The Charter School

[Guest]

My eldest child is about to reach the age when we start thinking about secondary schools.

We are reluctant to send her to a private school, and have thought about Aske's but the bus journey in the morning puts her off. We are considering the Charter School, but would like to hear some personal opinons... is it a good school? She has had friendship problems in the past and we are worried that it might not be the right atmosphere for a shy girl. Would we be better off forking out for a private school, or do we have nothing to worry about?

[clare]

My daughter is in her second year at the Charter School and has made loads of friends and is quite happy there......you need to go and look at any schools you are thinking about but don't assume you have any notion of choice! Askes takes kids from a small area, as does the Charter.....and of course most private schools make you jump through lots of hoops and tests and stuff.......state vs private is a fab forum topic so please wade in with a contreversial viewpoint we all love it......

ps any home educators out there??? join in please!

[Guest]

or you could just send the child to kingsdale school LOL LOL LOL (yes i was joking)

[Keef]

Hi Clare, You've obviously been involved in this process recently, but I'm sure Aske's takes kids from Southwark, Lewisham, Greenwich, and Bromley.... Only problem is, there are too many applying!

[bald marauder]

I had heard that Askes specifically didn't take its input from the immediate catchment area, but used much broader criteria to get what it considers to be the right mix of children. I know someone on Copleston Road (Bellenden area) who got their two children into Askes, so that would seem to bear it out too.

[tomM]

i live in East Dulwich and went to Askes. Used to have to get 484 or P3 with 10 minute walk to bus stop, and honestly the bus journey wasn't bad - just gave me time to think / relax / talk to friends etc

plus bus allows you to make new friends (you end up talking to anyone in your year who's at the same bus stop). Now we have the P13 directly there, it's even easier - and apparently the school is mixed now?!!

As for Charter school, yeh my niece is about to start there - we had a good look at exam results, they're very good, and it's got ridiculously good marks when inspected.

However, i still think if you can apply for Askes you must - great atmosphere, great teachers, just a fantastic school overall.

[clare]

Askes band children according to ability and then are supposed to take a comprehesive intake from each band, starting with the children who live nearest the school. As of 2 years ago they have had to give siblings priority (quite right too). They also have a music status thingy and can select 40 children per year based on "musical aptitude." Kids who live a bit further away can get in under the wire that way.............

[Townleygreen]

I have heard mixed reports about the Charter in the past. For instance, there were a few negative incidents between Charterians and kids from nearby schools.

Does anyone know anything negative about it at present?

I also heard Kingsdale had improved (not difficult, you might say...)

[Townleygreen]

If you are ever in the market for a private school, "Bill 123", then you won't do better than Alleyns. Great results, turns out lovely kids, the staff are really caring. It isn't an academic sausage factory either. One of the best schools in the country in fact. It IS hard to get a place though, I'd have to admit. And its SOOO close to ED!

[James]

A close fried went for a job at Charter once and decided to stay at the school where he was already teaching... the department in question was producing shoddy work of a low standard compared with the kids at his (admittedly strong) inner city comp. He thought the kids seemed undisciplined & lacking in motivation and the staff remote. Whenever I see the kids out and about in uniform they seem a bit rowdy. Subjective I know but worth considering.

[clare]

A close fried what?

[Huguenot]

squid

should have worked in tentacle support

[Keef]

Hey tomM, when were you at Aske's? I used to do the same 484 (was the 184 before) / P3 (which I think is the 343 these days) journey as you between 89 and 96.

I can't say who Aske's take these days, but when I went, they took 3 boys from my year at St John's & St Clement's. We were all "band 1", however, the year before us, they took 3 "band 3" boys. They always took siblings in to account within the same sex (it was 2 seperate schools then), unfortunately, I had a sister at the girl's school which didn't help me a bit (Grrr). There were a lot of kids there from the Dulwich area, and I had friends who lived over in Shooters Hill (Woolwich/Eltham area), so they came from far and wide!

As for the music thing, I'm glad they take a few kids based on "musical aptitude", as the music teacher is a fantastic person, who has always made it his mission to ensure that a child will never miss out on instrumental lessons because their parents can't afford them. I did music GCSE and A Level there, and it was fab! The standard is better than anything I've heard, and that includes when I did music at university!

For all I know, it could have changed in to an awful school in the last 11 years, but I doubt it.

[clare]

OMG ! just seen some Charter school kids in uniform........they were talking quietly and politely moved aside to let me pass......only my word for it but worth considering......

[Townleygreen]

One other thing - private schools like Alleyn's do offer scholarships. And these days they focus on people who couldn't otherwise afford the fees, rather than who comes top of the entrance exam, which is much fairer.

[James]

Thanks for your insight Clare. A valid contribution if ever there was one. I assume your point is that that the way kids behave outside school has no relation to what they're like in school?

[clare]

purely a subjective view my friend

[dulwichmum]

Dear Clare,

I agree, I regularly catch the bus to West Dulwich from North Dulwich Station, and in general, the kids wearing the Charter uniform are an exhuberant and nonetheless well behaved group!

[James]

Not my perception at all! Perhaps I just saw the naughty ones.

[clare]

James- I have to be a bit loyal- my precious daughter goes there............

[James]

Aha! At least you've declared your interest

[Keef]

I'm pretty sure it's the first thing she said in this thread.

[Reluctant runner]

I walk past Charter School pupils every day (they wait at a bus stop outside Dulwich Hospital - they clearly can't walk the 1km to school). They are generally rude, aggressive and often (like today) swigging from cans of beer/other booze. Not nice at all. I certainly would rather move than send my two children there when the time comes.

[Huguenot]

Drinking cans of beer at 8amon a Thursday morning? Hardcore! Thoroughly impressed.

I did Saturday school, and I did once do an all-nighter on a Friday, and rock up at school with pockets full of half-inched Holsten Pils (whatever happened to that?). I made it to the sixth form common room quickly enough - it was out of bounds to teachers - but my two mates did the walk of shame.

[clare]

Reluctant runner......missing you already.....