Is Ricards Lodge a good secondary?

[SanFris]

My DD has just got a place at Ricards Lodge. We had visited the school last year. It seemed nice. But we don’t know anyone who studied there. If anyone of you has any experience with the school, please share your opinions. Thank you.

[FlumePlume]

I have chatted about it with some mums of girls there, though I don’t have a dd there myself. What I’ve heard is that the top sets are great, but the bottom sets can be disruptive and hard for a child who wants to learn.

This is very much secondhand, so hopefully a parent with a dd currently at the school will be along soon with better information.

[SanFris]

Thank you very much FlumePlume. That is very helpful. I think DD would be in a good set. However, we will keep an eye on how things go. Maybe a few more mums come up with new info as well. Thank you again🙏

[MrsScrubbingbrush]

My DD is at Ricards as is very happy there - she's just coming to the end of Y8.

They work them hard (especially in Y7 when they get lots of homework) but it's a very friendly school. She's in one of the 2 top sets and there's very little disruption but I can't comment on the other sets.

They did throw them in at the deep end on the first day, they gave them their timetable and said 'off you go and don't be late for your class' even though none of them knew their way around the school. The older girls were very helpful as were the staff and she soon settled in.

I'm sure your DD will be fine there especially if she enjoys music, drama and dance.

[SanFris]

Thank you MissScrubbingbrush, I am also wondering if you have any idea about sports activities. When I-visited the school, I was really impressed the courts and fields they have. Wimbledon or Putney High don’t have that quality of facilities. Is the school make good use of allthesefacilities?

[Sophiebbb]

@SanFris I presume what you mean is the Wimbledon and Putney High don’t have that amount of land on site. What I saw of Ricards Lodge I was very impressed with

[MrsScrubbingbrush]

OP - according to DD they have excellent on site sports facilities. As well as PE there is dance on the main curriculum plus lots of opportunities to take part in extra curricular sports at lunchtime and after school.

[SanFris]

Thank you MrsScrubbingbrush, you have been very helpful. Now , I have a rough idea what to expect. One more question though😉 Do they sports teams? My daughter loves dancing as most children do but not trained or attended courses. Doing Sports and being in a team would be very enriching.

[kiert]

When I was in my teens I knew a few girls (14-15) from Ricards Lodge. Let's say they bunked school, smoked and got off with boys. That was a long time ago, hopefully things have changed now and it's good for you DD.

[SanFris]

Dear Kiert, thank you. Yes, I think that these things always happen no matter what school they go to. I know very elite - private schools that they have wild drug infested parties that anything can happen. It starts with the family culture. That’s why I was asking about sports . Sports activities give them self discipline. Anyways, we will wait and see. Please if you know more , keep posting. Thank you.

[PlushLush2018]

kiert I reckon that must have been a good few years ago? Ricards Lodge rebranded about a decade ago (coinciding with the new uniform) and seems to be going from strength to strength since.

Friends with DDs there have only had very positive things to say about it.

[PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle]

I had 2 daughters go through Ricards. The first was not very academic, struggled to be average in anything and also had dyslexia. At one time I thought she had no chance of passing any exams but she left with 5 GCSEs and 2 BTECs
The younger was more of an average ability and left with 7 GCSEs and 3 A levels, all above average grades
They both enjoyed their time there, joined school clubs, obtained DofE bronze award and made good friends.
So yes, I'd recommend the school.

[SanFris]

Thank you very much. It is really helpful. 🙏

[MrsScrubbingbrush]

OP - you may find it useful if you follow them on Twitter as this will show you what goes on at the school.

I know they had a bad reputation many years ago but it has definitely changed for the better (I can say that as a parent who has a daughter at another local outstanding girl's school!)

[SanFris]

Im less interested of “ he said, she said”, or “ I heard this” or “ I heard that” type comments, I had rather preferred first hand exoeriences. Yes,thank you, i will definitely check out the Twitter account. We took our daughter for the banding assessment morning yesterday. We very much like the girls and parents at a first glance. I thought that culturally it was going to be a more diverse. But it is less diverse than any central London schools. We will see how it goes when the new term starts. I am pretty sure that there is all kinds of supports for every background. We will keep everyone updated about our experiences and observations of Ricards .

[SanFris]

MrsScrubbingbrush, I thought your daughter wad in Ricards?

[anitagreen]

It was a horrible school a few years ago some of my friends went their. I went Burntwood and I wouldn't put a dog in there at all.

[SanFris]

Dear anitagreen, what was it? What was making it horrible?

[MrsScrubbingbrush]

SanFris, so to confuse you. I have twin DDs one at Ricards and another at a different school.

It was their choice to go to separate schools.

[SanFris]

Oh, ok. 😊👍

[anitagreen]

It was bullying really bad and the busses they used to use from getting home was hard work also as they was causing trouble in and out of school, I don't live in the area now so I don't see any of it anymore but at the time around 3-5 years ago it was rough x

[anitagreen]

I think with all girls school there's an element of bullying to some degree I live near Carshalton Girls now and that school is bad too if you see the way they speak to each other at the train station it would turn your hair grey! And they don't seem to give a shite either

[SanFris]

I know what you mean. I think it is a bit different now. I travelled with them
A couple of times, on 93 bus- last year- just coincided with my schedule and appointments/ , they - the girls/were very calm and engaged mannerly . That’s made me apply to the school even before I discovered the academic achievements. The education starts in the family. Schools try to add positives on top of the core family values.

[anitagreen]

@SanFris That makes perfect sense good luck x

[SanFris]

Anitagreen thank you👍😊

[Befirmbekind]

Hi my daughter is in yr 8, she passed Grammer tests by alas no place, as on waiting lists, I attended this school myself and made great friends but teaching was dire back then! The current headteacher is from my batch and went to Ricards for a term before she moved away. My daughter had a few bumpy starts but she’s well settled in all top sets and loving it.
So many opportunities aside from the usual academic and lovely setting for the school with great connections for future experiences.
Her best friends are at Nonsuch and Wallington schools and they are struggling with amount of work and the competition. After this experience I will not be putting my other children through the Grammar routes as it’s so mentally stressful for them any gaps I will use tutors. Hope all is well with yours :)