Harrytown School

[Robert]

I wouldn't just assume that faith schools will automatically be better than non-faith schools. All schools have their problems and their achievements. My son is about to finish Marple Hall and has recieved very good teaching throughout his five years there. Marple Hall school also offer excellent pastoral care and has given my son individual help and advice specific to him to help him achieve the whole time he has been there. They have a good mixture of new lively staff and older more experienced ones. Without doubt I would send a child to Marple Hall School.

As for sixth form colleges again I would not make assumptions based of reputation. You need to seek out exam results for the specific subjects your child wants to study for the campus he or she will attend - in this case comparing Marple College with Aquinas. I can assure you there are some marked differences both ways in results of Aquinas College and Marple College. Find out the information you need, don't just assume Aquinas is better at what your child will study.

I work at Marple college and there has never been any doubt that my son will attend there. Apart from many excellent academic achievements (4 students off to Oxbridge last year) there has also been many national sporting and performing arts achievements. You only have to come in and ask.

Robert

[Eric the Hamster]

Another reason why Harrytown might still be a better bet than Marple Hall, is its feeder school status to Aquinas 6th form college (on the basis it has the best reputation of 6th forms in the area).

It might also explain why some parents are choosing Poynton (it has a 6th form).

[elpram]

My daughter is at St. Mary's and I suppose headed for Harrytown but we too are a little concerned by the Ofsted report on the standard of teaching.  Also, other parents with older children at Harrytown have reported poor communication from the school and rather too many supply teachers.  I don't know that there is any alternative however, other than Marple Hall which although seems to be huge, does seem to be well resourced.  I know of one parent with a child going to Poynton rather than Marple Hall but logistically that's not ideal.

And no - don't take Ofsted reports at face value.  For example, since that one, several teaching staff at St Mary's have left or retired so there are probably only going to be 2 left out of the 7 who were actually teaching at the time of the inspection!

[daniel2034]

thanks for your comments !

[twinkletoes]

I was a Harrytowner (and Saint Marys Pupil) I left in 2000, I don't really know what to say, while most people really enjoyed it I hated it and since Mr Roper left it has ment to have gone down hill, but I had some wonderful teachers Mr Wilson was and I think still is an excilent math teacher, Mrs Savage a lovely woman and great french teacher also Mrs Tipper who lives in marple see her most saturdays in Marple a lovely German teacher. Mrs Fisher was my form tutor a caring lady who teaches science. So there is some goodness in the school.

Saint Marys is also a wonderful school the after school care is great and Trina and Shirley are great fun (I was a playworker there 3 years ago)

As a nursery nurse I sometimes think OFSTED don't know what they talk about, if youre child is happy and is willing to learn new things then the school is fine. Teachers and nursey  nurses have alot of planning to do and work very very hard to try and reach the goals that ofsted reach but it can be very very hard to do.

[Howard]

If you want a Catholic school then I don't know of secondary schools in the immediate area. The other option, though non-Catholic, is Marple Hall, which scores pretty well on it's report as far as I recall.

[daniel2034]

Hi

My daughter will be going to St Marys Primary school then onto Harrytown Secondary school. After perusing the ofsted website I see St marys has outstanding results yet Harrytown doesn't score well at all really. I am not from the area so any feedback on Harrytown would be greatly received or what other options are there locally ? I can't afford private !!

Thanks