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Secondary Independent schools King’s Ely & Stephen Perse

19 replies

Londo · 10/02/2018 12:46

All I am trying to collect some thoughts from all. We have visited and visited the each of these schools but my questions remain.

My daughter has been accepted to Stephen Perse and King’s Ely. She is extremely bright but she is a sporty geeky tomboy. Who loves coding gaming football cricket etc. Very similar to me. Her friends are the geeky boys (some of them austistic) and isn’t as accepted by girls. She applied for Perse which personality wise I thought would be her best fit but she didn’t get in. However, both King’s Ely and Stephen Perse really want her as she score very high on their tests and interviews

The problem is she has been very badly bullied before. She is a very strong and resilient girl and has bounced back but I do not want another bad experience for her.

Stephen Perse has stellar performance but I worry about it being primarily a girls schools. She has never been able to establish lasting friendships with other girls. King’s Ely is more balanced but then we get back to whether she would be challenged academically and we would probably need to change schools again at the A level.

Any comment about the environment at Stephen Perse and the academics at King’s Ely?

OP posts:

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Allthebestnamesareused · 14/02/2018 14:16

Pmd you

Pugglewoman · 16/02/2018 07:39

Hi there! Stephen Perse does have a good academic reputation but I have heard that pastorally it doesn’t suit some children.
King’s Ely was considered the least academic but I think it is on the up. My son has a place there for this September but many of his friends are still on the waiting list to get in. When the kids sat the exam in Jan some had sat the exam for the Perse Upper and they said the Maths paper at King’s was harder. King’s is a stunning school and I feel the staff really want the children to succeed. I think parents are waking up to the fact that the commute from Cambridge is very manageable and it will become more and more competitive to receive a place. Academic standards will naturally rise.
Out of interest why would take your daughter out of King’s fo her A levels?

Allthebestnamesareused · 16/02/2018 19:16

pugglewoman

A level results Kings Ely v Hills Road for example (free state 6th form) outperforms King's Ely mainly because a number of kids do go elsewhere for 6th Form.

Then when you further compare it to The Perse and Stephen Perse 6th Forms they go up another level

Londo · 16/02/2018 20:59

My daugther sat the Perse Upper exam and didn't get in. I was very impressed by King's Ely. Stephen Perse - it is all girls classes at 7 & 8 and mainly all girls classes at 9 & 10. I don't want her to be completely alone.

The reason we would move her at A-levels is because Hills Road, Perse and Stephen Perse are at a completely higher level. I know from my own experience that being with exceptionally bright kids challenges you to do your best. So we would mover her at A-Levels

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mastertomsmum · 19/02/2018 12:05

Stephen Perse is co-ed from Reception to Year 7 and also in the 6th Form.
Not sure how they have implemented the Diamond Method of teaching as my son was offered a place in the current Year 7 but we didn't take it up. Not sure how much they are taught together and not. One problem with relatively small intake is not a big enough pool of possible friends.

Aftershock15 · 19/02/2018 12:12

I have heard of people removing daughters from Stephen Perse due to bullying, but then I think most schools have had children removed because they aren’t happy. It’s finding the right fit for your child.

As you say your dd is happier with boys then Kings Ely sounds a more natural fit. She might be perfectly happy at Stephen Perse, as most girls will be, but it sounds like she might find it harder to find her tribe and outsiders are more vulnerable to bullying.

I’m sure Kings Ely will do well by bright children - they will get some leaving with all A* GCSE each year and there’s no reason to think your dd wouldn’t be one of them.

Atj22 · 19/02/2018 14:26

Sorry for jumping on your thread but does anyone know the final date to accept offers for entrance at 13+ for Kings , Stephen Perse, the Leys and any other Cambridgeshire independents please ?
Waiting list stress going on here !

Londo · 19/02/2018 19:28

Not sure about 13+ But we have to decide by 5 March

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OutyMcOutface · 19/02/2018 19:32

I was not really that keen on girls when I was in a mixed school but quickly made female friends when I moved to a single sex school-more girls usually means more viraiety of girls. Very few girls I went to could be described as extremely girly.

Atj22 · 20/02/2018 05:57

Thanks Londo.

Londo · 20/02/2018 10:16

Thank you all for you inputs. We are having another visit next Monday but I believe we have made our decision.

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Pugglewoman · 04/03/2018 20:41

So what your decision Londo?

AwwMum · 05/03/2018 10:35

Hi all,

Sorry to interrupt this chat but we are also in the waiting list for 11+ admissions for my son at Stephen Perse and The Leys. Is anyone in same situation and heard back already?

We tried to contact the schools but SPF dint give much information except for they will get back when they have more information and Leys have said they will be getting in touch after March 5th...

Londo · 10/03/2018 18:55

If it is past 5th March, you may be on the waiting list at SPF. Not sure the timing on The Leys.

And we went with SPF -- the travel was going to be a killer and we couldn't pass up on the performance they have achieved.

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Aftershock15 · 11/03/2018 18:47

Have you been I contact with the schools yourself again yet? I know people who have had offers from wait lists for 11+. Hopefully you have already heard - it’s always a stressful time.

AwwMum · 12/03/2018 08:23

Thanks for your replies, Yes we did hear from both the schools and my son has been offered at both the schools. The waiting game is over finally :)

Londo · 13/03/2018 08:52

Congrats

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Cathy9000 · 30/04/2018 00:03

Going to give some facts,I have a daughter at sixth form and nobody thinks too highly of Kings. Allegedly everyone gets Cs and has allgedly been some drug culture. It’s usually students last choice. Stephen Perse is a lovely school, they expect independence but in my daughters case if she told her pastoral leader she was stressed this would be fed back to teachers so they would adjust the workload they administered. She thoroughly enjoyed secondary school and the range of extra curriculars on offer is amazing! She always said how the year felt like a family and she came out the other side with 10 A*s!!

Londo · 05/05/2018 21:45

Cathy - I think you are mixing King's College in Cambridge and King's Ely - in Ely.

But we went with Stephen Perse in the end due to the distance and the grades.

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