See if you can find a way to compare staff turnover at each school. Look carefully at school websites to see how up to date it is. Check the toilets at each school. Visit the school at a time to suit you not them if possible. If there are carpets, look how many chewing gum blobs are blackened and trodden in to them.
His daughter wants to be a pupil. She's not applying for a cleaner's job.
I get that, but would you like your home, carpets and toilet and all, to be like the one you see in the school?
No, but there is little relevance ? I doubt there are few people in this world, that would help their child select their secondary school based on the state of the toilets and old chewing gum trod in carpets. Bizarre, even by your standards. Sorry.
I think what Seths getting at is a sloppy standard of cleanliness will reflect an attitude throught the school.
Well yes of course and if the school was filthy it would obviously be of some concern. However, when choosing the best/most suitable school, personally I don't think inspecting the toilets and carpets should be your priority, but each to their own.
I know I looked at academic results, subjects taught, ofsted reports, word of mouth from other parents, pupil behaviour, headteacher, teachers etc, but I didn't inspect the toilets or carpets for chewing gum. Maybe I'm weird.
See if you can find a way to compare staff turnover at each school. Look carefully at school websites to see how up to date it is. Check the toilets at each school. Visit the school at a time to suit you not them if possible. If there are carpets, look how many chewing gum blobs are blackened and trodden in to them.
His daughter wants to be a pupil. She's not applying for a cleaner's job.
I get that, but would you like your home, carpets and toilet and all, to be like the one you see in the school?
No, but there is little relevance ? I doubt there are few people in this world, that would help their child select their secondary school based on the state of the toilets and old chewing gum trod in carpets. Bizarre, even by your standards. Sorry.
I think what Seths getting at is a sloppy standard of cleanliness will reflect an attitude throught the school.
Well yes of course and if the school was filthy it would obviously be of some concern. However, when choosing the best/most suitable school, personally I don't think inspecting the toilets and carpets should be your priority, but each to their own.
I know I looked at academic results, subjects taught, ofsted reports, word of mouth from other parents, pupil behaviour, headteacher, teachers etc, but I didn't inspect the toilets or carpets for chewing gum. Maybe I'm weird.
If you read my original post you will see that i didn't mention those things as a priority.
Absolutely hate the school system and how it has evolved where you have elite schools and shit ones and not much else in between. Seems like if you're not naturally smart or tutored to death you get left by the wayside at the age of 11 from an educational point of view in this exam based culture. Of course there has always been Grammar schools but the gap seems extreme these days. I don't hate them, I went to one but the clamour to get to them where I live borders on hysteria.
Anyway sounds like you have the choice between 2 great schools so you have a nice choice to make. I had the choice between 2 grammar schools in Kent as a kid and told my mum I wanted to go to the one that played football and not rugby. She let me and I loved it there.
One thing to consider is mixed /single sex. My boy is at an all boys school and academicly doing really well but socialy with girls he is hopeless. Worth a thought.
Yep , never forgive my parents for sending me to an all boys school , when my 3 sisters went to a mixed school. I was and I still am socially inept with women , failed slag my wife calls me ...
My 4 boys all go to a mixed school , I don't want them to be shit at pulling like me
You can't just let her have her choice without question in my opinion. Ie she needs to give a bit more justification than it just "feels right" .
If you really believe her going to Invicta is the better choice then you've got to make her believe the same.
If you can't, then maybe, as others have said, the potential long term fall out might be a problem if you force her.
Ultimately, wherever she goes, she will be OK if you check she does her homework, encourage her to get involved in enrichment activities and keep in touch with the school to check she is doing everything she should be during the day.
One thing to consider is mixed /single sex. My boy is at an all boys school and academicly doing really well but socialy with girls he is hopeless. Worth a thought.
Yep , never forgive my parents for sending me to an all boys school , when my 3 sisters went to a mixed school. I was and I still am socially inept with women , failed slag my wife calls me ...
My 4 boys all go to a mixed school , I don't want them to be shit at pulling like me
I was keen my son went to a mixed school having gone to a Boys' grammar school. I also think it can help to be a big fish in a small pool. I was one of the cleverest in my primary school and just average in my secondary school. I think I would have done better in a school where I was in a similar position to my primary school!
