Level igneninek

Dear Mrs Haydock, as promised, here is my report about the visit.

The first impression was, that not much people is interested, the car park was half empty (especially compared to the difficulties to park the car at W..). We started at the Head's speech. The room for 300 persons had less than 100, half of it children. We met Katie and Amy from the class. We heard the Headmaster and the Headboy and Headgirl to speak, they were informative. Apparently is a small school, max 600 or so children. What would be interesting to know for comparisons is the pupil/teacher ratio. What I really liked is their year 7 group-teaching, they have a maths-science-physics-etc (sciency), an English-history-humanities-etc (humanities sort of) teacher for a smoother transition from the class teacher system of the primary schools. So instead of 15 new teachers, they have maybe 5-6, less people to learn to know and relate to. Surprisingly they have lots of music and not so surprisingly lots of after-school activities (I find it very handy if I don't have to take my son to a sport or other club and he can do it with people whom he already knows.) They have longer lessons, so less wondering around, less occasion to be lost or get into trouble.

To say something maybe not perfect, the speeches were directed exclusively to the parents and not at all to the kids present, especially from the Headboy-girl, I'd expected to be a bit less formal and try to "catch" the children. (Although later on, during the visit, this was perfectly balanced by our accompanying pupils, one of them the the Head girl.)

After the speeches we had a word with the Headmaster, I wanted to know about their SEN provisions and university prospects, my son wanted to know if they teach astrophysics. Unfortunately the Head is more on the humanities side, so he couldn't answer, so this question was posed to every possible maths or science teacher, who, I'm pleased to say, were very happy to answer him. The SENCO was around, but at the end I forgot to look for him, Uni is through Reigate College.

As we left the main hall later than most, there were just 2 pupils left as guides, luckily we had 2 very clever and chatty girls (to compare the not really bright one in W…, who was lost 2x in her own school and to questions like "what is your favourite subject" couldn't even answer. To be fair, we met there a couple of really brainy ones as well, doing science experiments, amongst them Kelly from last year.) The Head girl and a senior prefect girl guided us all over; they were very informative and very enthusiastic about their school. The Head girl left this school for a period but came back and doing better than in a private school. Both are taking part a lot of different activities, both are going to college, one of them would like to become a doctor. They really "sold" their school for me.

In the school there is streaming, more able and so on, they have special care for gifted-talented. Apparently they have lots of differentiated homework on half-termly basis.

My son was completely "bought" when he heard that they make fire-works and have taek-won-do in afterschool. And he saw some pictures about stars and the Moon and the Earth sectioned, so he felt that the place is interesting. He entertained our guides at least as much they did us. It was brilliant that both girls were very friendly and patient with him and having 2, one was still able to answer my questions.

The school is ugly, especially outside, peeling painting, horrid windows. Inside is better, full of information and now even more, as they have some sort of election and campaigning full speed, some of the posters were really good. They don't have a lot of things other schools do, even small elementary ours, like electronic white boards in every room, projectors, computers (a part of the IT rooms). It looks a bit "run-down".

The people were lovely. Everyone smiley, kind, helpful. We just walked in lessons, nobody minded. The kids’ behaviour was really good, polite, courteous. The overall feeling was good (the superb sunshine helped too maybe).

I'm really pleased we visited the school, and very possibly I will put it on the list. If my son didn't pass the W. grammar exam (we will know in 3 weeks), then on the first place, after I spoke with their SENCO. I started again my son's statementing anyway.

The dilemma is what is better, being one of the lots of brainy ones in an academically stronger school, positioned somewhere maybe in the middle, or being one of the best brains in a less strong one. The other issue is the distance, is even nearer than the actual school to us.

Well, honestly I was hoping and expecting, that seeing this school I would categorically exclude it from our choices, making the decision simpler, but it didn't happen, this school is a valid alternative. Thank you for "pushing" me to visit (although the decision is even harder now).