Harris Boys East Dulwich

[3rdrock]

I would be very grateful if anyone with a child at this school could give us some words of comfort. We didn't want this school and we've been allocated it. As it seems likely that our child is going to have to go, please could you pm me with positive thoughts about this school. Thank you

[EDmummy]

Let's hope you haven't shared your *disdain* with your child.

I'm sure you'll get a few PMs telling you about experiences. I notice that you've removed your comments about ethnic mix of the school. The mix is pretty average for an inner London school. Results are above national average and high amongst other local schools. My son is well supported, has a great mix of friends and other than being affected by the national shortage of physics teachers, has had some great, enthusiastic and dedicated teachers of the last 3 years. He is given opportunities to extend his learning and extra curriculum activities are available for most interests. It's still quite a new school in that it hasn't matured it's offer to students but the senior management team are working hard to open up further opportunities for the boys. This school deserves the support of local parents. There is real access to teachers which, when I've spoken to friends, other, bigger schools don't have. Like with any school there are instances of bullying etc but the school, in my experience, are very responsive and situations are managed immediately to good effect (this is my experience, I cannot comment on others).

[3rdrock]

ED Mummy - thank you for your feedback. Despite your opening lines, I do appreciate you taking the time to post.

I haven't shared my 'distain' as you put it. I am trying to change my mindset from despair at being allocated this school to 'it might actually be the best thing that could happen' I changed my original post (which wasn't about race, but about english as a second language. That's your prejudice creeping in Ed Mummy) -because I didn't want anyone to think it was about race. I didn't want to row with anyone or get into a debate. I'm trying to find reasons to put a positive view to my son about something that has come as a surprise.

[Cora]

I have only heard positive comments from local families whose boys are there....I've had my feelers out because we have to make the decisions next year. And again it is me with the doubts, my son loves the idea - so I would go in with a genuinely positive mind, it's an 'outstanding' school after all. You can keep him on waiting lists and when you get offered a place elsewhere make your mind up then whether it is worth moving him. (But don't buy the uniform until just before term starts!) Also, don't know if you looked at Deptford Green in New Cross if you want co-ed, you may get in there on a waiting list.

[Tanza]

Good to hear all the positive feedback about Harris Boys. Hope more parents will post as the day goes on.

[peony68]

Hi , I currently have a son in year 7 at Harris boys and we couldn't be happier with the school so far . Our son is quite a shy introverted boy ,but has truly blossomed at the school , he has made many new friends and actually really enjoys going to school each day ( something which I couldn't guarantee at primary school) . The small class sizes are great for him , and communication between home and school is excellent . He has enthusiastic , committed teachers who are happy to respond to any email queries that we feel we need to send . It may be worth mentioning that we also have an older son currently in the sixth form at Forest Hill Boys ( Harris built too late to consider for him )but he has been at FHS all the way from year 7. We chose Harris for our younger son as felt it was a better fit size wise and small class wise . However we have not encountered any huge differences between the schools so far and feel really lucky that we are in an area where we had the choice to use two different schools. As I say our son is very happy there and with the termly reports and assessment grades continuing to improve , we know that he is also making great progress.

[Scruffy Mummy]

I've only heard positive things from a few friends who boys are at the school. I've got my eye on it as next year we have to apply for secondary schools. My view is that we are lucky to have an outstanding school so near - within walking distance. It shouldn't really come as a surprise that local children are allocated a place at the school since it is on our doorstep and since as we all know, there is a severe crisis in school places.

[mrs.lotte]

Tanza, I appreciate that school allocation is an emotional time but if you seek to hear from parents at a school whilst telling them that you don't want your child to go there but might have to and require comfort then surely you must see that can sound insulting?

I have a boy in Y5 at a vibrant diverse local primary school where lots of children have English as a second language (which doesn't mean they can't speak English it usually means they speak another language as well as English which is more than I can)

All I can say is that I have visited the school and was super impressed and the children I know that go there are happy and thriving.

Whilst single sex isn't everyone's cup of tea I for one am delighted to have an outstanding secondary school on our doorstep. I hope that you feel able to get behind the school, doubtless plenty of your sons classmates will also be going.

[James Barber]

I've visited this school several times and been truly impressed with it and more importantly its pupils. I wish I'd been half as nurtured at the comp I attended. So I wasn't surprised but was chuffed to see the stunning 1st GCSE results they've achieved. Above the national average and some of the highest in Southwark.

This is especially impressive when the first two years the school was off site at Langbourne some considerable way away and without all the facilities it now has.

You could also ask to visit the school again before making a final decision.

[DuncanW]

So just for the avoidance of doubt, what is it about this Ofsted rated Outstanding school that caused you such feelings of despair?

[Curmudgeon]

I was immensely impressed by Harris Boys when I visited 3 years ago and nothing I have seen and heard since has swayed that opinion. I have friends whose children are happy and flourishing there.

I think edmummy gave you valuable advice. It would be easy for your "shock and dismay" at your school allocation to be transmitted, even unknowingly, to your child and that is the worst thing a parent could do in the scary transition from primary to secondary.

[midivydale]

OP, what are your reservations about the school? If you state your concerns/reservations hopefully parents can adress and reassure you and your son.

Not sure what the language aspect were as I did not see them but generally speaking children with more languages than English would not do any worse, especially not at secondary school.

I can of course only speak from personal experience and of all the bi lingual families I know, none of the children struggle academically.

[Monkey]

Visit the school and go with your guts!

