St Leonards Catholic School, Durham.

[ilovehens]

Does anybody have any experience of this school?

I am seriously thinking about pulling my son out of his local secondary school due to concerns that I have.

[muggglewump]

It was one of the rival schools to mine when I was growing up, but I've not lived in Durham as an adult so I'd have no idea what it's like now.

[ilovehens]

lol

Thanks for that mugglewump!

[Indith]

As far as I know it is considered very good. I'm just looking at primary admissions though for mine! There is a catholic primary local to us though and most of those kids go on to St Leonards. Where is he now?

[ilovehens]

Park View at Chester le Street.

I have learned somethings this week that I'm not happy about and we are Christians, but not Catholics.

[Indith]

I know nothing at all about CLS schools. I asked as I've few teacher friends dotted around.

[ilovehens]

It seems okay on the surface, it's just that it would have been better to have chosen a school that better reflected our beliefs. I wanted him to be with his friends, but with hindsight, may have misjudged things.

[muggglewump]

I occasionally look at schools in the area as I often think of moving back before DD starts secondary (she's 9) and always find that the ones recommended are Fram, Johnstone and St Leonards. I don't look further than that area though, as it's where I grew up and where I'd go back to.
Johnstone catchment preferably though it's not where I went and I'm not Catholic so St Leonards is out.

[ilovehens]

The Catholic schools do take pupils who aren't Catholic.

[ilovehens]

I think Johnstone is impossible to get into! lol

[muggglewump]

Is it?

Ah well, Fram it is

Moving is a far off dream atm anyway!

[Indith]

Are there no other schools closer to home that you would consider? Johnstone is great for results, Fram too and has excellent pastoral care but if you are in CLS then there does have to be some consideration for having friends at school who are also local to you. This comes from growing up attending private school where none of my school friends lived close to me so I would have to rely on lifts all the time and go to school on a Monday and hear about how my 2 best friends had got together on evening to watch films or something on the spur of the moment because they were in walking distance.

[ilovehens]

Yes, it's a consideration certainly. It's the reason why I sent him to this school in the first place - having friends there.

[juneybean]

Is St Robert's too far in the wrong direction for you?

[ilovehens]

No, it's about the same distance as St Leonards. Most of the Catholic children in our town attend St Leonards.

My son said last night that he doesn't want to move schools which I can understand. I'm just not feeling very happy about him being where he is and I'm powerless to do anything about it.

[juneybean]

:( when I was at school (9 years ago) Park View was considered quite good in terms of exam scores but obviously that's no use if somethings really bothering you.