Choosing the right Secondary School

Choosing the right Secondary School

I thought about the boys future before they were even born. I looked into primary schools, high schools and nurseries. Obviously, if I was going to raise the next Prime Minister or Richard Branson I was going to have to make sure I made the right decisions with regards to their education. It seemed like it was forever before we would have to make any decisions, yet it has flown by in a blink, and a decade later, here we are.

Throughout the years though, I have realised the most important thing is that they are happy at school. If they are happy the rest should fall into place….right?

Well, that’s what I thought until this year.  With the boys finishing year five in a couple of weeks, and high school choices looming only a few months away, I feel like a huge weight is on my shoulders.

Time has caught up with me and I’m starting to face the reality that there might be more to choosing a secondary school than just making sure the boys are happy.

I was happy at school, too happy. I was happy messing with my friends. I was happy trying out my latest make up technique in science class. I was happy thinking about what lads name I would scribble over my homework book. I was happy planning how to get out of my next PE class. Happiness defiantly didn’t help me knuckle down and get the best GCSEs I could achieve.

I went to my local state secondary school.  It was a good school but like most schools you get out of it what you put in. The expectations never seemed particularly high.  That coupled with my lack of self disapline ment I was a typical ‘doing ok, but could do better’ kid.

Although my life has turned out better than I could have imagined, I know my school days were more of a social education rather than an academic one.

Seventeen years later and I struggle to even help the kids with their homework. I do my nine times table using the ‘finger trick’ and I was convinced my last son shared his name with a historical British King.  Turns out, apparently King Arthur was a legend?!

Please bear this in mind when you read my blog and notice spelling or grammar mistakes 🙈

However, let’s not knock the social skills and enjoyment you need to experience in your teenage years.

I do believe some of the qualities that helped me succeed in my career and help me run our businesses now were created at high school.

With a husband that attended a prestigious private school, we really do have experience at both ends of the British education system.

So this leaves me wondering about the twins. What school would suit them? The big difference between them and me and their dad is that they LOVE learning.

We have taken them to see the school that Mike went too. The building was beautiful and imposing, like Hogwarts, absolutely beautiful. The head masters office was a posh lounge, furnished  with a think cream carpet, a huge fireplace and a large chesterfield sofa. All of this was very impressive but when you are paying £20,000 per year I guess you wouldn’t expect anything less. The children were lovely, the facilities were not unlike the Olympic Park and the exam results spoke for themselves.

People say ‘if a child wants to learn, and they have the support at home they will do well anywhere’….do you agree?

We have looked at our closest local state school and I really liked it. The head mistress seemed strict but fair, she knew all the pupils (three thousand) by name and they seemed to like and respect her. The kids were polite and well presented and the facilities, although not to the standard of the private school, were Impressive.

Mike had a bit of an issue with the dining facilities.  The dining room could barely fit two hundred kids in it.  When he was at school everyone sat down together and ate a civilised lunch.  

I had to give him a lesson in state school lunch etticate. From what I remember, if we were eating in the canteen, it was usually sausage, chips, and beans which you inhaled as quickly as possible to give you time to gossip or flirt on the school field.

Mike wasn’t impressed by this! (Strange considering he became a scaffolder, who usually eat KFC with their feet up on the dash of the lorry!)

It has been quite an eye opener for both of us, learning about each others education.

We are going to look at all the schools again at the open evenings in September. I think, given we are fortunate enough to have great state schools in the area, we will choose one of them. Private school is a huge financial commitment and even if we could afford it, so many sacrifices would have to be made.

Narrowing down the state schools will be hard, they are all good.

All the Ofsted reports are great and when I’ve spoken to parents with kids already at the schools they all seem happy. Realistically there are two that we are in the catchment for. Mikey loves art and drama and Harrison is massivly into sport,  So those subject opportunities will play a big part.

The boys have to have a say aswell.  It’s important to us that they are happy with the choices we make.

Finally, practicality has to come into it.

