Which Surrey Secondaries have the happiest children?

[fairyhopeful]

We're doing the 11+ in Surrey but wondering from those more experienced, which secondaries out there have the happiest children? Which schools are striking the right balance between academics and mental health?!

[TeddTess]

Kingston Grammar does a pretty good job

[BigSandyBalls2015]

Not wallington girls!!

[cakeisalwaystheanswer]

You need to find the right school that suits your DC.

Small schools are great for participation and opportunities and lots of attention, great for DD who goes to a second tier school with a decent ability range. But if you have for example a very sporty DC, DS2, who wants to be part of a school that competes at national level you need to find a big sporty school to accommodate this. If you have a bright but lazy child, DS1, it may make sense to send them to a very academic school so that they don't completely under achieve. But a different DC may feel the need to shine so would be happier at a less academic school Similarly, if you have a DC who lives for drama choose a school with a theatre and a strong drama dept, ditto Art etc

[Oblomov18]

Aren't most of the Surrey secondaries good?
Few are bad.

I've been very impressed with ds1's. But it's catholic.

[SoupDragon]

Both Kingston and Wallington are greater London, not Surrey.

[Toomanycats99]

With 11+ I think they usually refer to sutton / Kingston as Surrey test.

[Itsonlyhearsay]

Sorry for the late reply,

Yes, letters were out today.

Fingers crossed for everyone.

[Itsonlyhearsay]

Sorry, wrong thread (blush)

[AChickenCalledKorma]

None of the 11+ schools you are looking at are actually in Surrey. So asking about "Surrey secondaries" without referring to grammars or 11+ in your title is confusing.

I do find it ironic that schools that pride themselves on their academic prowess persist in using a version of local geography that's about 40 years out of date, but that's a different issue.

[MujosMama]

Whereabouts are you looking? I grew up in Reigate and am getting to the age now where friends children are starting to look at secondaries. I went to Dunottar back in the day, have heard excellent things about the pastoral care and rounded achievement as well as academic success since it joined the Reigate Grammar group

[Bellie99]

Dunottar is not part of the Reigate grammar group.

[ischristmasoveryet]

I don't think there are any grammar schools in Surrey. They are in surrounding London Boroughs.

If you are thinking of any other secondary schools good luck with that because if you're not living close ish to one you won't get to pick and choose.

[Clavinova]

Kingston's postal address is Surrey though - and just to confuse matters - Surrey County Council's headquarters are in Kingston.

[Clavinova]

Kingston Grammar School is a private school.

[Bekabeech]

Surrey has no State Grammar schools. It's secondaries are pretty happy. I'd suggest Howard of Effingham had generally the happiest pupils I've met. Rodborough could be second.

[SoupDragon]

Kingston's postal address is Surrey though

It isn't. People might put Surrey but that's not the correct postal address.

[Clavinova]

People might put Surrey but that's not the correct postal address

Well, everyone who lives and works there does...

www.tiffinschool.co.uk/home.html
www.surreycc.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/council-offices/county-hall

[MakeLemonade]

Tiffin is definitely Surrey, Wallington and Nonsuch are basically Surrey but technically London Borough of Sutton although previously part of Surrey.

I’ve not heard great things re happiness levels of kids at Nonsuch, it can be a real hot house.

[MujosMama]

Sorry, my misunderstanding! It got taken over by United Learning from the RGS group. My bad.

Anyway, I've heard really positive thing about pupil wellbeing since that takeover.

[CrumpettyTree]

I believe the administrative district is London Borough of Sutton/Kingston but the postal district for both is Surrey.

[CrumpettyTree]

I'm in the Surrey Borough of Tandridge but used to be in LB of Sutton

[GreenPolishToGo]

DD and her friends left Nonsuch with stellar examination results, poor self-esteem and a stunning array of mental disorders between them - anxiety, depression, panic attacks, self-harming and anorexia.

[Oblomov18]

There seems to be a lot of problems, particularly self harming and anxiety amongst particularly the girls, not quite so much the boys, at all the secondaries round here.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

These schools are in London boroughs which used to be in the county of Surrey 40 years ago, but are now part of greater London. People still use the Surrey word, probably because it sounds posh. People also talk about "Middlesex"" which ceased to exist at the same time. County Hall is still in Kingston, because they choose to retain their massive listed building, meaning that the HQ of Surrey County Council is indeed outside the county of Surrey. (And local government officers like me have to tell into outer London to go and meet colleagues in County!)

There are no grammars in the county of Surrey. I could mention all sorts of Surrey secondaries with happy children, but none of them involve competing against hundreds of other kids for the 11+.