Talk to me about Stafford high schools...

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
You see that's actually good, solid advice, which is a far cry from your usual contributions to threads like these over the years, that tend to follow a predictable course: first you remind us that you went to about two thousand different schools - all of them pointless in one way or another - then comes the 'if you rely on schools for your education you are doomed' (or words to that effect) line - by which time you are normally joined by someone equally dismissive of formal education - bit of 'top bantz' later et voilà! , suddenly they'd be better off down a mine or up a chimney.

All very entertaining probably, but i've never quite understood how it's helpful to someone wrestling with what can feel like quite a daunting decision.

Getting back to that decision, it's going to be that bit harder this year, as the transition days and open evenings that would normally help in the process will be curtailed or cancelled cause of Covid. This is a real shame, hopefully some opportunities will remain to visit in person, take them if they do.

Eddies was supposed to have their open evening last week i think (cancelled, presumably due to the Year 9 thing), but i'm told that they have made a video that can be viewed on their website - not the same by any means but probably worth a look. No doubt Weston Rd will do something similar so worth keeping an eye on.

Unless someone has a more robust defence of one of them over the other, ultimately it will have to come down to practical/emotional considerations already mentioned ^above.
Ten schools - as mentioned - one of them was very good. But, don't let that bother you.
 

bunique

Well-Known Forumite
Well at least it hasn't gone all South Side of Chicago. As it didn't get a mention I was wondering.
It’s always oversubscribed so I think most people know if they’re not in catchment they don’t have a hope of getting in.
 

RobUSA

Well-Known Forumite
It’s always oversubscribed so I think most people know if they’re not in catchment they don’t have a hope of getting in.


That makes sense. I think in my day you pretty much went to the local school and that was your lot. (Unless in 6th form you wanted particular subjects).
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
I remember, the last time this came up, being attacked for my position that there are no 'bad' schools in Stafford, that this was an outrage, and that Stafford schools should somehow be much better than that, average was just not good enough etc. Can't remember who it was now, they were quite enraged by it, that i do remember, but did they have a point?

It could equally be argued that there are no 'good' schools in Stafford, could it not?
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
I guess we can all look at what school we went to and how well our peers have done in life. I went to what people love to call the worse school in Stafford, one where you were almost scared to tell adults where you studied (maybe that was just me) and we've all done pretty well.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
I guess we can all look at what school we went to and how well our peers have done in life. I went to what people love to call the worse school in Stafford, one where you were almost scared to tell adults where you studied (maybe that was just me) and we've all done pretty well.
Oh, I didn't realise you went to the grammar school. Still, at least you've managed to live with it and make something of yourself.
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
Well, the worst comprehensive school!

When I was in year 8 my mum wanted me to go to the grammar school. Apparently my response was 'I don't want to go there with those snobs'.
 

bunique

Well-Known Forumite
I remember, the last time this came up, being attacked for my position that there are no 'bad' schools in Stafford, that this was an outrage, and that Stafford schools should somehow be much better than that, average was just not good enough etc. Can't remember who it was now, they were quite enraged by it, that i do remember, but did they have a point?

It could equally be argued that there are no 'good' schools in Stafford, could it not?
Probably me :xd: I do think it’s strange that Stafford schools all hover around the middle though, I would have thought at least one would be “stand out”. I know Walton has the better reputation but it’s results don’t really suggest it’s a high performer.
 

c0tt0nt0p

Well-Known Forumite
Probably me :xd: I do think it’s strange that Stafford schools all hover around the middle though, I would have thought at least one would be “stand out”. I know Walton has the better reputation but it’s results don’t really suggest it’s a high performer.
As someone who didn't grow up in Stafford the impression I've gained from the last 12 years living here is that they suffer from a superiority complex. I've lost count of the number of parents who have visited the place to check it out and have pretty much all left underwhelmed...
 
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Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
Probably me :xd: I do think it’s strange that Stafford schools all hover around the middle though, I would have thought at least one would be “stand out”. I know Walton has the better reputation but it’s results don’t really suggest it’s a high performer.
It's a good way of bumping up house prices...
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
Probably me :xd: I do think it’s strange that Stafford schools all hover around the middle though, I would have thought at least one would be “stand out”. I know Walton has the better reputation but it’s results don’t really suggest it’s a high performer.
That's just it though, what do you want from your local High School?

Walton actually has one Oscar winner, one design guru, two TV comedians, and a published author as alumni, which one would argue is not bad for the provinces.

Stafford is really quite small beer in the grand scheme of things, it's not unusual to be unextraordinary.
 

c0tt0nt0p

Well-Known Forumite
That's just it though, what do you want from your local High School?
You want a High School that does their best for every child not just the one in the top sets.
I found this out at my HS where I was placed in set 4 for English with no feasible way of attaining a GCSE for that subject. I knew this was the case as one of our exercises was worrying a police report which my dad (who did 30 years with the Force) helped me with and I only got a C- for it....
 

Pooryorick

Well-Known Forumite
i went to a grate schol! The teechers were brilliant fun, not like these plaices where you have to work and do boring lesson: boring: never got homwork todo either. when does anyone kneed to kno aout the battle of monty carlow or schrodingers dead cat??
 
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