With four children following them up the ranks I need to know it will be in a location that is practical for us, as a family.  

Not just for the kids, but for me (mum taxi) as well….not always easy when you live on a country lane with no pavement and at least a mile away from the nearest public transport.

My dad has even been researching for me.  I randomly got this text recently.  Anyone that knows my dad won’t find this that surprising 🤣


I asked a few fellow bloggers what they look for when choosing a school.  Here is what they suggest:

“Ask them how they are going to be saving money with the budget cuts. They all have to cut something. Their answers should help you work out if the school is well managed and planning ahead effectively.”

https://falcondalelife.com

“I’d look at whether the children are well behaved, happy and enjoying school. Also what extra curricular activities are on offer. The overall attitude of the school and whether they instill a love of learning in the children. Plus I must admit I’d be looking at results too”

http://www.familymakes.com

“Look at the standards in general: uniform, equipment, facilities… It would give you a good idea of the general atmosphere. Of course, look at the kids and try to feel if they are happy but look also at the teachers! Are they knackered and grumpy? It says a lot about the school Plus of course the Ofsted report! :)” http://thefrenchiemummy.com/top-tips-to-be-a-good-blogger/

“I spoke to parents with children already in secondary school. Are their kids enjoying being at school and doing well in their studies 🙂 Ofsted and open evenings are important too”

https://thedaisypages.com

I really struggled with this and ended up choosing a school where my daughter wouldn’t know a single person. ” https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/hardest-decision-life/

“It’s not necessarily about secondary schools – more about any school (primary or secondary just the same) if you are choosing for a child that has additional needs”

http://www.rainbowsaretoobeautiful.com/2016/01/sen-choosing-mainstream-school.html

Do you have any tips that will help with our decision?

Lots of love,

A ‘trying to stay relaxed Kate

Five Reasons Why Everyone Loves a Leavers Hoodie

One of the most momentous moments of Year 6 for Mikey and Harrison was receiving their 2018 Leavers hoodies.
This wasn’t a tradition when I was at school but how I wish it was, I am sure they will last longer that my size 11-12 white shirt with pals names scribbled all over them.
What a lovely way to remember some of the most special years of your life. I even seen friends who are in their 20’s wearing their High School Leaver Hoodies with pride.
Robert Joyce, the managing director of personalised clothing company Yazzoo, has wrote a wonderful guest post for Modern Mum about this growing tradition and why it has become such a large part of our children’s school life.

