Box Hill School

I'm sorry you feel that way towards my comments, I'm a mum and wanted to share my experience of the school so far. My son also attends the Saturday club and everyone is always so friendly. I didn't realise I would cause such offense.

@mummytime - I agree. This school appears to be spending a lot more money on marketing itself recently. I wonder if this is to the detriment of everything else? Results aren't great, and kids aren't always the best behaved. But their Facebook and twitter activity has increased dramatically.
The cynical part of me suspects their ever-active marketing staff will be trawling the forums and putting across the "right message".

Mumof1and2. This is a very old thread. Also having read the propaganda put on threads here from some schools, I find your non-critical post make disturbing reading. It actually makes me feel negative towards a school I had only heard good about so far.

The opportunities that the children have at Box Hill school are excellent. There is a real sense of community and every child there really does matter. I would recommend Box Hill School to any parent deciding whether to send their child there. Last Wednesday was Box Hill Day and all the children and staff walked up Box Hill together, the atmosphere was brilliant and then in the evening the children put on a variety performance. There is always something exciting happening at the school, it really is a wonderful place to be a part of.

I have a daughter who is turning 10, Year 5, and I am considering Box Hill. Would you say that this school is also suitable for girls?

My son has been at Box Hill since year 7. He's now in year 13 and I have to say that from day 1 he has absolutely loved it. The classes are small, the teachers are approachable and friendly and the variety of opportunities and challenges have been amazing. I have read the other comments and must say that the numbers have gone up every year that he has been there. He is doing the IB and it was really great that he could study 6 subjects rather than being restricted to 3. He has still chosen his 3 favourite subjects to study at Higher Level but it has meant that he can keep doing other things he enjoyed at Standard Level. Looking at universities he has so many more options. If you are thinking of sending your child here I think you will all, as a family, feel very much a part of the Box Hill family, we certainly have.

Is so rubbish that there is no proper "wraparound care" in schools, but presume that finding a childminder type person to be in the house after school would be a lot cheaper than private school (though that's not the key consideration, obviously!)

I was a "latchkey kid" from about 13 (my brother was 11), we really enjoyed it and Mum used to give us various household tasks to keep us out of trouble, e.g. hoovering, cooking! There were a few incidents (e.g. my brother spilling turps on a carpet and trying to cover it up with her favourite perfume) but the freedom was good for us. Also, neighbours knew we were "home alone" and kept an eye on us!

Mine have done that at 11. I phoned to chat when they should be in, and then saw them at home. But it does depend a lot on the child.

In a similar predicament - trying to weigh up Glyn vs Ewell Castle (where we have an offer). DK whether we'll get offered Glyn, catchment could change. Glyn has good results but is very BIG

I hear the Glyn is an excellent school with good results, we are slightly out of cachment otherwise would have loved a place for my son. A friend's son goes and is loving it.

Also, the IB is looked at quite favourably by unis, so that's a plus. I visited Box Hill last year on professional business and found the older students very pleasant and polite, and clearly very cosmopolitan. The grounds are lovely too!

I heard numbers were down in recent years. Did results come out today? It is switching to IB but tbh I'd take some convincing that it was in the best interest of many of the UK kids currently there as it isn't strongly academically selective.

My DD has a friend who went there, and he has been very happy since Day 1, he is in Year 10 now. He is a weekly boarder, so she only now really socialise with him on Facebook! Don't know any details though, sorry.