dd's because of it!
Will keep thinking hat on, but your choices are somewhat limited due to your location - Newc or Durham really. Bet there are some other children nearby lurking in the woods - we live 20 miles form the dss' school and there are another 4 families in our village whose dc's also go to their school. Keep going with the Jam

Zazette · 15/05/2008 23:52

Are you hellbent on private? the comp in Hexham is supposed to be very good, and not far by train from Stocksfield.

tortoiseSHELL · 15/05/2008 23:58

Ooh Minniemoos and Loshad - I wonder if that is the school I went to (and YorkieGirl as well?). Are the girls very green????

Loshad · 16/05/2008 13:01

They are indeed Tortoiseshell, go on, tell me your age to see if we crossed over - i'll go first shall i - 43, dsiss' who were there are 45 and 41.

tortoiseSHELL · 16/05/2008 13:42

Oh, I was after you then, I'm 31. But I bet some of the teachers were the same!

tortoiseSHELL · 16/05/2008 13:43

Minniemoos - have you thought about Durham School? It's a very different sort of school, but worth looking at (I went there for sixth form, and my mum teaches there).

Loshad · 16/05/2008 22:35

Is DS any better minniemoos - had a dreadful rep back in the old days (my step brothers both went there). Bet lots of teachers were the same - my fav was Mrs Roberts - geog

tortoiseSHELL · 17/05/2008 10:54

DS is very very different now - but it's a particular 'type' of school, you need to look at it and see if you like the ethos. I loved it for sixth form, made some fab friends, and the teaching is every so much better than it was I think.

Mrs Roberts was fab! How about Dr Wilkinson (english) Or Miss Mair (german) Or Mrs Jones (history).

Original poster
Minniemoos · 17/05/2008 11:38

DS wasn't really ever on my list of alternatives for DD simply because of the logistics of getting her there.God I sound like a crap mother but there isn't a bus or train from out here to get her there and the drive is even worse then the drive to Newcastle.My old neighbours moved house away from here and nearer Durham as their sons were at DS and the daily travelling was impossible.Sounds like you had a great time there tortoiseshell - how would you describe the ethos of the place as opposed to DDs current school?

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tortoiseSHELL · 17/05/2008 12:10

Well, my experiences which are obviously out of date and personal were that your dd's school is very academically based, and I didn't feel that it helped you develop as an individual. Having said that, the teaching there is excellent, but looking back I wonder if there was too much emphasis on results rather than happiness. If you want to CAT me I can give you a few more thoughts that I don't want to put on here!

DS - well, it is a totally different school - because it is a boarding and day school, the day is longer, so there is more time for extra things. There is a big emphasis on sport, and a huge number of sports on offer, there are lots of different musical opportunities - just about whatever you're interested, lots of drama etc. It is different to your dd's school I think because of the house system - they are physical houses, so there are smaller communities within the bigger school community, and lots of things happen as part of the house system. This also gives the benefit of both single sex and mixed education - the houses are single sex but the classes are mixed for lots of things.

The current head is retiring at the end of this year, but he has moved the school to being more academic than it was (though it is still not particularly selective). It wasn't as focussed on academia when I was there, but I still managed to get 5 good A Levels (I did Music, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Gen Studies and got AACBA in that order, so was absolutely fine). But I think that is a bit more important now! Again CAT me and I can give you a few more thoughts.

I don't know much about the Newcastle schools - my cousins went to RGS and Central High, and my dad went to RGS, but that is obviously a while ago, and was before it was mixed.

tortoiseSHELL · 17/05/2008 12:12

The bus she gets - is that a school bus or a public bus? DS isn't hard to get to from the centre of town - just up a hill!

tortoiseSHELL · 17/05/2008 12:14

One thing DS used to do which they don't now is keep highland cattle up by the chapel! There used to be a very hard core of people who would get up early or come in early to do 'cows'.!

Loshad · 17/05/2008 20:24

sorry to hear about the cows - they were big in my day [old fart emoticon]
Dr wilkinson was there, i stayed at her house one night before a debating competiton because my parents were away (bizarre or waht) - the other two didn't teach there when i was there

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