The Charter School (are you happy with it?)

[Libby]

We are considering sending our son to The Charter and wonder if there are any parents out there who can tell us whether they are happy with the school. We have read an older thread on the subject but would like up-to-date opinions as schools can change. Our only other option is the private sector.

Many thanks.

[Asset]

All the people I have spoken to with kids at the Charter say the children are happy there. My son will be going in September.

[Carrie]

I have two daughters currently in year nine and we are certainly very happy with the school - there is a good mix of kids - and all of them are local which means that they don't have to travel miles to meet up with their friends. Dave Sheppard who was the acting head has just been confirmed in the position full time which is great as he seems very hot on discipline.

Our girls are cetainly thriving there.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Lot to live up to with a name like David Sheppard!

[Carrie]

Am I missing something - the only other David Sheppard I know is the one who was Bishop Of Liverpool?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Indeed - and he played cricket for England!

[SteveT]

A woman I employed, pretended she lived at the same address as her relatives (who lived close to the school) to get her children into the school, as she considered it to be that good.

[Libby]

Thank you Asset, Carrie and SteveT. We found the Open Day to be chaotic and rushed. We asked to look round the school during school hours but The Charter was the only school on our 'short-list' to refuse our request, it is therefore really helpful to hear what parents think of the school.

[Townleygreen]

It is good to hear mostly encouraging things about the Charter. They has been similar news about Kingsdale recently, too.

[BARA]

One person I met briefly, a teacher herself, had a boy and girl at the Charter. Boy was doing really well and she was very happy. Daughter was not doing so well, getting in with a 'lazy' crowd who did not value education etc. Despite keeping in close contact with form teacher re daughter's attitude and progress, her mother was not impressed with way school handled her concerns re daughter and was seriously considering removing her. She was checking out other schools and asking other parents of girls their views. Guess that regardless of the repuation of the school, it is down to the individual pupil.

Also know of family who sold their house in the Barry Road areas and rented property off Townley Road, over a year prior to their child becoming 11+ as they wanted Charter School. Once child accepted they were going to move elsewhere.

[eccentric]

Libby,

If your son is academic, then yes Charter will work for him, if on the other hand a creative, tread carefully. My son has learning difficulties and attended Charter until last year. He was suspended for 3 days two weeks prior to leaving for having a pink streak of hair, when I challenged that decision with the then head Mr. Bowler he said ?he stands out, and it?s a disruption". When I pointed out several other students both boys and girls with dyed hair he had no argument but insisted my son remained off school until the dye (non permanent) was out. This was during exam week. He is now at the BRIT school and flying.

[cathg]

In regards to eccentric, I myself go to the BRIT school and find it worse than the Charter. That's got to tell you something...

The Charter was great, but its true (what BARA said) that you need to be motivated to get somewhere there.

[Muttley]

cathg Wrote:

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> In regards to eccentric, I myself go to the BRIT

> school and find it worse than the Charter. That's

> got to tell you something...

Cathg - when you say you "go" to the BRIT, in what capacity?. I note from an earlier posting that you lived in Camberwell in the late 80s, which would make you a very mature BRIT student...but maybe I've misunderstood.

[cathg]

After posting that I did realise I was a little unclear. Firstly, I did attend the Charter before the BRIT as I didn't mention in my first post. And secondly, I'm not Cathg and I'm still a teenager. Being a lazy adolescent I thought it would be far more convenient to use my mum's (automatically signed in) account than register myself. Sorry for the confusion. And besides, its not even my mum who uses the account, its my dad in disguise!

That's the last time I get involved in EDF, back to facebook for me!

[Muttley]

Mr Cathg now muttering "My secret would still be secure if it wasn't for those meddling kids..."

[eccentric]

My point was maybe not clear. My son was allowed to fall through the net at Charter due to his learning difficulties, Dyslexia, Dysphasia etc. We had him assessed privately before the Charter accepted he had special needs. If you son is a ?straight A? academic, he?ll do fine.

