Bristol Secondary Schools - should I be considering private?

[Champagnesocialistbristol]

I’ve had friends leave Bristol for better secondary schools. Others will only consider private, stating how poor the secondary state provision is in Bristol. We’re not moving & love living in Bristol. Private will be a big stretch financially. Are the state schools so bad? But if we can stretch to private, should we?
Our secondary options are; Ashton Park, Cathedral (slim chance) or BGS (Bristol Grammar).
Any thoughts, have you sent children to any of those schools or would you send to private if it was an option?

And yes class sizes are creeping up, but I think that’s less of an issue once you get to secondary tbh? By that point you’re more paying for the quality of facilities and the behaviour standards (bluntly, private schools can expel any kids who are too disruptive/not performing, so it’s an easier peer group).

St Kath's is a great school, lots of friends there are really happy.
Like pp, I'm in Bristol with my son in my local catchment school and very happy. It is well equipped, offers a wide range of subject, and represents a truly comprehensive cross section of society. Big fan!

@myturntonamechange thanks for your feedback. I think we’ll have to look at all options & go from there. Two children so it’ll be really pricey!

My son goes it Cathedral (music specialist), chances of getting a non music specialist place are now about 16 kids or less who don't come from the primary/are a sibling/music or chorister place so it's just so unlikely now.

I would send mine to St Katherine's - and Ashton Park is definitely on the up under the new HT. Not sure I would pay for BGS with class sizes as they are, as others have said.

In the grand scheme, St Katherine's and Ashton Park are not terrible options to have tbh. I would choose St Katherine's out of those two if I had the choice (same trust as Cathedral)

@EthanofAthos do you have experience of Clifton High or BGS? Collegiate is the other side of town so not on my radar. are you looking at options too?

I would also caution that the facilities are not always better at private, it's not a given.
Conversations with friends with children at private school in Bristol about subjects that my DC's state school offer that their private school doesn't have been a real eye opener.

Yes that is correct

We’ve been looking at all the options lately but my son is autistic so it’s a different situation really, we’re looking for good SEN provision over everything else. Friends at CHS are really happy with it, friends at BGS have really mixed views, some really happy and some feel it’s too pressured.

@EthanofAthos I know BGS gets the best grades, but definitely don’t want DC to feel pressured. I’ve been told Clifton high is good for SEN. What schools are you considering?

@Techno56 you've hit the jackpot 😉. I hadn’t realised there were so few Cathedral spaces left, thanks for the info.

I think the worry about Bristol secondary schools is now a bit historic – they used to have a bad reputation but in my experience they've been very good.

DS went to St Kaths and did very well at GCSE (££k saving compared to BGS), but I also know kids who have done well at Ashton Park (and other Bristol secondaries). There will always be kids who don't do well, but if yours work (well, pay attention in class and do their homework at least), are motivated and have parental support I think they should be capable of doing well anywhere.

They changed admissions about a year or two ago to allow the primary to feed straight into the secondary - there was lots more success before they did this ...but still only perhaps 50 lottery spaces even then.

Very thankful for my son's freakishly tuned musical ear 😅

Just had another look and after second round the last three years it's been 20-25 lottery spaces. Before that it was double (when the primary only had one class - now it has two).

Suppose it's still worth a go if you only have two other local state schools you want to put down though. I didn't enjoy open evenings there at all but it is a lovely school once you're there (although has it's flaws as do all schools - depending on how you feel about open space and sports facilities etc)

I feel like St Kath's is the open space version!

St Kaths is also in the Cathedral academy trust these days, so they share some resources and do some joint events – concerts in Bristol Cathedral for example. I do think we lucked out when DS went there. We'd put it third on our list so it wasn't obvious he'd go there. Great sports department and very active on things like DofE.

@BristolQs thats great to hear! Though I’m not sure everyone caught up on that thinking. I still know lots moving to Backwell catchment area & there still seems to be a disproportionately high ratio of Private schools in Bristol… perhaps that’s going to change soon.

I don’t know schools in Bristol but wanted to comment on this bit
Unfortunately I have some friends with children in private who are telling me about the opportunities, grades etc and making me feel guilty (that’s not their intention I’m sure).
Is it possible that they are saying this to justify the expense and sacrificed luxuries or sending their children to private school ? Are the opportunities (I assume stuff like sport and theatre) things that could be purchased separately anyway ? If your child is academic now then you can look at what academic kids at the state school achieve.
https://www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables
The school website will probably have details on the university destinations of the academic students which could reassure you about academics.

And the flip side is the parents with older teens who tell me they feel scammed by paying for years of expensive private education. Remember these schools are businesses, they are selling you something.

And even if other children in class are underperforming, causing trouble or not turning up at all, if mummy and daddy can afford the fees they are staying in that school.

you can’t buy your way out of teenage difficulties. you might be able to switch some problems for others but there will always be issues, it won’t be an idyll, so go into it eyes open.

I have two children who are doing extremely well academically at Ashton Park. More importantly, the pastoral care is excellent and they are very happy there.

@SonicTheHodgeheg that’s really great, thank you! I’ll make a spreadsheet with all the data 😉.
Honestly the private discussion is generally regarding the depth of subject learning ie the teacher encourages and supports children to read beyond the basic curriculum and really stretches bright children. There’s actually less focus on facilities & more on class sizes, individual focus & really knowing the child - I’m sure the facilities, extra curriculum are factors too. It makes me feel a bit like I’m letting my DC down if I don’t look at all options. Fundamentally I’d prefer it if everyone had the same opportunities, but while that’s not the case should I reject private for my DC because the system isn’t fair? - actually that last Q is probably opening up a can of worms & we possibly can’t afford anyway 😂

@Awkward77 thats so good to hear. Thanks for commenting. Sounds like you’re really happy with the school. Did you consider anywhere else?

What year is your DC in at the moment? I would go along to the open days in September for both St Kats and Ashton Park and see what you think. The new Head at Ashton is amazing - an emphasis on pastoral care and academic progress but also staff wellbeing. I know people who work there and have said how much improved it is under his Headship. These days with staff retention being such an issue that’s a big consideration.

@KevinDeBrioche so much food for thought. Definitely don’t want to feel poorer & with buyers remorse, would much rather a nice holiday or two. Hopefully visiting the schools will help, but it’s great to get insight from people that have experience, thank you!

My DD went to cathedral for sixth form and we were very underwhelmed. One of her subject teachers was off sick a lot and the students were expected to teach themselves. We also paid for extra tuition in one of her other subjects.
She has just graduated from university with a first in a STEM subject and now off to do a masters, so I guess it didn’t hold her back.

@usernamedifferent such a glowing review, thank you. It’s fantastic to get so much feedback.

@SaltySeaCat Congratulations to your DD, that’s incredible 👏. Where did she go before cathedral - a different Bristol school?