Secondary schools in Southend

[Jam_Man]

Live by the Bell. Number 9 bus. Rayleigh schools still get much a viable option IMHO

Yep bus stop is about 100 yards from house so maybe thats an option. Again a long way out of catchment so maybe a long shot? Certainly will consider it though.

Thanks all for feedback, feeling slightly less despondent than I was last night. I knew Shrimperzone wasnt just about people arguing over the colour of a football kit.

 

[jassyfa1]

I have dropped off a couple of teachers from Chase and they are not impressed with some of the children they teach and apparently the children parents are not much better.

 

[blues_r_best]

Yep bus stop is about 100 yards from house so maybe thats an option. Again a long way out of catchment so maybe a long shot? Certainly will consider it though.

Thanks all for feedback, feeling slightly less despondent than I was last night. I knew Shrimperzone wasnt just about people arguing over the colour of a football kit.

Please sort it out, I don't want a family living near me whose children don't go to a grammar school.

Many thanks.

 

[Jam_Man]

Please sort it out, I don't want a family living near me whose children don't go to a grammar school.

Many thanks.

Id love my kids to go to grammar school if they pass the 11+, but have nothing at all against comprehensives, I attended one myself.

However if its a comprehensive then I want them to go to a decent one, just like any parent does.

I have dropped off a couple of teachers from Chase and they are not impressed with some of the children they teach and apparently the children parents are not much better.

Indeed, thats why I dont want my kids there, which is unfortunate as its the one Im in the catchment for.

 

[jassyfa1]

What's the one further up from the chase by Middlesex Avenue

 

[blues_r_best]

Thomas More and Westcliff High Schools are by there.

 

[GrumpyBlue]

My sister`s boys went to Sweyne - when she was living in Eastwood - couldn`t fault the place :thumbsup:

 

[prawntobewild]

Speaking from experience I can offer up the following - My eldest passed the 11+ with one of the highest marks in the area & had the choice of any school - after a good old think we went for Cecil Jones - this proved to be a huge error for her as from about year 9 she suffered constant bullying & basically gave up attending. Despite this she got reasonable exam results.
My second also chose Cecil (at the time eldest kid was reasonably happy there) - again from about year 9 she had some problems & even though she left a year ago still lacks confidence.
By this time we had caught on - no3 got into KES & despite some ups & downs he is a keen student & is very happy to go in despite the early start & journey from Southend to Rochford.

As for other schools all I can offer is the "Word on the Street" from other parents with experience of these schools.

Cecil - generaly bad reviews with school turning a blind eye to poor behaviour
Chase - has a generally bad rep but I have heard of some improvements
KES - My kid enjoys it - we've had a few ups & downs but this i am told is not unusual !
Futures - see Chase
Shoebury - Has some problems but the few people i know (including a teacher) say it has improved over the past couple of years.
Fitz - Generally seen as a good school.
Greensward - ditto.
Eastwood - Have heard mixed reports but would rate it above Cecil,Chase, Futures at the mo.

I have also heard of kids at the Grammar schools being coached to pass the 11+ then not being able to keep up after the first couple of years - generally these kids are worked very hard & if they get to the later years & are not up to standard rather than take exams & fail they are simply asked to leave before exam time so the old figures don't get spoiled.

To sum up over the 5 years a school can change & get better or worse - personally I went to Furtherwick Park on Canvey & despite a bit of a bad rep I enjoyed school - & some of it is what the kids make of it.

At the end of the day all i can suggest is that you go with where you feel the most comfortable & at any time with school one kids nightmare is another kids paradise. Also I have found that these days boys generally cope better with big school -certainly with the social side anyway.
Hope it all turns out ok.

 

[Pubey]

Speaking from experience I can offer up the following - My eldest passed the 11+ with one of the highest marks in the area & had the choice of any school - after a good old think we went for Cecil Jones - this proved to be a huge error for her as from about year 9 she suffered constant bullying & basically gave up attending. Despite this she got reasonable exam results.
My second also chose Cecil (at the time eldest kid was reasonably happy there) - again from about year 9 she had some problems & even though she left a year ago still lacks confidence.
By this time we had caught on - no3 got into KES & despite some ups & downs he is a keen student & is very happy to go in despite the early start & journey from Southend to Rochford.