My son's school has mixed abilities but I asked the headmaster initially - how many pupils have you sent to Oxbridge last year? I think they had a couple. It wasn't that I want or expect my son to go there, but that shows clever kids are not held back and to be fair, that has been the case with him.
Absolutely hate the school system and how it has evolved where you have elite schools and shit ones and not much else in between. Seems like if you're not naturally smart or tutored to death you get left by the wayside at the age of 11 from an educational point of view in this exam based culture. Of course there has always been Grammar schools but the gap seems extreme these days. I don't hate them, I went to one but the clamour to get to them where I live borders on hysteria.
Anyway sounds like you have the choice between 2 great schools so you have a nice choice to make. I had the choice between 2 grammar schools in Kent as a kid and told my mum I wanted to go to the one that played football and not rugby. She let me and I loved it there.
I'm sorry but your first sentence simply isn't true. There is, as there always has been, a range of schools. To say there is 'nothing in between' is just plain wrong. The effort that goes into making an underperforming school improve ( or shite to in between, if you like) is phenomenal, and better than it has ever been in the history of education in the uk.
Absolutely hate the school system and how it has evolved where you have elite schools and shit ones and not much else in between. Seems like if you're not naturally smart or tutored to death you get left by the wayside at the age of 11 from an educational point of view in this exam based culture. Of course there has always been Grammar schools but the gap seems extreme these days. I don't hate them, I went to one but the clamour to get to them where I live borders on hysteria.
Anyway sounds like you have the choice between 2 great schools so you have a nice choice to make. I had the choice between 2 grammar schools in Kent as a kid and told my mum I wanted to go to the one that played football and not rugby. She let me and I loved it there.
I'm sorry but your first sentence simply isn't true. There is, as there always has been, a range of schools. To say there is 'nothing in between' is just plain wrong. The effort that goes into making an underperforming school improve ( or shite to in between, if you like) is phenomenal, and better than it has ever been in the history of education in the uk.
Yes in your opinion. The ranking of schools is a relatively new phenomenon, didn't happen in my day. This leads to schools that no-one wants to go to and ones that everyone wants to go to. Maybe I'm seeing a different viewpoint living in Lewisham Borough but the schools around here are shit, end of. My kids school have constant strike action going on to stop it being academised because it rated so badly, that's a whole other can of worms. They went to a primary school in Blackheath where everyone, parents, teachers sole aim was to get their kids into the Bexley or Dartford Grammar schools. Kids who weren't cut out for it were left by the wayside. Go stand on Blackheath station at 8am and see the hordes of kids getting the train to Dartford. Not sure Grammar schools were created for tutored, middle class kids to hog all the places. I went to Wilmington Grammar and lived 10 minutes away, most of the kids lived in Dartford area. Don't remember one from Blackheath. If these more gifted kids weren't allowed to go out of the area maybe the schools around here would improve.
Absolutely hate the school system and how it has evolved where you have elite schools and shit ones and not much else in between. Seems like if you're not naturally smart or tutored to death you get left by the wayside at the age of 11 from an educational point of view in this exam based culture. Of course there has always been Grammar schools but the gap seems extreme these days. I don't hate them, I went to one but the clamour to get to them where I live borders on hysteria.
Anyway sounds like you have the choice between 2 great schools so you have a nice choice to make. I had the choice between 2 grammar schools in Kent as a kid and told my mum I wanted to go to the one that played football and not rugby. She let me and I loved it there.
I'm sorry but your first sentence simply isn't true. There is, as there always has been, a range of schools. To say there is 'nothing in between' is just plain wrong. The effort that goes into making an underperforming school improve ( or shite to in between, if you like) is phenomenal, and better than it has ever been in the history of education in the uk.
Yes in your opinion. The ranking of schools is a relatively new phenomenon, didn't happen in my day. This leads to schools that no-one wants to go to and ones that everyone wants to go to. Maybe I'm seeing a different viewpoint living in Lewisham Borough but the schools around here are shit, end of. My kids school have constant strike action going on to stop it being academised because it rated so badly, that's a whole other can of worms. They went to a primary school in Blackheath where everyone, parents, teachers sole aim was to get their kids into the Bexley or Dartford Grammar schools. Kids who weren't cut out for it were left by the wayside. Go stand on Blackheath station at 8am and see the hordes of kids getting the train to Dartford. Not sure Grammar schools were created for tutored, middle class kids to hog all the places. I went to Wilmington Grammar and lived 10 minutes away, most of the kids lived in Dartford area. Don't remember one from Blackheath. If these more gifted kids weren't allowed to go out of the area maybe the schools around here would improve.
