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Secondary education

Woldingham as a day pupil

16 replies

merlottime · 22/09/2014 08:31

I a very interested to hear any views on Woldingham. My DD would go into Y7 next year. This school hadn't previously been on our radar, but an acquaintance mentioned it at the weekend. We will go to the open day next Saturday, but have to register by the end of the month, so not much time to decide. I am not a big fan of single sexed schools, but am open minded. With Woldingham in particular, I am keen for feedback on how girls from state primaries fit in, and the border/day pupil mix - I am worried that it could be so different to where my daughter is now that she may feel like the poor relation. Any views of current parents (or others who have considered it recently) would be really appreciated.

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Leeds2 · 22/09/2014 09:16

Your DD would have no problem being a day girl. I think the day girl/boarder ratio is about half and half in Year 7, but there are no, imd, problems with integration. Day girls can also stay at school until the evening if they want to, some of the clubs do run until quite late (my DD used to do one that finished at 9pm) and day girls can then stay for dinner. More girls choose to board (weekly boarding) higher up the school, particularly in sixth form.

merlottime · 22/09/2014 10:59

Thanks, that's good to know.

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Leeds2 · 22/09/2014 11:06

If you go on Saturday, ask to be shown round by day girls, and they will tell you how it has been for them. I think all of the Year 7s have to attend, so there should be some around!

merlottime · 22/09/2014 12:00

Great, good suggestion. Thanks again.

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kiwimums · 22/09/2014 12:12

My DD has just started at Woldingham as a Y7 day pupil. We have moved from overseas so although she’s not from state primary it’s quite a different environment from what she’s been used to. She has settled in really well, there’s no sign of differentiation between backgrounds or day/boarding pupils. There are quite a few girls who’ve come from the local primaries and they too have settled in well. The biggest shock for my DD has been the change to a secondary school and the corresponding demands (finding all her books to bring in each day, getting to the right classroom and remembering to do her homework!). The staff I’ve met so far have been really helpful.

As far as the single sex side of things go, I think a lot depends on your daughter. My DD can be quite shy and very self conscious. We moved her a couple of years ago from a mixed school to an all girls school and she really gained in confidence in the class room so it was a positive for us.

merlottime · 22/09/2014 13:11

Thanks Kiwi. Dd has an older brother, so is used to having to speak up to be heard at home (he is at a special school, so not appropriate for Dd), and her overall confidence seems to have come on leaps and bounds in the last year. I suppose I am anxious to avoid the problems a friend's Dd had at a girls school - very cliquey. I guess the staff are very used to dealing with friendship issues though.

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London8 · 22/09/2014 21:42

I have 2 daughters at Woldingham. If you have any further questions after open day let me know.
We love it!

merlottime · 22/09/2014 22:07

Thanks London :)

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Leeds2 · 23/09/2014 00:06

Further questions from me welcomed too! DD is in Sixth Form and I am dreading her time there coming to an end!

Imogenj · 28/09/2014 22:22

My daughter has just started as a boarder in Y7. There seems to be a strong day contingent and they seem to have mixed in together very well. My daughter hasn't picked up on any mean behaviour and has commented on how many friends she has already (both day and boarders) and I've certainly found the parents I've met so far to be a pretty straightforward bunch. All the girls I've met have been lovely smiley straightforward types, I'm sure some aren't (!) but I've certainly got the sense that it's not a natural home for a princess. The pastoral care has been excellent so far.

merlottime · 29/09/2014 17:22

Thanks everyone. We looked round on Saturday - all of the girls and staff were really friendly. Great to see competitive sport being played with relish. My daughter was a little bit worried that she isn't posh enough or clever enough, but one of the attractions of a school like this is to bring out some inner confidence in her. It is equal first choice with a co-ed she really likes. We have registered so will see what happens.

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merlottime · 09/12/2014 11:11

Update - DD has been offered a place! I am so thrilled. She is not quite so excited - pleased she passed the assessment, but said she felt a bit out of place on the day as lots of the other girls sitting the tests all knew each other, so she found it hard to join in. She has an assessment for the other school in Jan so we will see how she does in that (academic results not quite as good as Woldingham), but I think she will get better opportunities and challenge at Woldingham. Just need to get her comfortable with the idea, it is so different to where she is now and where most of her friends will be going.

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Leeds2 · 09/12/2014 13:56

Congratulations to your DD!

My DD was the only one who went there from her school too.

LIZS · 09/12/2014 15:46

Congratulations ! A lot of the local prep schools only send one or two there each year so I don't think she'd be that left out.

merlottime · 09/12/2014 19:29

That's good to know. I am sure she will be fine ??

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qwerty01 · 22/05/2015 23:00

I have two children already there . Fantastic school. She will be given a buddy to help look after her from the year above, and to write to her over the holidays before she starts.

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