Meadowhead School Sheffield

[Ermintrudewasinnocent]

Hello, any thoughts on this school - moving from London in-year transfers. I've noted the catchment is very "mixed" but I like large schools and they seem to have a lot of options and new buildings. I've also noticed they offer a lot of BTECS so was wondering particularly how they might be able to support More Able Learners at GCSE?

If anyone has any recent experience it would be great to hear

King Egberts is good too.

King Edwards have had long waiting list in year 8 too, even in catchment. its wanted enough! Henry Fanshaw is full too.

I've not looked at Parkwood, is your former neighbours daughter happy there?

No, I think she's struggling a bit. Some of the students are nice, but there are lots of problems for staff to deal with.

Have you looked at Hope Valley College?

Can I ask why everyone is so anti Meadowhead? Lots of "I'd avoids" not no whys?

I work for a different Sheffield school so can’t say too much but lots of behavioural issues that I wouldn’t want my own children around daily.
The more ambitious now send their DC to Mercia. Notredame over again this year.
Second hope valley college.

Parkwood is Herries Road, isn’t it? Too far out from S8/S17.

I did look at Hope Valley briefly but I was not sure about small schools (fewer GCSE options? fewer extra-curricular clubs?) or rural areas and it seemed a very long way out. This may be my prejudice coming from London and used to big schools. I would accept there are compromises if moving in-year.

I think, if you can, try and do a few visits. I really think with the schools you’re considering you’ll get a good feel for them and what you want.

The only things I've heard about Meadowhead have been negative sadly.

Severe bullying, not dealt with by staff.

Its really a barrier to relocation. Am I being precious or would others worry about an 11 year old travelling a long distance to a school in an area she does not know? Granted, I don't know what the solution is if schools are already over full across quite a large area, which seems to be the case.

You're not being precious, it's quite a distance and not a particularly safe area. I would not want a child of mine to do that.
Would you be able to put an appeal in to Silverdale on the basis of siblings, if your other child is going in to yr7?

Not precious at all. It certainly is the case. The problem Sheffield, and probably many other places has, is that there are so many bad schools the good ones are oversubscribed year after year. There are probably more schools here I wouldn’t send mine to than ones I would. My “absolutely not” list would be
Birley
Outwood
Springs
Park
Meadowhead
Hinde House
Fir Vale
Firth Park
Chaucer
Yewlands
Forge Valley
Parkwood
Newfield

I would agree, @TribeofFfive .
Looking at the progress 8 scores, Chaucer is right at the bottom.
I would also add Bradfield. Very serious problems

If you can get one child into a school then the second will rise up the waiting list as a sibling esp if you are a sibling in catchment . Put them both on the waiting lists for any school you would consider. People do relocate/ switch to private....

Also consider (in no particular order):

King Ecgberts in Dore (different from King Edward's which you mentioned).

High Storrs.

UTC in Sheffield city center from Y9 if your child is keen on technology or design.

Lady Manners in Bakewell (there are private minibuses which go there, I don't know if they go near where you are living though).

@Hopelesslydevoted2Gu I think you make good points, but UTC has performed very badly and they do have significant problems, so I wouldn't recommend.
I think I recommended High Storrs upthread, it's really improved of late.

This!
Meadowhead is terrible. Fanshaw is unequivocally full.
High Storrs is better.
I would call Silverdale ask at what place your child would be on the waiting list (if they have one) and how likely they will be to get a place, they'll be honest with you.

I knife southerners love moving to SW Sheffield, but would you consider north Sheffield eg; Ecclesfield School or Stockbridge High School, or further out still eg: Penistone Grammar School (Barnsley Council).

Or further south. Henry Fanshaw School in Dronfield, or Whittington Green School in Chesterfield. I've lived in, south and north of Sheffield for many years. These are all schools which my friends/colleagues/aquaintances have not been unhappy with. Obvs I don't know what they have in the way of availability, but if you can be flexible about how close you are to Sheffield, and schools are looking like a deal breaker, these outliers might help.

Thanks. I had a quick look at Ecclesfield. Its certainly further out than I would like but seemed ok. Does anyone have recent experience?

I did not really fancy Chesterfield and the others you mention (King Ecgberts, Lady Manners, High Storrs) are also very full. High Storrs and King Edwards had the longest waiting lists of all (after Mercia).

With Silverdale, there was no-one waiting in catchment for year 7 so my youngest could be top of the waiting list. Though I don't know how many appeals will be successful and they are hearing them in June so about now - I presume that if some appeals are successful and they end up over PAN on appeals they might not offer any more places for year 7, even if someone leaves over the summer? However, when I phoned them they were a bit vague about turnover and said they did not expect much, particularly in year 8/9, they were less clear about my younger year 6/7 child.

Ecclesfield are good unless your DC have SEN. In which case, avoid.

Are you fixed with moving to S11? You could live NW and still have plenty of options (we are at UTC OLP but close enough to manage King Eds/Tapton/Bradfield/Forge/Stocksbridge/Girls High/Birkdale)

Living in NW is not going to give you any chance at all of getting into Tapton.
Bradfield has significant problems. I don't know about Stocksbridge

Surely in NW Sheffield your options are yewlands, Chaucer, Stockbridge, bradfield etc. no way you’d get into Tapton from there.

forge valley and bradfield are awful!

As is Chaucer