5 Reasons Everyone Loves a Leavers Hoodie
A symbol of school spirit and a wearable memento of one of the most formative times in our lives, the humble leavers hoodie is a fashion hero. Bringing together comfort and nostalgia into one cosy, comfy and snuggly wearable item, it’s a rite of passage for students all over the country.
As students across the UK brace themselves for the coming exams and prepare to leave their schools, we take a look at the enduring appeal of the leavers hoodie. Here are our top five reasons why your child will love their leavers hoodie.
1. For the Tradition
Did you know that hoodies have been a fashion staple for over 100 years? Its origins are unclear, but one popular story is that way back in 1919, an American company called Champion Products was looking to boost its standard sweatshirts, so it added a hood to shield wearers from the cold. The rest, as they say, is history. Schools across the US rushed to buy hoodies for their sports teams and societies. In the 1980s, the rise of fabric screen printing technology led to customised school clothing growing in popularity, and the leavers hoodie was born.
But arguably, the long history of the leavers hoodie is part of something much more innate in all of us — the need to scrawl our names on things as a means of memorialising them and making our mark on the world. From the cave drawings of ancient man to etching our names in trees, desks and bathroom doors, it’s a trademark of humankind.
Graduating from the unintelligible scrawlings on signed primary school t-shirts, the leavers hoodie is a more elegant and effortless extension of this same impulse to immortalise our place in time.
2. For the Sentimentality
Do you ever think back to the simplicity of your school days when you’re having a bad day, or reminisce about your school day escapades during long commutes to the office? Our memories are far more than just meaningless thoughts — they make us who we are and help us get us through difficult times in our lives. No time is more important and formative than our school days.
A leavers hoodie makes memories tangible; they’re a wearable item that keeps those memories alive. Your child has no doubt formed thousands of priceless memories during their school years — school trips, new friends, playground larks and, of course, interesting facts, books and skills. School life is full of trials and tribulations and successes and discoveries that all play an integral role in our personal development. It’s those memories that stay with us for the rest of our lives.
3. For the Sense of Belonging
Leaving school can be overwhelming and many students experience a deep sense of anxiety as the big day approaches. Although there are many reasons why students feel unsettled by leaving school, one of the most common reasons is the prospect of no longer belonging to their own, comfortable community. When once they were surrounded by their friends and like-minded people within a secure bubble, now they’re facing the daunting prospect of adulthood and the many things life throws at them.
Emblazoned with their school logo and proudly displaying their school colours, a leavers hoodie is an informal uniform that binds all school leavers together. Whether your child will miss the camaraderie of the classroom, running around at break time or simply the routine of the school day, a hoodie is a perfect way to instil their group identity and help them navigate those first few months in a new and unfamiliar environment.
4. For the Comfort
No list about the leavers hoodie will be complete without a mention of its sheer comfort and wearability. Perfect for slouching on the sofa, wrapping up after the gym or nipping down to the shops, a leavers hoodie is a go-to wearable comfort blanket.
Not only that, but each time your little one (or perhaps not-so-little one!) returns for a weekend break at the family home or is feeling overwhelmed at university or in their job, their leavers hoodie will be a comforting trip back in time to a more carefree time of their life.
5. For the School
What better way to pay homage to the place that made you than by promoting it in the clothes you wear? Happy students are the best advert for a good school, so if your child loved their school experience, why not give its publicity a boost in an effortless and fashionable way?
Leavers Hoodies are a rite of passage for all students. Why not get one for your child from a personalised clothing company? It’s the perfect nostalgia trip.
Author bio: Robert Joyce is the managing director of Personalised clothing company Yazzoo, which delivers high-quality screen printing and embroidery services at economy prices.
*this post was sponsored by Yazzoo*
photostudio_1553595961147.jpg
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Choosing the right Secondary School

Choosing the right Secondary School

Choosing the right Secondary School

I thought about the boys future before they were even born.

I looked into primary schools, high schools and nurseries. Obviously, if I was going to raise the next Prime Minister or Richard Branson I was going to have to make sure I made the right decisions with regards to their education. It seemed like it was forever before we would have to make any decisions, yet it has flown by in a blink, and a decade later, here we are.

Throughout the years though, I have realised the most important thing is that they are happy at school. If they are happy the rest should fall into place….right?

Well, that’s what I thought until this year.  With the boys finishing year five in a couple of weeks, and high school choices looming only a few months away, I feel like a huge weight is on my shoulders.

Time has caught up with me and I’m starting to face the reality that there might be more to choosing a secondary school than just making sure the boys are happy.

I was happy at school, too happy. I was happy messing with my friends. I was happy trying out my latest make up technique in science class. I was happy thinking about what lads name I would scribble over my homework book. I was happy planning how to get out of my next PE class. Happiness defiantly didn’t help me knuckle down and get the best GCSEs I could achieve.

I went to my local state secondary school.  It was a good school but like most schools you get out of it what you put in. The expectations never seemed particularly high.  That coupled with my lack of self disapline ment I was a typical ‘doing ok, but could do better’ kid.

Although my life has turned out better than I could have imagined, I know my school days were more of a social education rather than an academic one.

Seventeen years later and I struggle to even help the kids with their homework. I do my nine times table using the ‘finger trick’ and I was convinced my last son shared his name with a historical British King.  Turns out, apparently King Arthur was a legend?!

Please bear this in mind when you read my blog and notice spelling or grammar mistakes 🙈

However, let’s not knock the social skills and enjoyment you need to experience in your teenage years.