Your post said 'the school system' Which is what I replied to. And it's not in my opinion. League tables have been around for 25 years so I don't know what you mean by recent? Schools have never been so closely inspected.
Absolutely hate the school system and how it has evolved where you have elite schools and shit ones and not much else in between. Seems like if you're not naturally smart or tutored to death you get left by the wayside at the age of 11 from an educational point of view in this exam based culture. Of course there has always been Grammar schools but the gap seems extreme these days. I don't hate them, I went to one but the clamour to get to them where I live borders on hysteria.
Anyway sounds like you have the choice between 2 great schools so you have a nice choice to make. I had the choice between 2 grammar schools in Kent as a kid and told my mum I wanted to go to the one that played football and not rugby. She let me and I loved it there.
I'm sorry but your first sentence simply isn't true. There is, as there always has been, a range of schools. To say there is 'nothing in between' is just plain wrong. The effort that goes into making an underperforming school improve ( or shite to in between, if you like) is phenomenal, and better than it has ever been in the history of education in the uk.
Yes in your opinion. The ranking of schools is a relatively new phenomenon, didn't happen in my day. This leads to schools that no-one wants to go to and ones that everyone wants to go to. Maybe I'm seeing a different viewpoint living in Lewisham Borough but the schools around here are shit, end of. My kids school have constant strike action going on to stop it being academised because it rated so badly, that's a whole other can of worms. They went to a primary school in Blackheath where everyone, parents, teachers sole aim was to get their kids into the Bexley or Dartford Grammar schools. Kids who weren't cut out for it were left by the wayside. Go stand on Blackheath station at 8am and see the hordes of kids getting the train to Dartford. Not sure Grammar schools were created for tutored, middle class kids to hog all the places. I went to Wilmington Grammar and lived 10 minutes away, most of the kids lived in Dartford area. Don't remember one from Blackheath. If these more gifted kids weren't allowed to go out of the area maybe the schools around here would improve.
Your post said 'the school system' Which is what I replied to. And it's not in my opinion. League tables have been around for 25 years so I don't know what you mean by recent? Schools have never been so closely inspected.
If can't imagine how disappointed my family would have been if I only got into a grammar school. Prendergast, Hilly Fields was fine for me. Thought the Politics department was sadly lacking so I never made PM.
Go with your daughter's choice unless you've got a GOOD reason not to. Support her if things go pear-shaped, don't blame her for having made the choice.
Anyway sounds like you have the choice between 2 great schools so you have a nice choice to make. I had the choice between 2 grammar schools in Kent as a kid and told my mum I wanted to go to the one that played football and not rugby. She let me and I loved it there.
That tickled me @nug because I did exactly the same. I chose Wilmington Grammar over Dartford Grammar purely based on which one played football. Tbf I would have struggled at Dartford as they were all boffins
Anyway sounds like you have the choice between 2 great schools so you have a nice choice to make. I had the choice between 2 grammar schools in Kent as a kid and told my mum I wanted to go to the one that played football and not rugby. She let me and I loved it there.
That tickled me @nug because I did exactly the same. I chose Wilmington Grammar over Dartford Grammar purely based on which one played football. Tbf I would have struggled at Dartford as they were all boffins
I would have definitely struggled at DG especially at rugby. Good luck with the decision.