[Libby]

Thank you everyone, it is very helpful to hear others' experiences. Eccentric, the Government league tables say that almost 40% of pupils at Charter have SENs so it is worrying to hear you felt your son was not supported. My son is reasonably academic but it's not good to hear that 40% of the school are perhaps less supported than the more able. Well done to your son for getting into the BRIT school, I understand it is difficult to get into.

I know the Charter is a very sought after school but I think you are right Bara - ultimately it is down to the individual pupil. I just wish we had been able to look round in a more leisurely fashion and had an opportunity to chat to the teachers, the Open Day was not particularly helpful and we left feeling none the wiser!

[ed_pete]

Libby - my daughter started at the Charter last September and so far all is going reasonably well. It's not perfect, but then what school is? Both she and her friends are very happy at school and from my perspective it seems to be keeping her interested in her subjects and stretching her academically when she needs to be.

I'd suggest that if you didn't get what you need from the open day then make another appointment to go for a second visit. If you've got any specific question's that you like to ask a parent then by all means send me a PM - if I can't help you then I know a number of other Charter parents - and a Govenor - that may be able to help out.

[TillieTrotter]

My son is in his second year there and I panic about it to be honest. Little or no homework, feels abit lax sometimes. But the panic dies down every time I go to Academic day or get his termly results because he is still way above average!!! I think because my daughter went to JAGS and I got used to ten tonnes of homework every night that is what I've come to expect. He is very happy there, the constant troupe of friends that he brings home are lovely kids so I should just chill out and enjoy it with him. On the other hand, my little one who starts there this September is not quite so academic and this worries me a little/lot!! We'll see.

[dancet]

SteveT Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> A woman I employed, pretended she lived at the

> same address as her relatives (who lived close to

> the school) to get her children into the school,

> as she considered it to be that good.

Yes this happens a lot, probably why friends of mine who have children at the school are puzzled why so many of the pupils live miles away, we are local (it's our nearest school) but honest about our address so we are way down the waiting list. Your dishonest employee has stolen a local childs place and has committed fraud, there should be some sort of deterrent to stop these cheats. You need to show more ID to join the local video club than an over subscribed school, it's illegal to give false info on the Electoral roll so why doesn't that cover school entry, and why does everyone think it's okay and clever to cheat, what is that teaching your child?

[TillieTrotter]

Not sure how you get away with supplying false address as you have to show your last council tax bill along with proof of child benefit and birth certificate!!

[dancet]

It is extrememly easy to cheat, the Birth certificate is just to prove child?s name and age (most people have moved since the birth), you can have your Child benefit redirected to any address with one phone call to say you have moved (the payment into you bank account will be unaffected.)

It's the same with council tax, if I rang the council and said I had moved in with my relative/friend and asked to have my name put on their council tax they will send me a letter straight away, I've checked it out with the council. All you need is someone happy to take part in the fraud and pass on any letters. Also many relatives have the same name so they just pass it off as their own.

It goes on all the time, I know of quite a few who have done it, someone I know who lives miles away has used Grandma?s address all the way through from Dulwich Infants to The Charter. There isn't any deterrent so they might as well have a go, once they have a place they tell the school they have moved and all the siblings get in. According to one of my daughters friends in year 11 there are about 8 pupils that say they used false addresses, one (who lives in Crystal Palace) even used a relative's shop in Dulwich village!

[SteveT]

Dancet I agree whole heartedly with your post, that falsification of any type is wrong and safeguards should be put in place to prevent it.

It is a great shame that more places aren't available in the 'good schools' and then no one would have to go through the indignity of lying and cheating their way in, and pushing out the children who should be higher up the queue.

I have not employed her for years and have not regretted it for a moment.

My sympathies lie wholly with you and your children Dancet.

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

Wouldn't it be nice if all schools were good schools and all this moving house and fraud wouldn't need to happen. After reading this though I think I'll try Kingsdale for my daughter.

[Libby]

Once again, thank you to everyone for your helpful replies. Less confused but still feel sending him to the Charter would be taking a risk. However, it's local, it's free and (apart from SEN children perhaps not being given enough support) I haven't heard anything too negative about it. Certainly, the majority of Charter childen I see walking to and from school seem well behaved and from what I have read on here they seem happy enough. Thank you all for taking the time to respond to my question.