As for other schools all I can offer is the "Word on the Street" from other parents with experience of these schools.

Cecil - generaly bad reviews with school turning a blind eye to poor behaviour
Chase - has a generally bad rep but I have heard of some improvements
KES - My kid enjoys it - we've had a few ups & downs but this i am told is not unusual !
Futures - see Chase
Shoebury - Has some problems but the few people i know (including a teacher) say it has improved over the past couple of years.
Fitz - Generally seen as a good school.
Greensward - ditto.
Eastwood - Have heard mixed reports but would rate it above Cecil,Chase, Futures at the mo.

I have also heard of kids at the Grammar schools being coached to pass the 11+ then not being able to keep up after the first couple of years - generally these kids are worked very hard & if they get to the later years & are not up to standard rather than take exams & fail they are simply asked to leave before exam time so the old figures don't get spoiled.

To sum up over the 5 years a school can change & get better or worse - personally I went to Furtherwick Park on Canvey & despite a bit of a bad rep I enjoyed school - & some of it is what the kids make of it.

At the end of the day all i can suggest is that you go with where you feel the most comfortable & at any time with school one kids nightmare is another kids paradise. Also I have found that these days boys generally cope better with big school -certainly with the social side anyway.
Hope it all turns out ok.

With all due respect, why would you let your child sail through the 11+ and then send them to Cecil Jones?

I don't think any school can 'ask students to leave' just because their grades aren't top notch.

My experience of WHSB was that it wasn't particularly pleasant, and you are worked very hard, but it paid off eventually. I was never top set at WHSB but I never felt like I'd been given up on, or felt that students who were struggling were left high and dry.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Anyone's children go to or did go to Sweyne?

 

[Pubey]

Anyone's children go to or did go to Sweyne?

My cousins do, and really like it and are doing well. The oldest is lining up SHSB or WHSB for 6th form. Apparently it's doing well.

My other cousin goes to Fitz which as people have mentioned is a good school.

Where the hell is 'Futures'??

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Where the hell is 'Futures'??

Used to be called Thorpe Bay High, or if you're even older (like me) Dowsett High School for Girls!

 

[OldBlueLady]

With all due respect, why would you let your child sail through the 11+ and then send them to Cecil Jones?

I don't think any school can 'ask students to leave' just because their grades aren't top notch.

My experience of WHSB was that it wasn't particularly pleasant, and you are worked very hard, but it paid off eventually. I was never top set at WHSB but I never felt like I'd been given up on, or felt that students who were struggling were left high and dry.

Yes, I'm not sure why you'd put your child through 11+ and then not use that to your advantage in finding the best school, I don't think Cecil could ever have been described as that!

You certainly CAN be asked to leave if your GCSE grades are not deemed of high enough standard to go into 6th form at WHSG now, it happened to the youngest daughter of a friend of mine.

Anyone's children go to or did go to Sweyne?

I think Sarfminsta's two have both attended Sweyne, not sure on his personal view of it. I've taken kids over there for football tournaments and never had any issues, but then, obviously we have PE students from years 10 or 11 helping us.

Used to be called Thorpe Bay High, or if you're even older (like me) Dowsett High School for Girls!

Yeah, next to Southend High for Girls.

 

[prawntobewild]

With all due respect, why would you let your child sail through the 11+ and then send them to Cecil Jones?

I don't think any school can 'ask students to leave' just because their grades aren't top notch.

My experience of WHSB was that it wasn't particularly pleasant, and you are worked very hard, but it paid off eventually. I was never top set at WHSB but I never felt like I'd been given up on, or felt that students who were struggling were left high and dry.

Fair question - going back 8 years CJ did not have the rep it has today - she went round a few schools including the grammars & felt most comfortable at CJ - It was not a decision we took lightly - & for the first couple of years she was quite happy there.

As for the thing about the high schools - I was told this by a parent of a child at one of these schools.

 

[Pubey]

Yes, I'm not sure why you'd put your child through 11+ and then not use that to your advantage in finding the best school, I don't think Cecil could ever have been described as that!

