Eastwood School

[C C Csiders]

My view is that it had its good points and bad ones too, if that's any help.
Mind you, I did leave there in 1979:smile:

I was there from 1976 until 1983.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Would it surprise you if I said that when doing PE, and cross country in particular, the children aren't able to warm their muscles up properly first with stretching and aren't given any time at the end of the lesson to warm down before getting changed back into school uniform?

Stretching of cold muscles is NOT good, any athletics coach will tell you that. They should do light exercise to get circulation/heart rate up for a few minutes and then do stretches and drills that are relevant for the activity.
A warm down can be short for youths and this is the time when stretches again may be done.
Eastwood has been making constant improvements in its athletic and XC; they now often beat the grammar schools in year groups.
I don't think this would be a good area to criticise the school on, especially with poor arguements(stretching) and when it is SO much better than comparable schools in the area at sports.

 

[GNH]

I went there from 85-90 and I did reasonably well despite the school rather than because of it. Pretty nasty place for most of that time, the sort of stuff that wouldn't be allowed these days. Not sure about it these days but we used to live fairly local and didn't hear to many horror stories

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Went there in the late 60's and was more than happy to leave after "O" levels.

The breaking down of students and bullying by staff reminds me of a school in Northfleet I did my PGCE teaching practice at in the 70's.

I'd get your kid out of there asap if I were you.

 

[Jam_Man]

Schools are certainly different than when we all went in the 80's. I left 86 and teachers would happily throw blacboard rubbers across the class room. My mate got wacked over the arse with a lump of wood in wood work for talking (lucky we werent in metalwork I suppose), I remember getting winded by a teacher during Rugby for not paying attention when he threw it as hard as he could into my chest from about 10 feet away.

If my kids were as unhappy as DWB though I would certainly be asking questions and concerned, but there is a small part of me that would be wondering if they were over reacting to a new level of discipline, a level that wouldnt have been required at junior school but is at senior school.

That said there has to be a balance, if its over the top and the good kids are suffering from it then thats not right.

OBL is right, you need to keep a diary and raise all the issues with the school. If someone takes his tie and he is the one that is punished for example that is completely wrong and I would complain. If it is so strict there why are the older kids getting away with doing it?

 

[Uncle Leo]

Schools are certainly different than when we all went in the 80's.

So's life. Even if the internet had been around the 1980s, would people have been using football discussion forums to talk about how their children aren't enjoying school?

I hope things look up for DWB Jr but it seems odd to me that this is even being discussed.

 

[OldBlueLady]

So's life. Even if the internet had been around the 1980s, would people have been using football discussion forums to talk about how their children aren't enjoying school?

I hope things look up for DWB Jr but it seems odd to me that this is even being discussed.

Your two are still young James, just wait until they've been picked on a few times by older kids in school and the school has (apparently) done nothing. Your own child's well being is an emotive subject to the vast majority of parents, and having seen it from the other side, mummy's little angel is not always a little angel in school but a spoilt brat used to getting their own way (not that I'm saying that is so in this case at all, I hasten to add! Just pointing out that we don't always see the same side of our child at home as they do in school).

 

[Uncle Leo]

Your two are still young James, just wait until they've been picked on a few times by older kids in school and the school has (apparently) done nothing. Your own child's well being is an emotive subject to the vast majority of parents, and having seen it from the other side, mummy's little angel is not always a little angel in school but a spoilt brat used to getting their own way (not that I'm saying that is so in this case at all, I hasten to add! Just pointing out that we don't always see the same side of our child at home as they do in school).

Absolutely - I'm sure there will be plenty of travails ahead once they start 'proper' school (they are at nursery at a school, but it is only nursery).

And when that time comes, I'm sure I'll be swapping tales with, and seeking advice from, close family and friends. But I won't be discussing them on here for all and sundry to read!

 

[OldBlueLady]

Absolutely - I'm sure there will be plenty of travails ahead once they start 'proper' school (they are at nursery at a school, but it is only nursery).

And when that time comes, I'm sure I'll be swapping tales with, and seeking advice from, close family and friends. But I won't be discussing them on here for all and sundry to read!

Hmmm...fair point....but so many of us have asked and found answers to questions on SZ. For me, that's something that makes SZ a great forum to belong to.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Hmmm...fair point....but so many of us have asked and found answers to questions on SZ. For me, that's something that makes SZ a great forum to belong to.

You're probably right; each to their own.

I guess where I'm coming from is that while it's entirely my lookout to share my own concerns and issues on here, I'd be more circumspect about those of my children.

Bottom line though and as mentioned before, I wish DWB Jr every success at school.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

So's life. Even if the internet had been around the 1980s, would people have been using football discussion forums to talk about how their children aren't enjoying school?

I hope things look up for DWB Jr but it seems odd to me that this is even being discussed.

Just wanted other opinions on the school really. It's not only my and my wife that feels this way about Eastwood. Some of the teachers at Heycroft haven't a good word to say about the teaching methods there and there are other parents as unhappy as we are about the school.

Undoubtedly, you have to grow up at senior school, and that has to be taken in each childs stride, but there are too many niggly bits there that make me concerned.

For instance, on a day visit last year whilst still in year 6, the children were given 2 tests and 3 laps of the field in a PE lesson. Not condusive to feeling pupils feel relaxed about moving up. It really is all results, results, results...look at us, we are the best school.

It's not all about results, it's about rounding a child into a grown up and giving them the skills to cope in life after school. This doesn't seem to be part of Eastwood's philosophy

 

[C C Csiders]

Just wanted other opinions on the school really. It's not only my and my wife that feels this way about Eastwood. Some of the teachers at Heycroft haven't a good word to say about the teaching methods there and there are other parents as unhappy as we are about the school.

Undoubtedly, you have to grow up at senior school, and that has to be taken in each childs stride, but there are too many niggly bits there that make me concerned.

For instance, on a day visit last year whilst still in year 6, the children were given 2 tests and 3 laps of the field in a PE lesson. Not condusive to feeling pupils feel relaxed about moving up. It really is all results, results, results...look at us, we are the best school.

It's not all about results, it's about rounding a child into a grown up and giving them the skills to cope in life after school. This doesn't seem to be part of Eastwood's philosophy

A quick bit of advice for your appeal - only state the reasons why Sweyne Park is teh school for your son, not why he should not be at Eastwood as outlined in your posts. The appeal panel won't care about what goes on at that school. They are all independent people and have no connection with any of the schools or the LEA.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

And change the poor sods name from Taylor.
Alas you are very wrong because it is all about results these days but if you and your wife are doing a good job the chap will turn out ok,best of luck.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

A quick bit of advice for your appeal - only state the reasons why Sweyne Park is teh school for your son, not why he should not be at Eastwood as outlined in your posts. The appeal panel won't care about what goes on at that school. They are all independent people and have no connection with any of the schools or the LEA.

Cheers. We have letters from the Head at Heycroft, his old Junior school as well as the SENCO at Heycroft. We will focus on what Sweyne Park will do for Taylor rather than the fact Eastwood is destroying him. The wife is also meeting up with a friend that won an appeal to move from Eastwood to Sweyne to get some tips for the day.

 

[Crawliano]

I went to the (now sadly departed) Furtherwick on Canvey Island.

As I explain to everyone, that place was like Grange Hill, just without the donkey hidden in the shed. We had psychotic PE teachers and mentalists who would scream at you for walking down a hall at the speed or using the wrong set of stairs.

We just found it funny. And we wore normal ties, which were "peanutted" at every opportunity. This was seen as a badge of honour. Anyone looking for help/care from older pupils were pretty much targetted thereafter.

Eastwood sounds like a paradise in comparison.