This is the second time I have visited. I visited STRS, Crypt and Pates during their open days. Pates was re-visited by us yesterday 'by invite' as DS finished top 150. It was and remains our favourite and first choice.If anyone been to Pates open morning today please pour your insights our DD got the rank its border line, don't want to upset if she doesn't end up getting the seat.
The academics speak for themselves, it can be well argued that regardless which grammar a child attends, their results would be largely similar. However, there were a number of factors outside of academics which led us to believe this was the right choice for our DS.
The house system, and how it is engrained into school life was a major factor. DS has always enjoyed representing his house at Primary, the wider school, and other sports clubs, he does so with pride and it means a lot to him. The community within a community feel of the house system is something I will feel he will thrive within, and bring him great enjoyment.
I have also been left with a general consensus that there is an encouragement to build free thinking individuals, and not spoon feed them, along with creating resilience, all traits which I think will benefit anyone in adulthood, the Pates learner is how it is coined in school. (Edit: link to Pates learner - https://www.patesgs.org/wp-content/uplo ... earner.pdf)
Co-ed also a factor for myself, although less so for my other half. Whilst my DS is an 'a typical' boy - sports, cars, etc, he is, on the whole more empathetic, caring and considerate than most, and broadly speaking I think this side of him would be more accommodated in a co-ed school over a single sex environment.
Edit: We are also Cheltenham based, the school bus bookends at each the start and end of his day are considerably smaller than having to travel to Gloucester. Over an hour difference in total, and a wholly reasonable 8.00am bus less than a minutes walk from our house.
Statistics: Posted by tireddad — Wed Oct 23, 2024 1:23 pm