You certainly CAN be asked to leave if your GCSE grades are not deemed of high enough standard to go into 6th form at WHSG now, it happened to the youngest daughter of a friend of mine.



I think Sarfminsta's two have both attended Sweyne, not sure on his personal view of it. I've taken kids over there for football tournaments and never had any issues, but then, obviously we have PE students from years 10 or 11 helping us.



Yeah, next to Southend High for Girls.

That was the case when I was at WHSB, you had to have the right grade at GCSE to be able to progress to A Level (A's or B's I think). That's not the same as asking you to leave before you sit your exams.

 

[The General]

KES does start at 8am and done by 2.10pm. What a dream ... Also gets the kids in a good habit of getting up nice & early!

 

[OldBlueLady]

That was the case when I was at WHSB, you had to have the right grade at GCSE to be able to progress to A Level (A's or B's I think). That's not the same as asking you to leave before you sit your exams.

That wasn't the case when I was there, I got some As and Bs but also a couple of Cs. I was just pointing out that it can happen that way.

 

[Jam_Man]

Speaking from experience I can offer up the following - My eldest passed the 11+ with one of the highest marks in the area & had the choice of any school - after a good old think we went for Cecil Jones - this proved to be a huge error for her as from about year 9 she suffered constant bullying & basically gave up attending. Despite this she got reasonable exam results.
My second also chose Cecil (at the time eldest kid was reasonably happy there) - again from about year 9 she had some problems & even though she left a year ago still lacks confidence.
By this time we had caught on - no3 got into KES & despite some ups & downs he is a keen student & is very happy to go in despite the early start & journey from Southend to Rochford.

As for other schools all I can offer is the "Word on the Street" from other parents with experience of these schools.

Cecil - generaly bad reviews with school turning a blind eye to poor behaviour
Chase - has a generally bad rep but I have heard of some improvements
KES - My kid enjoys it - we've had a few ups & downs but this i am told is not unusual !
Futures - see Chase
Shoebury - Has some problems but the few people i know (including a teacher) say it has improved over the past couple of years.
Fitz - Generally seen as a good school.
Greensward - ditto.
Eastwood - Have heard mixed reports but would rate it above Cecil,Chase, Futures at the mo.

I have also heard of kids at the Grammar schools being coached to pass the 11+ then not being able to keep up after the first couple of years - generally these kids are worked very hard & if they get to the later years & are not up to standard rather than take exams & fail they are simply asked to leave before exam time so the old figures don't get spoiled.

To sum up over the 5 years a school can change & get better or worse - personally I went to Furtherwick Park on Canvey & despite a bit of a bad rep I enjoyed school - & some of it is what the kids make of it.

At the end of the day all i can suggest is that you go with where you feel the most comfortable & at any time with school one kids nightmare is another kids paradise. Also I have found that these days boys generally cope better with big school -certainly with the social side anyway.
Hope it all turns out ok.

Great feedback thanks.

Where do you live to get into KES ?

 

[Tinks]

Ok I will be quite honest and say that at the present time I do not have any of my children at school however, both of mine attended Eastwood and they both done extremely well with one of them going onto to attend WHSB 6th form and then both of them going onto university. At the time they were both at Eastwood it was being turned around and I understand that it is now a reasonable school with some parents moving to be within the catchment area.
I do have a niece who is currently attending Chase High - some of the stories she tells me leaves me open mouthed.
A friend of mine has her son at Cecil Jones and does not recommend that much but, her son is a bit of a "what not"

My view is that if a child wants to learn they will learn and certainly if I can pass on any advice it would be this:
If you child just scrapes through the 11+ they may well struggle at a grammar, surely it would be better for them to be in a high set in a local school than a lower set in a grammar school, as confidence in their ability is a major factor in learning

 

[banjo saviola]

This thread has been interesting. I wasn't aware that parents had such a free rein in choosing what school their kids can attend. I thought you were restricted by your catchment area.
I live very close to Sweyne but my eldest will only start junior school this September. I have friends that work at KES, Eastwood and King John and all talk about these schools positively.