Esher college- any opinions please?

I really would not recommend Esher College unfortunately. Unless your child is a grade A student who is able to sail through their a-levels with no additional support, then this is not the place. Pastoral care is terrible!! Counsellors are nice enough, but the actual support they are able to offer is minimal to none. College offers no leniency whatsoever when a child is experiencing mental health difficulties. My daughter went from 5 A*s at GCSE to Ds and Es at end of first year (resulting in her eventually having to drop out), all because the college were unwilling to support her with something as common as anxiety. Despite being presented with a doctors note recommending that her a-level examinations were deferred for a year (giving her a chance to work on her mental health), the college refused to offer my daughter a place for the following year. It seems the college saw her as a liability to their results, and would rather just get rid!!

Yes we went. Although I didn't learn anything really new it was good to have a refresh and the student panel were really helpful. DD really looking forward to going there.

Did anyone go to the parents information evening tonight. I was very impressed with the general atmosphere, the students and the ‘adult education’ with a strong emphasis on the whole student.

We've visited twice! Once for my DS (who didn't end up there) and then from DD as she wants a completely different set of A levels. Each time we've been very impressed by the staff, students we've spoken to and the facilities. You'll hopefully be similarly impressed on Thursday. Your DD will maybe get an interview about her subjects and then go to an intro day in June. My DS really enjoyed the intro day when he went.

@Localher0 @OnGoldenpond
We are going to a parents event this Thur but our daughter isn’t invited. I’m glad she’s in but it’s a bit weird being accepted for a college you haven’t even visited

South - that's great news! My DD cant wait to start!

@Southlondoner109

That's great news!

Your DD will love it. DS in second year now and has really enjoyed his time so far.

@OnGoldenPond we got an offer the other week - thanks for the advice. You were right

The college is non selective and predicted grades have no influence on offers. The first set are guaranteed applicants identified by postcode or borough (if at school with no sixth form), siblings or children with parents at the college. This set used to have an early application process not sure if it still does....
The second set are open applicants - basically anyone not covered in the guaranteed places. Open applicants go into the pot for the ballot and those that are left are put on the waiting list. Yes this list is huge but there is a lot of movement - especially as the A levels get closer and usually around Easter when people have to pay up for first term if sixth form. Although I guess those that can afford it will still pay the fees knowing they may not take up the place after all 6k is less than 30k over 2 years. On results day there's loads of movement. So you could easily still get an offer - just make sure you're around for enrolment in case. If you miss that then you forfeit the place. The college knows that many people keep them "in reserve" so they must have a process to manage offers.

They apparently offer to those in a certain address proximity first - have friends in Esher that got offered - then the ballot takes place which randomly selects people them the waiting list given numbers assumedly like ballot as with DS friends all in same locality half got offers and then test on waiting list with places in early hundreds to one being 500 !

I don't understand the ballot. On the website is says almost all open place applicants will be accepted. We do not currently live on the mainland and do not meet any of the guaranteed criteria. How do they decide or is it just pulling names out of a hat (so to speak)? How many applicants for each place? Do predicted grades count at all?

Clearly OGP is right in that what is actually going on substance-wise will differ from school to school. My attitude is that you need completely involved adults and full parent-school co-operation to keep any budding misuse (or indeed other problems) off the agenda. That is where the "talk to only one parent" policy that EC enforces (as mentioned by surreyparent1) is wrong. And to Surreymummy1978, all parents have full legal right to access offspring's data until the age of 18. And that, again, is where EC is going wrong. I really can't see the benefit of this dodgy policy. Happy New Year, let's keep the young ones safe.

There's a lot more smoking of illicit substances amongst DS's friends who stayed on at sixth form at his old private school than among the friends he made at Esher. Anecdotal maybe but that's my two pennorth.

I am actually agreeing with Surreyparent1 on this on. I am unsure where Surreymummy1978 got ' … the college dont allow them to “smoke what they like”. ...' from but it is reminiscent of the tragic death of an Esher College` student in 2016 which at the time was presumed drugs-related (I lost track of the story and can be positive of this). What the college "allows" is often quite different from what actually happens.

There has always been a lengthy waiting list as they know there will be a lot of movement as you can hold multiple offers for state sixth form. Private school parents often apply as a n insurance policy in case of difficulties but often stick with the private option so freeing up places around Easter which is the deadline for serving notice at the private school to leave at end of year 11.

My view is that being 11 on the waiting list means your DC is almost certain to get a place.

Hope all goes well. DD decided against in the end as she got a place at specialist performing arts school, but would definitely have gone if she had gone the A level route. DS is there now and we are very pleased with it.

Good luck

@OnGoldenPond
Thanks for update this sounds promising for her- one of her friends is in the 400s so it sounds like a large waiting list this year.
We will be positive, she thinks she will get in.
I wonder if the financial uncertainties over Brexit means more private school pupils applied?

@Southlondoner109

Three years ago my DD was initially 15th on the waiting list. The college advised her then that she was very likely to be offered a place.

She was offered a firm place around Easter when meetings were held to confirm places. There is usually quite a bit of movement at this time as you must attend this meeting to retain your place. With such a large intake there is a fair bit of movement.

Well she didn’t get in but is 11 on the reserve list - does anyone have any experience of if this list moves much ?? Thanks

Thanks Surreymummy(19)78- nice to get some balance. It does look like a decent college. I didn’t pay much heed to the last two reviews far to personalised and specific to be concerning.
I wasn’t really aware of the college until my daughter mentioned it as her friends are talking about it. We are about an hours travel so it wasn’t on our radar. Having looked into it I really like what I see, the fact the teachers will be A level specialists appeals to me.
Also the size, she has grown out of her 80/ year school which will be even smaller in 6th form. I think the size and being somewhere new will be a good stimulus for her.
Did your daughter go with friends from school, it’s like mine might be the only one or one a a couple from her school?

Hi southlondoner109 I am the original poster on this thread ( i now dont seem to own the original user name?)
My daughter is now in her second year at Esher and I cannot fault the college. The teaching is good and the pastoral care has been fantastic. No regrets here.

To surreyparent1 and single1 (are you one and the same?) I am sorry you seem to be having some issues but my daughter and her friends dont smoke as far as i am aware and i am certain the college dont allow them to “smoke what they like”. Also, I may be wrong her but I believe that once a child reaches 16 ( which I presume your child is to be at college) they have the right to their own records and can choose which, if any parent has access to their personal data? This would also apply to any institution, school or college?

If you are a divorced mum, then this place is great. They only talk to one parent, so that is the mum. Actually the kids also love it because at the end, all parents are written out of the equation ... total teenage freedom ... safeguarding does not exist at all and pupils can smoke what they like. If you complain when they are a 6 form college, then by the time the complaint is processed they are an academy ... backwards and forwards every year, the people like Dan the Man boast that they are gleefully above the law. Unaccountable. Is this what you want? Think. Surrey Parent.

We are considering this 6th form are there any current students or parents who can give me an update since 2017- thanks

I love their parental policy, talking to one parent only. This means that their father is completely excluded from all our offsprings education, brilliant. Sod all the ex-husbands. Well done Esher College. All single mums pile in!!