St George's College Weybridge or Reed's school Cobham?

[pinklink]

I am struggling to choose from these two schools. I have been to the open days of both schools and they are very similar. Both academic but not too pushy and both very sporty.

Anyone have children at either of these? And what have your experiences been?

[StreetSussSerenade]

I moved my son to St George's from a local state school at the start of Year 9/Third Year two years ago because he loves maths and science, and those subjects were really being dumbed down where he was. He is thriving - loves the challenge and although he is a bit of an eccentric at times, he has fitted in well. He is not at all sporty but seems to manage anyway. I have been impressed by the change in him (he was getting lots of detentions for forgetting homework and basically disengaging at his old school) and the support from the staff who seem to know what he is capable of and won't let him get away with anything, but don't make him stressed either. Communication seems good. I can't compare to Reeds as we didn't look at it. Good luck with your decision!

[bettys]

If you do a search there are various threads about these two schools. Ds goes to Reed's which we are very happy with. He is in the Third Year (yr 9) and all our experiences with the school have been very positive. We didn't look at St Georges though so I can't compare them. You can pm me if you have any specific questions.

[jensun]

My dd was at St George's but has moved for sixth form. There are a lot of smokers there, children hide in the big grounds, although some of them have bravado and smoke at the front of the college. Also a pair of students were caught last year having intercourse in the grounds.
Academically they do well for GCSE's but A Level is a disaster. They do have a lot of activities to keep dc busy.
I dont know anything about Reeds.

[Fugacity]

My DSs went to SGC. DS1 loved it, DS2 less so. DS1 did well academically; DS2 is not a natural student and they pushed him as much as humanly possible.

It's a well run school, but the Head is a bit pompous. They do well because they are in an area with a drought of good state schools and few independent schools for boys.

I didn't choose it for my DDs :).

SGC has a more academic intake than Reeds (Reeds will take those who narrowly miss the SGC pre-test). It has a good reputation for pastoral care, dealing well with students from sensitive family backgrounds.

Both schools are good schools. You could make your choice on which school is easier to get to.

[Teddingtonmum1]

Hi
Is anyone waiting for news from reeds? My DS sat for a foundation place , not a peep so far but was told don't call until the 30th am sitting on my hands ...

[Teddingtonmum1]

Bump

[Mumtogremlins]

I have heard that St George's is getting more strict with entry and in particular letting less of its Junior school pupils in if they are not academic enough
Does anyone know how much religious participation there is? We are not religious at all and don't want to be hypocritical and suddenly have to pretend we are!

[Longsuffering2]

Hi tendingtonmmum, we got a yes from Reeds yesterday, so letters are out - hope yours is good news too! X

[Shootingatpigeons]

mumtogremlins My DD took the SGC exam and we are certainly not religious. I accepted that Catholicism was implicit to the school eg at that time the Pastoral Head was a nun but they genuinely welcome those from different backgrounds as long as you respected that, and that catholic ethos does mean that a lot of the DCs have at least been exposed to some sound moral values, even if they don't choose to apply them To be honest the main problem I encountered was a cliqueyness amongst the Junior School mothers who seemed to feel something special was being lost by no longer automatically admitting Junior School pupils and increasing the number of "outsiders" admitted, they were not at all welcoming!!!!

[Mumtogremlins]

Shootingatpigeons - I was a bit worried about the cliqueyness of junior school mums at St G. I remember reading somewhere that about half of the 11+ intake was from the junior school, probably a bit less now if they are being stricter. Hopefully it wouldn't be too hard for my DS to make friends if he goes at 11. DS is somewhat sceptical about religion so not sure if it's the right school for him. I think generally what they teach is good - morals/values etc

[yummymumtobe]

Sgc is very religious, large emphasis on Catholicism. The priests live there and many teach classes. It used to be a school for those who are sporty but not clever enough to get into Kings, RGS Guildford etc. surprised to hear it described as academic!

