Choosing a school in Newton Abbot
By matt_2009 | Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 14:14
What school to choose for your child?
-
Kathryn with her son Daniel.
Primary schools
Newton Abbot certainly has plenty of options when considering this very important decision – no less than 27 primary schools are listed in our schools section.
Location, past experiences, Ofsted reports, reputation, availability and recommendation are just some of the factors that come into play for parents.
Our performance tables can give a more scientific approach as to the very best schools in the area, listing the SATS results of each. Clicking the total tab at the top of the table ranks the schools by aggregate performance in English, Maths and Science.
By this reckoning Canada Hill School, Ogwell, comes up trumps, closely followed by Stokeinteignhead.
At the other end of the table sit Haytor View School and Bearnes Primary.
Would a school’s performance in such tables affect where you sent your child?
Kathryn Sykes, a Newton Abbot parent who has a three-year-old daughter, Lydia and a son of 18-months, Daniel, has started looking at the options.
She said: “My first priority is location. With young children you don’t want to be traveling too far.
“Secondly, I’ll look at the Ofsted reports and performance tables. Naturally, I wouldn’t want my children to go to a school that has consistently bad results.
“I’d also ask other mums for their experiences with certain schools too.”
Secondary Schools
Choosing a secondary school in Newton Abbot can be a little more straightforward.
Many primary schools act as feeder schools for the three main state schools in the central Newton Abbot area; Coombeshead College, Newton Abbot College (formally Knowles Hill School and Teign School.
The area’s main independent school is Stover - for girls and boys aged three to 18 years. The school also provides boarding.
Many in children in Newton Abbot will also take the 11-plus exams to have chance to enter the Grammar School’s in Torquay.
Kathryn said: “Personally I’d be more than happy for my children to go to state schools.
“I think I prefer the idea of mixed schools and don’t really like the way Grammar school’s cream off the top students.”
What do you think are the area’s best schools? Any recommendations? What are your views on state/private schools?
Comments
It's OfstED not Ofstead. I completely disagree with joytotheworld. If all the creme de la creme get creamed off and sent to Grammar School, it has a knock-on effect for the rest of the mob, who don't benefit from mixing with the most able students. That's what inclusive education is. Weird that Labour were big fans of inclusive education but didn't get rid of Grammar Schools. Of course, what the Tories could do is ensure that all comps actually provide an education that will actually stretch and motivate the most able, so that parents wouldn't feel so afraid at the prospect of losing Grammar Schools. I mean, are the teachers who teach in Grammar Schools better than those who teach in comprehensives?
By Peggie13 at 18:24 on 26/09/10
ReportNothing wrong with Grammar Schools! (cute kid though)
By joytotheworld at 11:12 on 25/08/10
Report