Info on state secondaries: Graveney, Chestnut, Hurlingham etc Post Reply

[Scottishdad]

@prettyinpink the open day/evening is good, the children host/run the tour and were open and happy to answer questions about all aspects of school life. The way they interacted with us as parents told me everything I needed to know about whether they felt it was a psychologically safe environment where they could be honest about what life is like at Ashcroft.

@OP I thought I was quite clear that our experience has been that if they’re in catchup then they have the work they need to catch up on assigned to them and that teachers usually speak to them about it in advance. As opposed to a detention where they’re just expected to sit in the room and read a book. If you think any of the schools you mention are going to have subject teachers in the room doing the lessons they missed out on then I think you’ll be disappointed. If that’s your expectation of a school then you probably need to look at the higher end private options out there.

I won’t bother responding to your other points, you’ve already decided that Ashcroft isn’t the right school for you so I’m not sure it furthers the conversation to continue getting into it. All I’ll say is that the experience we and our friends have had is that Ashcroft, Harris Wimbledon and Graveney have a similar approach to behaviour and discipline. Hope this helps.

[PForSWParent]

@Scottishdad
" If you think any of the schools you mention are going to have subject teachers in the room doing the lessons they missed out on then I think you’ll be disappointed."

I never said nor implied that. It is shockingly beyond me how anyone could have possibly inferred that.

You're right, we have radically opposed views on Ashcroft so no point continuing on that.

I am, however, interested in how you think Graveney and Harris Wimbledon are similar, because you are the first person who mentions that. In fact, we have spoken to families who were very relieved they got into Graveney with the test, specifically because Graveney is NOT Ashcroft.

A common complaint I have heard about Ashcroft is not just excessive homework, but also homework assigned very late (published on Sunday on the online thingy) and still expected to be delivered on Monday. The child who complained got told off - this feeds into the narrative of a school which forces passive acceptance of capricious rules, not autonomous thinking. My understanding is that this doesn't happen at Graveney nor Harris Wimbledon. Is your understanding different?

For the record, I have also heard of families outraged their dear little Johnny got a detention for not doing his homework. That's nonsense - of course a detention for not doing your homework is well deserved.

 

[PForSWParent]

I also have experience of Southfields Academy and again, do not recognise your description - have you toured the school or attended an open event?  I was very impressed when I did.  The pastoral care appears to be excellent, something that I didn't see in many schools, and the low turnover of staff is another strong indicator that it is a good school.  Check the school's progress score - it's above Chestnut Grove's.

May I ask what your experience of Southfields is? Do you have children there? Do you know families with children there? What do they tell you about behaviour and academic results?


 

[chorister]

@PForSWParent - for heaven's sake, please let it go before you wear out the internet.

[PForSWParent]

@PForSWParent - for heaven's sake, please let it go before you wear out the internet.

I apologise unreservedly if the life of my loved ones was wrecked by mental health issues caused by bullying in the workplace, and if this leads me to want to ensure my children do not experience emotional abuse at school.

I will take your advice, be a good parent and simply "let it go". It's not like my fears have very recently materialised in two London schools rated outstanding, so obviously I am exaggerating and I have nothing to worry about.

Thank you for your intervention.

[Helpfulmouse]

I'm sorry you experienced bullying in the workplace but you seem to have some very big issues and emotional problems now and you should really focus on addressing them. Otherwise, your anxiety and this level of fear will damage your children much more than any school could ever do.

Please look after yourself and sort yourself out first. Everything else will then fall into place

[PForSWParent]

Please explain how "sorting myself out" would have prevented the well-documented emotional abuse at Holland Park or Mossbourne, had I sent my children there?

We may disagree on the odds of the same abuse happening at Ashcroft, but surely we can all agree that emotional abuse is unacceptable and that we should all avoid the environments which instead condone it?

If a woman who was assaulted tells you that she wants to steer clear of workplaces which condone sexism and machismo, do you tell her that she should sort herself out first? Or do you recognise her concerns as legitimate?

Here we are talking about emotional, not physical, abuse, but the attitude of most commenters is just that.

[supergirl]

Look. No school is perfect and i understand your due diligence, we all do whether parents or not.
But the way you have phrased your request is rude.

One school night be good for one child but not for the other thats the way it is.

I was very bullied in secondary school. Unfortunately it still does happen - from teachers or from peers or in my case from both.
Yes i suffered with mental health as a result, but i got helped and i am now in a very happy place in my life and have been for a while.

My advice is ensure your children are resilient, independant, teach them to negotiate, teach them social skills so they can cope. Make sure they talk to you. And in the worst case scenario you can change school.

But as @chorister said, let it go now.

[supergirl]

And I also feel very strongly that you have turned this thread into a bashing for Ashcroft and that is unfair. There are plenty of children and parents there who are happy you are doing everyone a disservice. If you feel so strongly take it to the school and to the council.

And seriously, your conparison with indian and chinese food it completely irrelevant as it is uncomparable.

But your thread is kind of entertaining while i waiting for a delivery

[PForSWParent]

There were apparently plenty of parents and students who were happy at Holland Park and Mossbourne. This doesn't mean that it was unfair to call out the now well-documented emotional abuse, nor does it make that abuse any more right or acceptable.

If anyone wants to talk about the other schools, I would welcome any colour and feedback.

But if anyone wants to keep berating me for saying that I don't want what happened at other schools to happen to my children, or finds my concerns "entertaining" then, what can I say, you do you...

PS No, concerns cannot be taken to the school or the council. The whole point is that academies are completely unaccountable. Not even the secretary of education can overturn their decisions. I cannot think of many other public services, fully funded by the taxpayer, where we accept this lack of accountability. Even those who find Ashcroft a great school should recognise that this lack of accountability runs contrary to the very basic principle of accountability for public funds.

[Runsalot]

Don't worry, our lovely Secretary of State is working incredibly hard to destroy academies (apart from other things...)

If you are so uncomfortable with the academies' lack of accountability, may I point out that most of the schools you listed and are looking for information about are also academies? So I'm a bit confused about your thought process here

Your concerns are not "entertaining" but the way you go about them is. I'm not sure how you manage to get through the day. I suppose a good Chinese meal at the end of the day helps... Or was it Indian...? 🙄

[PForSWParent]

@runsalot thank you for confirming you are not interested in answering the initial question on the other schools, but only in a verbal fight with someone who dares have a different opinion.

Your confusion can be explained only by the bad faith of wanting to attack someone who disagrees with you, or by the ignorance that most secondary schools are, in fact, academies. Which was it? I'm curious.

It's not like I can choose between dozens of non-academies and dozens of academies, and I choose academies out of inconsistency!

I'd be curious to ask why you think that the lack of accountability is necessary for a school to succeed.

I'd be curious to ask if you don't think that a model with more accountability would have prevented the abuse at Holland Park and Mossbourne.

I'd also be curious to ask why someone who dismisses actual cases of emotional abuse, and the concern that the same may happen elsewhere, shouldn't be stripped of parental responsibilities.

But, as you and many others have so clearly said, I am in the wrong for being rude and aggressive, so there wouldn't be much point.

[Ramaboo]

OP please stop repeating yourself. It's exhausting to read.

The reason people are frustrated - and crucially, now not giving you much useful info - is that you've approached this query and appeal for help in a very confrontational way.

You opened with criticisms of bunch of local schools, then seemed surprised when people with real experience of said schools defended them. If you don't want to consider those, best not to fire shots at them on a public forum.  

If you want info I would suggest deleting your original post and rephrasing it in nicer way - then people might feel like they want to offer useful advice. Best of luck