I have 3 kids at Graveney in extension and have not regretted it for a second, the pupil you had take you round does not reflect those that I have met whilst my kids have been there. Art and Drama are not the strongest subjects at all, that's funny! Perhaps that child was taking you round as you have to miss a day of lessons to prepare for the open evening and the studious ones don't want to do that - my kids have said that in the past.

The school is big but the kids don't feel it at all and it is highly organised, they know what they're doing. My kids say they love the campus feel of the different buildings, having to move from one to another for class, and the large open spaces during breaks. The extension set in my experience means your child will be in a class of a similar peer group and disruption has never been a problem. All 3 have got really great friends.

I'm not sure they have top subjects. My son is strong in the STEM subjects whereas my daughter is strong in English and they both have very inspirational teachers in these subjects who they chat about constantly at home (a good sign). I have come across the odd uninspirational teacher, it's not all too good to be true but it has been one or two in 6 years across 3 kids and all subjects, so I would say the teaching is very high quality. They stream within extension also and there are examples where a teacher has gone out of the box to inspire my kids. The music department is brilliant, the concerts are like watching professionals, the standard is very high and you can literally play and have lessons on any instrument in existence.

Kids are assessed leading up to choosing GCSE subjects and depending on ability will do combined or triple science. They then have to choose between Geography or History and choose a language. They then have a choice of either one or two preferred subjects (depending on ability again) and the list is extensive. They can mix whatever they want. My daughter chose Art and History having chosen Geography as the compulsory one, my son Computer Science and Economics. My son did an early GCSE in Astronomy at the end of Yr 10 as an after school class. Music is also offered as an early one this way or you can keep it as a preferred subject. Latin is another subject offered this way (I don't know if it still is taught as per other commenters).

Hope this all helps but I would not be put off by the pupil you met on Open Evening.

Re: Latin. I've just search for it as remembered vividly reading it a while ago. I've found numerous articles about it and this below in School Week. Definitely worth checking directly with the school:

"Thousands of secondary pupils are facing “significant disruption” after the government scrapped its state school Latin programme mid-year as it seeks to plug a fiscal black hole.

In a letter seen by Schools Week, the Department for Education has informed schools it is terminating its Latin Excellence Programme (LEP) in February.

The £4 million scheme was supposed to run until 2026, but government has enacted a break clause to end it earlier. The scheme provided a centre of excellence to create resources for partner schools, and also funded teacher salaries and trips to Rome."

Re: Latin. I've just search for it as remembered vividly reading it a while ago. I've found numerous articles about it and this below in School Week. Definitely worth checking directly with the school:

"Thousands of secondary pupils are facing “significant disruption” after the government scrapped its state school Latin programme mid-year as it seeks to plug a fiscal black hole.

In a letter seen by Schools Week, the Department for Education has informed schools it is terminating its Latin Excellence Programme (LEP) in February.

The £4 million scheme was supposed to run until 2026, but government has enacted a break clause to end it earlier. The scheme provided a centre of excellence to create resources for partner schools, and also funded teacher salaries and trips to Rome."

As far as I know, Graveney still offers Latin: my son is at Graveney and will sit his Latin GCSE this year. The school emailed us recently to find out if he'd be interested in doing it as an A Level, so I don't think it's being discontinued. Perhaps check with them to be sure. 

Graveney doesn't offer Latin anymore as Phillipson removed all funding for Latin a couple of months ago. There are now no schools offering Latin, sadly

Also, I have friends at Bolingbroke and as one of the posters already mentioned, their A level subjects can be limited. Plus you have to choose GCSEs in "blocks" - so you can't choose and mix as you wish. For example, if your child is good at PE and computing and wants to do both for GCSE, they won't let them. Not sure if it's similar at Graveney - worth checking with them but it does matter a lot

Your son sounds very bright - have you considered Tiffin Boys?  It has a wide catchment and may be a contender.

You will find low level disruption in any secondary school (state or private) and I wouldn't believe any school that said it didn't have it however, a bright, motivated and supported (at home) child will do well wherever they go.

At the end of the day it is horses for courses and what suits your child best.

Bolingbroke does stream, pretty much from the get go. PP is correct that Graveney as a bigger school has more subjects and facilities.

In terms of class disruption you can’t predict that as it depends on the kids in any particular year at any particular time. Also kids showing you round - I mean they are teenagers! I quite like an honest teenager rather than some primed superstar

My child is at Bolingbroke and is doing really well and likes it. Graveney wouldn’t have suited them as well. But that is just my child as an individual - many kids love/hate their schools.

Bigger is better imho
Graveney offers more subjects than Bolingbroke - German and Latin for starters and more DT

Hello. We are currently looking at various State High Schools for my son (Yr 5). We are in a very fortunate position to be in the catchment for and also a feeder school for Bolingbroke. He is also very likely to get into the selective stream based on his CAT test scores vs Graveney’s recent cut-off scores. He’s a bright hard-working kid and we are looking for a more academic school where he will be challenged, particularly in maths and science, his favourites.

Having toured Graveney, I’m just not sure about it. It is such a big school and the kids taking us around (both times we went) just did not appear motivated or particularly interested in school. One told us that he tries to go nap on the sofa whenever he gets the chance and bunk off from lessons! I guess I was expecting more from a partly selective academic school. However, I have heard that the selective stream can be quite different. The kids taking us around said Graveney’s top subjects were Art and Drama. Is this true? The kids also said that there was a lot of class disruption which concerned us. I wondered if this was different in the selective streams? My son has a lot of disruption in his current class so we’re trying to find somewhere with less (if even possible!).

We loved Bolingbroke, although we are quite far away distance wise now, so there is still risk that he won’t get in. I loved the smaller size and the feel of it and how motivated the kids seemed to be. The kids showing us around also said the top subjects are Maths & Science.

However, even though we are in a feeder school for Bolingbroke, we are on the doorstep of Graveney! So he’d have to travel further for Bolingbroke (if we get in due to distance). He also really likes the idea of everyone being streamed at Graveney but preferred Bolingbroke overall due to the science & maths teachers engaging him so nicely at open day.

I’m wondering, if you have kids in the selective/ top streams at Graveney, how pushed are they? Is there still a lot of class disruption? Is the teaching of a high quality? Are the kids motivated? How did they find the size of the school? Have there been any negative experiences?

Anyone whose kids are in Bolingbroke, I guess I have the same questions? Do they stream at all at Bolingbroke? Is there still a lot of class disruption? My son loved that he heard it was a strict school (he’s an odd child! ).

Thanks for any help. I am totally in two minds about which one to go for!

TLDR: Bolingbroke vs Graveney Selective Stream for academic performance?