I do believe some of the qualities that helped me succeed in my career and help me run our businesses now were created at high school.

With a husband that attended a prestigious private school, we really do have experience at both ends of the British education system.

So this leaves me wondering about the twins. What school would suit them? The big difference between them and me and their dad is that they LOVE learning.

We have taken them to see the school that Mike went too. The building was beautiful and imposing, like Hogwarts, absolutely beautiful. The head masters office was a posh lounge, furnished  with a think cream carpet, a huge fireplace and a large chesterfield sofa. All of this was very impressive but when you are paying £20,000 per year I guess you wouldn’t expect anything less. The children were lovely, the facilities were not unlike the Olympic Park and the exam results spoke for themselves.

People say ‘if a child wants to learn, and they have the support at home they will do well anywhere’….do you agree?

We have looked at our closest local state school and I really liked it. The head mistress seemed strict but fair, she knew all the pupils (three thousand) by name and they seemed to like and respect her. The kids were polite and well presented and the facilities, although not to the standard of the private school, were Impressive.

Mike had a bit of an issue with the dining facilities.  The dining room could barely fit two hundred kids in it.  When he was at school everyone sat down together and ate a civilised lunch.  

I had to give him a lesson in state school lunch etticate. From what I remember, if we were eating in the canteen, it was usually sausage, chips, and beans which you inhaled as quickly as possible to give you time to gossip or flirt on the school field.

Mike wasn’t impressed by this! (Strange considering he became a scaffolder, who usually eat KFC with their feet up on the dash of the lorry!)

It has been quite an eye opener for both of us, learning about each others education.

We are going to look at all the schools again at the open evenings in September. I think, given we are fortunate enough to have great state schools in the area, we will choose one of them. Private school is a huge financial commitment and even if we could afford it, so many sacrifices would have to be made.

Narrowing down the state schools will be hard, they are all good.

All the Ofsted reports are great and when I’ve spoken to parents with kids already at the schools they all seem happy. Realistically there are two that we are in the catchment for. Mikey loves art and drama and Harrison is massivly into sport,  So those subject opportunities will play a big part.

The boys have to have a say aswell.  It’s important to us that they are happy with the choices we make.

Finally, practicality has to come into it.

With four children following them up the ranks I need to know it will be in a location that is practical for us, as a family.  

Not just for the kids, but for me (mum taxi) as well….not always easy when you live on a country lane with no pavement and at least a mile away from the nearest public transport.

My dad has even been researching for me.  I randomly got this text recently.  Anyone that knows my dad won’t find this that surprising 🤣

I asked a few fellow bloggers what they look for when choosing a school.  Here is what they suggest:

“Ask them how they are going to be saving money with the budget cuts. They all have to cut something. Their answers should help you work out if the school is well managed and planning ahead effectively.”

https://falcondalelife.com

“I’d look at whether the children are well behaved, happy and enjoying school. Also what extra curricular activities are on offer. The overall attitude of the school and whether they instill a love of learning in the children. Plus I must admit I’d be looking at results too”

http://www.familymakes.com

“Look at the standards in general: uniform, equipment, facilities… It would give you a good idea of the general atmosphere. Of course, look at the kids and try to feel if they are happy but look also at the teachers! Are they knackered and grumpy? It says a lot about the school Plus of course the Ofsted report! :)” http://thefrenchiemummy.com/top-tips-to-be-a-good-blogger/

“I spoke to parents with children already in secondary school. Are their kids enjoying being at school and doing well in their studies 🙂 Ofsted and open evenings are important too”

https://thedaisypages.com

I really struggled with this and ended up choosing a school where my daughter wouldn’t know a single person. ” https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/hardest-decision-life/

“It’s not necessarily about secondary schools – more about any school (primary or secondary just the same) if you are choosing for a child that has additional needs”

http://www.rainbowsaretoobeautiful.com/2016/01/sen-choosing-mainstream-school.html

Do you have any tips that will help with our decision?

Lots of love,

A ‘trying to stay relaxed Kate