St Olaves Grammar School - is it really scary?

[jimmychoice]

My son has received a 6th-form offer from St Olaves in Orpington. He currently goes to a regular state school in London and did very well in his GCSE's. However - now, he does not want to go!

Has heard the stories about pressure and strictness. He is worried about failing at St Olaves. So he just wants stay at his old school, it's familiar and easy, he knows the teachers and friends.

Is the reputation of St Olaves as an uncaring strict school that is hard on kids not doing well, valid?

I would like him to go to St Olaves but don't want to push. Any convincing points you would use to win him over?

Also, what's the walk like from Orpington Station to the school - we see many busy roads need to be crossed - any experience please?

If he did really well, I would keep him where he is. It means he is getting the right teaching and support etc.

Some of my children's friends went to selective private schools at 11. And in my experience they did exactly the same as if they had gone to a decent state school.
Your son has done well where he is, so if he wants to stay I'd keep him there.

I would leave him where he is, he is obviously thriving at his current school and the teachers are doing a good job. He won’t thrive, even at the most highly regarded school, if he is not happy. Also, is he thinking of Uni, would he get a contextual offer from his current school?

I've visited the school once and I don't remember the walk from Orpington train station to the school being especially quick - though someone may correct me if I'm wrong and obviously it depends on the speed at which you're walking.

I tend to agree with the posts above - obviously there are pros and cons of a move to St Olave's, but if your son is happy / happier staying at his current school, where he's fared well in his GCSEs, then I'd keep him there.

Congratulations to your DS he has done really well. I wouldn’t worry about the walk from the station, but what will his overall commute be on a cold day in January with some train cancellations? How long will the commute be door to door to each school? How does the current school compare results wise at A Level? I would really pay attention to his views. A happy child can be something you take for granted until you have an unhappy child. I will tell you a funny tale about our experience;;we went to the open day for sixth form and they played a video including a sports match against DS’s existing school. He said we thrashed them in that match. I knew then that it was game over!

Often the big issue with moving to a super-selective school is the peer pressure.

Just to check, does his current school offer the same A level subjects that he'd be doing at St Olave's?

He's obviously done very well at this current school. Do you have any reason to believe that things would change in the sixth form, e.g., the school's A level results are much worse than the GCSE results would indicate, or a lot of children leave and/or a lot of children enter at sixth form? If not, it seems likely that he'll continue to do very well there.

Why not stay where he is if his friends are there, he's done well there and he wants to go there?

I used to teach and it's harder for those that join at 6th form and easier for those that stay as they hit the ground running.

Unles you've moved/they don't do the courae/child is unhappy I wouldn't move them.

It's about 15ish minutes brisk walk from Orpington Station. Perfectly safe.

With my DD1 we spent ages looking at grammar schools for the 6th form and she got a place at a similar top grammar schoool. . In the end, she decided it was safer to stay at her comprehensive. In the grammar, she would have been in classes of 20+ but hee school had a very small 6th form and she was in classes of under 10. Crucially, she knew that in her main subject, the teachers were excellent. Also, as a parent I thought it best to be in a position to "hit the ground running". The A level curriculum has to be largely completed in 4.5 terms so there is no time to waste at the beginning with settlling in.

My DD applied to Wallington girls but in the end decided to stay at her secondary school sixth form, I think it was the right decision for her. She wanted a seperate sixth form building like her secondary sixth form which Wallington girls didn’t have. Plus she was concerned about the single sex education. As she got all 9’s at GCSE we have no issue with her school and she’s so self driven I think she would do well anywhere. I think most grammars are quite pressured and competitive and that’s not her. It sounds like your
son is making a sensible decision.

A couple of high school friends went there for 6th form. I believe they enjoyed it. It's an exceptional place to get in so I hope he doesn't turn it down!

It is a school full of very clever boys OP.
Depends on how much this will affect your son.
Would he thrive in the competition or would he feel overwhelmed?
They all do 4 A levels plus an elective.
So, a lot of work!
Many join the school in 6th form especially from the local girls grammar.

The walk from the station is very safe. There are less busy roads to take which is what most students do.
It will however be a good 15 minute walk but there is a bus too.

The previous head was notorious for kicking students out after bad Y12 results but there was a legal suit filed by the parents and the head was made to leave.
I have heard teaching is the same as any other school. You have good teachers and some not so good. Luck of the draw!

Many who are very bright will thrive at St Olaves but of all of DD’s friends who had pressure from parents or themselves to move from Newstead to Olaves (parent reasoning was the results were better, student reasoning usually just ready for a change) regretted the move. That is just a small sample of about seven friends so not a huge number. They had previously been at the girls equivalent of Olaves which has some pressures but more measured. DD was glad she stayed at Newstead and the boys who moved from Olaves to Newstead for sixth form seemed happier to have made the move. Like any school it is about the best fit for the student. Good luck to your son.

Congratulations to your son for doing well in his GCSEs!

There would be pros and cons to the move, as with almost every choice one needs to make. Not knowing where he is at the moment and how his current school compares to St Olave's, here are some thoughts that may be useful for consideration. For context, DC moved to Olave's for Sixth Form from a different grammar school, was very happy there (much more than at the previous school) and got a place at their first choice university.

It's a great school not just academically (better than most), but there is a recent focus on pastoral care. The days of expelling students due to exam results are long gone. DC had a great head of year who was there to listen and help throughout.

If your son is aiming for Oxbridge (or a top London university), Olave's has a great track record. In my DC's year there were around 40 Oxbridge offers out of a cohort of 250. Similar stats for medicine/dentistry. I think they publish leavers' destinations every year.

Many of the people in Sixth Form come from different schools. I think the school doubles the intake (take as many external candidates as the number that stays on from yr 11). So your son would not be in a minority. "Externals" do at least as well in Sixth Form as those who have been in the school for the previous five years.

None of the above matters if he really is not prepared to move. Encourage him to think about both possibilities with an open mind but ultimately it must be his decision.

Hi OP. Interested to know what your son decided in the end and if he’s happy with his choice.

My son is considering leaving his current comprehensive state school for Olaves. He’s been happy there so far and getting good grades but thinks Olaves will help him get to his university of choice but he’s also afraid of the pressure and that the workload will be insane, although he is a very hard worker. I’ll encourage him to apply and see if he even gets in but it would be good to hear of others’ experiences.

Exactly same with my daughter. She is now y13 and hasn't regretted it. Since she made the decision we have heard some negatives about WG sixth form.