Esher High or Hinchley Wood

[Zsuzsanna1]

My son just started Year 7 at Esher High but we are considering another school. What are the best schools in the KT8 area. We were going to look into Hinchley Wood. Has anyone had any experience with Hinchley Wood?
Recommendations would be most welcome. Thanks

[pinkmoomin]

Hinchley Wood gets much better GCSE results and has a reputation for being more academic than Esher. Unless you live very close, I imagine you'll struggle for a place as it's oversubscribed. It's my DS nearest school but unfortunately we are just out of catchment. The other school is RES, which I hear mixed things about and personally wouldn't choose. Best of luck.

[Waitingandhoping2015]

HW is our closest school and we have been offered it though will turn it down. Both good schools as far as I know, and generally people seem to say that EH is more for girls and HW better for boys. Watch out for the early Friday finish at HW, 1pm I think!

[3boys1cat]

Have two boys at HWS, and my oldest also went there (now at Uni). I can't recommend the school highly enough.

[Zsuzsanna1]

Thank you all very much for your advice. It seems HW is recommended especially for our Boy. He was at St Pauls Thames Ditton and most of his friends went to HW. The challenge now is to get him in.

[cakeisalwaystheanswer]

Firstly and without meaning to be rude, why are you looking for a change after a term and a half? Are you sure it isn't a problem which may blow over? It sounds like this is your eldest and starting senior school can be difficult, but assuming you need to change schools:

I know people on the WL at HW who will take any space that comes up so it could be years before you get in unless you live within catchment. Because you can queue jump the non-catholics you will probably find it easier to get a place at Salesian which was your deanery school. It may also be worth putting yourself on the WL for St Richard Reynolds which is only Twickenham and busable from you, or Challenors and Wimbledon College if you're not stuck on co-ed.

Otherwise you may want to look at Cobham Free school which I think has just opened a senior school and may have spaces. You could come the other way and try Hollyfield which is on the K3 route or Southborough boys which can connect with a bus from Surbiton. It may also be worth trying Teddington which would be a walk across the bridge from Kingston.

The problem is that all these schools were over subscribed and will be full, there will be movement but who knows where from or when.