Riddlesdown Collegiate - does anyone know anything about it?

[Metella]

Anyone have children at this school or know children who go there?

I was very impressed at the open evening - the facilities are good and my guide (a Y9 pupil) was bright and articulate. I know it is no great shakes in League Table terms but it is a shining star as far as this borough's state provision goes.

I wasn't entirely sure how the new Collegiate set-up will work, though.

Any views?

My dd has just started in year 7. She so far loves it. I have (3 weeks in) found it well organised. She has been set according to her sats results but she is being re assessed and possibly moved after half term. She is taught most of the time in her own college, its like its own school within a big school. I was delighted to find out they are taught in classes of 20 for English and maths. She has found the amount of students and the stuff she has to remember to bring/do each day daunting. There are loads of afterschool clubs and latin for the more able. I like it so far but I would say that as we got in out of catchment and our nearest schools are actually Haling Manor and Selson High.
Where else have you looked at?

Thanks Ninamag - sounds good. Although I can see that anything would look fab next to the other two you mention .

We have actually been looking at the independent sector and the Sutton grammars so my visit to Riddlesdown was done just as an outside option. But now that I have seen it I'm seriously thinking twice about the others.

Sadly, ds is not at a feeder primary so our only way in would be through the entrance exam - was that how your dd got a place? Do you know how difficult the exam might be?

She sat the exam but it wouldn't have done her any favours she failed it horribly. She did go on to get all 5's for her sats though. We are only a little way out of catchment and her primary wasn't a feeder school so I guess we were just lucky. One of her friends sat the exam I think she came @ 150th but she got into Wallington girls in the top 50. The exam is very science based. So it is worth focusing on science if she plans to sit.

Wow, the exam sounds tough!!

We are way out of catchment so it doesn't sound like he has much of a chance really. Such a pity.