[optimum]

Another satisfied parent with a child at HBAED. Since my son joined I have found his teachers to be hard working, dedicated and knowledgeable. My son is doing GCSEs. He enjoys all of his subjects and has good relationships with the boys in his class. Communication with teachers is really positive and emails are answered quickly. As it is a relatively small school the boys soon get to be known by the staff. There is time set aside every morning for everyone, staff and boys, to 'Drop Everything And Read', something I really like. Have a look on the Academy's website - it will show you the range of things on offer. Best of all it is a lovely modern building with great views across the Rye. I'm sure it will continue to develop a local identity if the parents of boys who live nearby choose to send their sons there.

[Mrs TP]

I have daughters and so have no direct experience of the school but have heard only good things from parents there. However, I have a friend whose son has been allocated this school as their 6th choice and they are not happy. They visited the school 3 times last year and never fell in love with it. They kept going back to try and find what others were seeing and they were missing. Their overall impression of the school was that it is run like an impersonal bootcamp with a lack of nurture towards the individual and they were also dismayed by the lack of creative / artwork on display.

How would parents there defend against these assumptions and what can I say to reassure her?

[optimum]

Mrs TP - perhaps you could ask your friend to read the comments posted on the forum from parents who have a son at HBAED.

"Their overall impression of the school was that it is run like an impersonal bootcamp with a lack of nurture towards the individual."

This is not something that I recognise. There are many comments too on this and other threads describing the very personal support their sons have received. I'd be interested to hear how your friend was able to conclude that there was "a lack of nurture towards the individual" - was it something a teacher or student said?

[wonderwoman]

I think I kind of understand the comments from Mrs TP's friend. When we visited we found that although there was a sense of order and organisation about the place, it was quite regimented and when the boys for example were changing to move to their next lessons we noticed that lots of the staff were on hand to ensure pupils moved along with minimum fuss. This is very different from other schools we visited. Also the staff were in hi-viz vests so it looked almost kind of borstal like. They said they stop every day to read but this came across as having to "make" the boys do this rather than encourage it. All in all we didn't get a great impression of the school which is a shame as it doesn't do justice to what others are saying in reflection of the good support and great GCSE results they have achieved.

[EDmummy]

It's our experience that the structure at HBAED allows the boys to know the boundaries and expectations and therefore gives them a secure learning environment. My son is quite anxious and finds comfort in knowing the behaviour expected and that teachers will act in a consistent way when dealing with any disruption. He certainly wouldn't recognise the school that you describe as 'regimented'.

[heber jumble queen]

I find this thread troubling personally. As someone with two boys at the school I am genuinely at the end of my tether with such queries. I can't tell you how many times I have to hear "oh they're at Harris Boys? Is it ok?" *with a pained expression*

Yes it is.

As EDmummy has said you can't underestimate the effect for kids hearing that they're at the school no one else wants to go to. My kids are acutely aware of it. Some of their friends moved house or paid for expensive private education to avoid it. They can read forums like this, and they just hear what people say. It is openly expressed.

I can give you plenty of positive feedback. I am just sick of having to do so.

[753]

I think people going through the allocation of secondary places go through an anxious time and it is natural to feel disappointed if you don't get a top choice. And perhaps to seek reassurance. A number of posters give that and I agree, but share some of HJQ's exasperation at having to do so.

My son is there and very happy. It was not our first choice, those years ago, but all is going well. He has retained friends at the other school he'd hoped to go to, Charter, and has new ones. He is making good progress both personally and academically and I have never for a moment felt that the school and teachers have ever treated him as anything other than the individual he is.

I don't want to take away from anything I have said but I think parents would be fairly reluctant to be unkind about their child's school - because we want them to do well and support their efforts. There was a poster some time ago on another thread who was unhappy, but I think that was a minority view, to which the parent was entitled. Conversely that is true probably true of all schools, including the private ones. And feedback from other children and their parents is that all schools have their strengths and weaknesses. One thing is that with HBAED some of its apparent failings are more obvious - it's single sex, an emphasis on order, importance of sport (my son is really not sporty at all) and for me the garish orange lapels. But it really is a good school.

[Mrs TP]

Lovely post 753.

As I said above, I have girls.

When my oldest got into her secondary (Syd School) another mum exclaimed in horror to me 'what are you going to do?' - 'send her' I replied. I know what it's like to have little support and active opposition to your preferred school. Each to their own but I will happily chat to anyone who is genuinely interested in finding out my experiences as a current parent.

An extra stress is the idea that you have to choose the right school for your child and really very few actually get that real choice and end up meeting the system less than half-way. I'm happy to cut anyone the slack going through this super stressful time.

[Carbonara]

LOL.

My child is classified as having EAL....so I guess I need to re-assure you that the school is great, that my child's achievements and classroom performance as an EAL student can be nothing but a form of peer-support and his results and awards bring credit to his school.

I really hope things work out for you, 3rdRock - it is a scary transition.

[3rdrock]

I'd like to thank everyone who has kindly responded. As Mrs TP said, school allocation time is a very stressful business.

I have now been to see Harris Boys, my second visit, my husband's first and we were both impressed by it and we are also grateful to have all the positive comments from the people above. It clearly is doing great things.

[Carbonara]

That sounds very positive.

You may well still get offered your first or higher choices if you stay on the waiting lists. Many people get waiting list places as the year progresses.

[EDmummy]

We got offered one of our higher choices when we went through this a few years ago but after assessing all the pros and cons, decided to stay with HBAED. It has turned out brilliantly for our high achieving son - I genuinely hope it does the same for you.