Invicta is a better school than MGGS, but then I have to say that as my Mrs is, shall we say in a very high position in the senior management team at Invicta. There is a bit of a propaganda war between the two schools so all I will say is that an education professional would know the signs of a well run school versus one with challenges. My wife has taught at Invicta for 12 years and I have been to many events there and it has a wonderful set of facilities and school ethos and I would urge you to put this as your first choice. The school would be more than happy for your daughter to come in and speak to girls and have a further look around at anything she wants or ask any questions etc and maybe change her choice. In my opinion it is more than just a school as there is a real opportunity for the girls to develop into well rounded young people rather than it all just being about exam results, but saying that they do have high expectations for behaviour and dress code etc. As a parent you are lucky to have such a school on your doorstep and free of charge. I will PM you Swisdom
Invicta is a better school than MGGS, but then I have to say that as my Mrs is, shall we say in a very high position in the senior management team at Invicta. There is a bit of a propaganda war between the two schools so all I will say is that an education professional would know the signs of a well run school versus one with challenges. My wife has taught at Invicta for 12 years and I have been to many events there and it has a wonderful set of facilities and school ethos and I would urge you to put this as your first choice. The school would be more than happy for your daughter to come in and speak to girls and have a further look around at anything she wants or ask any questions etc and maybe change her choice. In my opinion it is more than just a school as there is a real opportunity for the girls to develop into well rounded young people rather than it all just being about exam results, but saying that they do have high expectations for behaviour and dress code etc. As a parent you are lucky to have such a school on your doorstep and free of charge. I will PM you Swisdom
First post - Invicta are tracking your social media accounts
Invicta is a better school than MGGS, but then I have to say that as my Mrs is, shall we say in a very high position in the senior management team at Invicta. There is a bit of a propaganda war between the two schools so all I will say is that an education professional would know the signs of a well run school versus one with challenges. My wife has taught at Invicta for 12 years and I have been to many events there and it has a wonderful set of facilities and school ethos and I would urge you to put this as your first choice. The school would be more than happy for your daughter to come in and speak to girls and have a further look around at anything she wants or ask any questions etc and maybe change her choice. In my opinion it is more than just a school as there is a real opportunity for the girls to develop into well rounded young people rather than it all just being about exam results, but saying that they do have high expectations for behaviour and dress code etc. As a parent you are lucky to have such a school on your doorstep and free of charge. I will PM you Swisdom
As the saying goes, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know ... welcome to Invicta
but saying that they do have high expectations for behaviour and dress code etc. As a parent you are lucky to have such a school on your doorstep and free of charge. I will PM you Swisdom
Seeing as my dysfunctional step daughter has done very well there I really can't disagree with what has been said in this post. Some fantastic opportunities available - having said that MGGS offers a very similar education.
However, the dress code bit gets to me. The regulation length knee high skirt is worn in the school - but the second they're out, it gets rolled up at the waist by about a foot and all these well dressed Invicta clones are walking around Maidstone in mini skirts.
Comments
However, when choosing the best/most suitable school, personally I don't think inspecting the toilets and carpets should be your priority, but each to their own.
I know I looked at academic results, subjects taught, ofsted reports, word of mouth from other parents, pupil behaviour, headteacher, teachers etc, but I didn't inspect the toilets or carpets for chewing gum. Maybe I'm weird.
Anyway sounds like you have the choice between 2 great schools so you have a nice choice to make. I had the choice between 2 grammar schools in Kent as a kid and told my mum I wanted to go to the one that played football and not rugby. She let me and I loved it there.
I was and I still am socially inept with women , failed slag my wife calls me ...
My 4 boys all go to a mixed school , I don't want them to be shit at pulling like me
If you really believe her going to Invicta is the better choice then you've got to make her believe the same.
If you can't, then maybe, as others have said, the potential long term fall out might be a problem if you force her.
Ultimately, wherever she goes, she will be OK if you check she does her homework, encourage her to get involved in enrichment activities and keep in touch with the school to check she is doing everything she should be during the day.
Best of luck.
My son's school has mixed abilities but I asked the headmaster initially - how many pupils have you sent to Oxbridge last year? I think they had a couple. It wasn't that I want or expect my son to go there, but that shows clever kids are not held back and to be fair, that has been the case with him.
There is, as there always has been, a range of schools.
To say there is 'nothing in between' is just plain wrong.
The effort that goes into making an underperforming school improve ( or shite to in between, if you like) is phenomenal, and better than it has ever been in the history of education in the uk.
Which is what I replied to.
And it's not in my opinion.
League tables have been around for 25 years so I don't know what you mean by recent?
Schools have never been so closely inspected.
Why not start here as you are so concerned about Grammar schools that it makes you judge the whole education system so inaccurately.
https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools®ion=209&la-name=lewisham&geographic=la&for=primary
Secondary data also available showing plenty in the mid range of performance.
Are we just naming professions now?
I will PM you Swisdom
However, the dress code bit gets to me. The regulation length knee high skirt is worn in the school - but the second they're out, it gets rolled up at the waist by about a foot and all these well dressed Invicta clones are walking around Maidstone in mini skirts.