My school isn't too bad although if you are a high achieving pupil (mostly A* at gcse) then you'd be better off at a good grammar school imo.
Every once in a while there is a straight A* student and a few people with around 4-8A* every year so its a good school.
Well imo its good for humanties but for sciences and certainly maths it is pretty poor.
Teachers are good but you aren't challenged enough here.
I know someone in the year above me (straight A*) who left my school for sixth form at a local grammar and she loved it. She talked about how the atmosphere was so much better. Especially if you want to do sciences or medicine. You could talk about something science or medicine related and people will join you in your conversation rather than looking at you weird and rolling their eyes.
She ended up getting an offer for medicine at Cambridge and had the best two years of her life. If she stayed on at the comprehensive she would not have been able to pick further maths (unless she pushed to self teach it) or perhaps even allowed to pick up biology during year 13.
I think being in an environment whereby most people are aiming for the same stuff is much better.
A lot of people want to do medicine at the grammar compared to a few in my sixth form. They have support for admissions tests for competitive courses whereas in comprehensives you get barely any.
BUT...
If you want to go to "Russell group" or "Oxbridge" my sixth form head would kiss your ass and going to a comprehensive has the advantages of being offered all those lovely outreach opportunities that no grammar or private schools would get.
Yes that includes schemes that offer interview prep, admissions tests prep etc
But all that crap happens after you get your results.
If you do well in a comprehensive that doesn't send many to russell group unis or oxbridge. It will look really good and sometimes unis will give out reduced offers (contextual stuff init).
But again since not many would even aspire that high in my school, you can sometimes get people looking down upon you even going to these things. Or even worse jealousy :s
Whilst there is plenty of support from teachers (if you ask and actually put in the effort to want to understand things), I know I'd prefer to be an environment whereby everyone is much higher achieving if you know what I mean.
Sitting in lessons where you know you'd get so much more done yourself. Also no real problem solving emphasis in my lessons which is a shame. No olympiads no competitions nothing. No real support or help if you do want to try out these things.
Your probably most likely to be laughed at if you want to do crap like that.
Plus its nice having the ability to talk to others about things you don't understand rather than having to go and see the teacher after school or something and pestering them. And some teachers can't even explain things properly here
or even answer some of my questions.
There are pros and cons and people have different preferences.
And there are loads of crap schools doesnt matter what type.
Teaching isnt always better at a higher achieving school. But atleast you can ask others for help anyway.