[wakeupandsmellthecoffee]

I drive in the area of St G every day at various times when they are coming out and not once in 6 years have I ever seen any of them smoking .I drive from the roundabout just by the exit down the road where they all walk .Not once.

[lapsedorienteerer]

yummymumtobe - I have no connection with the school at all (an am not RC). Their current Oxbridge offers look pretty good........and I can only see one member of the clergy on the Academic Staff List and he's the Chaplin.......

[lapsedorienteerer]

Ops, that should be 'and' and 'Chaplain'

[yummymumtobe]

Must have changed since the 90s then. At that time there was communion in assembly and many priests were on the staff.

[Shootingatpigeons]

They must have chucked them out overnight then because my friend's DDs joined the school at the end of the 90s. It was her account of how the school was inclusive of those from other faiths and none that encouraged us to apply. Inclusivity is actually hard wired into their founding ethos.

[Shootingatpigeons]

mum yes, my DD went elsewhere in the end and has ended up taking an academic path that has included the Religion and ethics GCSE and Philosophy A level. The teachers in those subjects do tend to have a faith themselves but at the end of the day they have to teach a curriculum that includes all points of view. She is not a fan of the Catholic view in a lot of areas but perhaps being within a liberal Catholic School like St Gs would actually put you in a better position to arrive at a considered view. It always amuses me when families go to such great lengths to get their DSs into the very exclusive and strongly Catholic Oratory when I know that my DDs' friends who go there have very different views to the priests on issues like homosexuality etc.

[tess73]

Why does it amuse you? I am sure most parents go to great lengths to get their children into the London oratory not because they want them to be taught strict catholic views on homosexuality (which they're not at school anyway, I went to LOS) but because it is one of the best schools in London and it is free!

[Shootingatpigeons]

tess if you read the Oratory threads a lot of parents seem to be under the illusion that their DSs will be protected in some way from all the normal influences on young people and what they think. Whereas in reality DD has a number of friends there and the school has exactly the same rate of partying, drug taking, etc as other West London schools, and they are indeed about some of the attitudes manifested by staff on homosexuality, abortion etc. I am not saying it isn't a good school, just that it isn't any sort of safe refuge where you DS will be protected from the influences of the real world.

[Shootingatpigeons]

Oh and were you unaware of the recent banning of a choir that was due to perform at the school because of the homosexuality of the choirmaster, and that they also withdrew from an event that was indirectly raising funds for the Terrence Higgins Trust? I am sorry I am hazy on the details but these are examples where DDs friends were less than impressed by the schools actions.

[tess73]

no I didn't... really? I guess I was there 20 years ago! I honestly can say I never heard any homophobic discussions there, though abortion seen as wrong, black and white.
As for partying, I had GREAT sixth form years! Uni was tame in comparison.

[Shootingatpigeons]

I googled and found this. As I say I have only heard it via the boys www.pinknews.co.uk/2007/11/13/catholic-school-in-unholy-row-after-ditching-gay-charity/

[tess73]

they were originally planning to support it, then they weren't... all sounds confusing to me. The fact they originally were doing a 1st December World Aids day concert doesn't sound like out and out homophobia to me but some kind of political reason or external pressure (from the Brompton Oratory Church, probably). Which I am not saying is right, but doesn't sound like the school is out and out homophobic or they wouldn't have even been doing it in the first place.

[Shootingatpigeons]

tess not arguing about the whys and wherefores just highlighting that the pupils do moan about what they regards as unacceptable attitudes on some issues like homosexuality and abortion. My amusement is at the fact that anyone would think teenagers would ever not challenge authority in whatever form it takes

Anyway I have never heard any suggestion that St George's manifests any such attitudes. I know of a DS who was openly gay there and was supported by pupils and staff, albeit with some amusement that the Head seemed oblivious.

[Mumtogremlins]

That's good to hear lots of positives about SGC as it is our main option. When we went for the open day last year, we did see a sixth former who definitely did not look like a typical catholic school boy! It made me hopeful that the school is quite liberal