RGS Guildford vs. Hampton School?

Hi TheRealTigerMum, I have just read this thread. I know it old but I was wondering how your son got on and which year he is in now?

Hope your son has a great time at RGS!

Good luck!

And well done for your son for having got in!

Yep, they do IGCSE maths, and various other subjects.

I think Hampton does IGCSE in various subjects too.

Forget the tables - RGS has disappeared because they do the harder IGSCE for maths and these do not count that system - so it assumes they have all failed maths!

A great example of why the tables must be taken with a huge load of salt.

Just wanted to add that Hampton School does CCF as well, jointly with the girls' school next door in fact. Every year, there is a Remembrance Day parade in Hampton and a small contingent from both schools is asked to come along and raise/lower the flag.

CCF, iirc, is not compulsory - or wasn't when I was there, anyway (girls weren't involved at all when I was there)

Pag - no worries about the other thread, honestly - I was getting overly shirty too :). Have PM'd you about the other info!

I really do agree with singersgirl. Both schools are excellent and I am sure that your son would flourish at either.

The deciding factors for us was also how close Hampton is to our house. My DS rides his bicycle to school.

Previously (for Primary School), he schooled out of the Borough that we lived in and I always felt that it made things a little difficult. Not only was his trip to school a fairly long drive every moning (which certainly was onerous on us) but I feel that he slightly missed out on some of the social aspect, because his friends lived fairly far away.

For Secondary School I knew that I really didn't want a repeat of this situation. Knowing how much socialising teenagers do, having a good bunch of mates with in a reasonable radius of our house was important for us (and my son).

There is so much to consider OP and I know how hard this decision can be. You really are very lucky to be choosing between two such excellent schools.

You and your son should be very proud.

To be honest I wouldn't worry about the tables anyway. Firstly, every publication does them differently - for example, in The Telegraph tables schools like St Paul's and Eton don't even appear, because they withdrew.

Secondly, the difference between any of the schools in terms of outcomes for individual children is going to be minute, if it exists at all.

Both Hampton and RGS are excellent schools with room for able boys to do as well as they want to academically, sportingly, musically, artistically. It comes down to personal preference and convenience.

We're miles away from RGS but Hampton was a school we really liked. In the end we chose one that was much closer to us than Hampton.

Strange league table results for RGS - if you looked at the Times it would be different... for my son's year they were 3rd in A level results... RGS is always stronger academically... If your son has been offered a scholarship he must be exceptional - so you'll want him to go to a school which can routinely deal with his abilities..

... but the only score that counts is your own son's, so its really down to where you think he'd do best.

RGS for music is fantastic - my son was a pianist and they are so strong they have not only a head of music but a head of keyboards. They have concerts just for pianists, as well as the usual range of symphony, jazz etc. They also share a chamber choir with GHS.

Others have commented on sport. but you might also want to think aobut their Art dept which I think is second to none - my daughter did some of her a level are classes there and she thought they were better than her own school. RGS art displays are always fanatastic.

You dont have to be sporty to love RGS - my sone never challenged the scorers, that's for sure.

I also like their "Monday 8" activities - a compulsory extra currciular choice of CCF, DofE or scouts, which stay on the timetable right throguh to 6th form.

I'm not trying to sell RGS against Hampton - I only know the one school - but highlight these as some areas which are outstanding

@ thumbwitch.

he would have been 11 in 78 and stayed through til about 85?
he assures me he was very shy though

btw. I'm sorry I was being such a twat on that other thread re sn. Just having a shitty day yesterday.
I shouldn't log on when feeling like that. I always make such an arse of myself.

They are both on the second Telegraph league table too, just in different areas/counties.

Re extras, We have just had to say no to all trips, etc but DS understood that would be the case when he went there.

Rgs brilliant brilliant school, great music, and the sport seems fine to me, but DS is not amazingly sporty, although able to keep up. A friend who teaches there says what a suportive atmosphere there is amongst the boys; little things, like ringing each other up ifnone has been ill and offering to copy notes for them, that sort of thing. But it is very academic, so will not suit everyone.

ooo pagwatch - dare you tell me which years he was there? Although I wasn't one of the fence-girls , several of my friends were!

Well it's hard to say....

Last year we paid about £3000 over and above his school fees for extras BUT my DS did not go on all the trips and things that were on offer.

Really it depends on just how much they choose to get involved in. I personally don't really think it is great for your child to not participate fully in school life because of cost worries.

Having said that, I do think there is a balance to be struck - last year there was a rugby tour that was an eye-watering £1000 extra!

I said 'no' to that one.

But not on this one? Talk about confusing!
www.telegraph.co.uk/education/leaguetables/8254340/A-level-league-tables-2010-school-by-school.html

Telegraph League Table

They are both on this one but it is just for Independent schools

The daily telegraph result sounds odd willow. Rgs have been top 10 - 50 every table I have looked at in the last five years. They get 30 plus into Oxbridge every year. If that is outside top 100, I wonder what criteria can be ?

We compared by going to both, talking the boys and, more importantly, seeing which ds1 liked best. They are both good schools. Tis horses for courses really - which one you like best or which is most practical

Am curious - how on earth do you compare schools like this? If you go to something like the Daily Telegrapy league tables Hampton is supposedly tenth best in the country and does't mention RGS in the top 100 - but then the FT has Hampton down as 62 or something. They both sound like good schools though!

Jetjungle (and other parents in similar boat) - always wondered about all those extras. Roughly how much does the average term cost over and above the fees?

Thumbwitch. Dh was at Hampton. Knew a few girls from through the fence

We are going to have a look for dd in a year or two. But the travelling does concern me a bit.