DD got KGS10+, applying elsewhere?

If she spent a day there and didn't like it I would be wary - what did she not like?

I didn't even consider KGS as it is co-ed and DD's 1 and 2 only wanted single sex however from doing open days, my views completely changed as to what I thought I would like to what I actually did like. I expected to love LEH but hated it - as papalazaru said, it was the worst open day I have ever been to. So I ruled it out completely however that was with the old head and I think the new head is fantastic and if she does at LEH what she did at WHS, I think it will be an amazing school (part of me now wishes I had considered it).

So, I would encourage you to keep an open mind when going to the open days, take DD's views into consideration and be prepared for a change of heart from both you and DD.

My head kept saying silly things to me while observing the frenzy around me
I went with my heart

tess73-what is your heart and brain saying?

We were in the same position, dd got in on the 10+. We visited all the other schools and couldn't find anything we liked as much as KGS for dd. We (and she) did prefer co-ed but weren't totally stuck on it.

It was the friendliness and the relaxed feel of the school that we loved, along with the fact that they are so big on independent learning (dd is a real self starter and would not respond well to an "exam factory" type environment). Plus she is a genuine all-rounder, loves everything, and we felt that KGS catered to this type better than any of the other schools we saw.

It has obvious downsides in that it is fairly cramped and in a not terribly lovely location, but in fact I tend to ignore things like this as I think the ethos and feel of the school being right for your child is way more important than facilities or indeed reputation. If she is going to be an A* student she will achieve this at KGS as well as any of the other schools we saw. If she isn't (and who knows which way they will go, at the moment all is good, but I was very good in primary and fell off in secondary for eg) then I feel she won't be gasped at in horror and humiliated for getting a B or a C!

I think you should go and visit any schools you are keen on the sound of and then make your decision!

(by the way she has been there a week and is bouncing off the walls with excitement at how wonderful it all is! Let's hope that lasts...)

The table on the Tiffin Girls site is only for selective state schools, The Times Indy list excludes many schools which refuse to publish figures e.g. St Pauls, it will be months before a proper list is produced.

There is an article in the Independent which gives the national average of A levels at A as 8% for all schools, but 20% for Independent schools. Many Indys are not selective and a lot of the more expensive schools are "selective by chequebook". KGS has a lot of applicants and can be very selective, this is why I think the percentage of their pupils getting As at A level looks low, particularly as there is a movement away from girls schools at that age and a coed can select some very bright girls for 6th form.

Schools are very good at promoting themselves. There was an article I think in The Times celebrating that a boy from Kings College had achieved 15As at GCSE which they though was the best in the UK, but a girls at Holy Cross just down the road achieved 14As at the "local girls comp" but this is not newsworthy because Holy Cross doesn't have a PR department.

From a different post,Tiffin girls have posted the league tables in pdf format and the Times have listed KGS 48th in the GCSE national rankings.

Tess, my daughter also got a place at KGS through 10+ and we have accepted it. However, we are thinking to apply to LEH as well and based on the outcome we will make the final decision. I ruled out Tiffin because it's very awkward to apply there if you live abroad and also I don't support their selection process because it doesn't include interview and they make a cut off based on the results of reasoning exam. My daughter does a lot of exciting extra curriculum activities so I don't want to bore her with perfecting NVR and VR.

I can't comment on LEH because we haven't visited it yet because we live abroad. However based on my limited knowledge of both schools I prefer Kingston grammar because it's co-ed,and it reflects the real world, it's medium size school so I assume that my daughter will have more opportunities there,because there is less people to share them with and also I am keen on mandarin which is on offer at KGS. My only concern is travelling, LEH is at my doorstep unlike Kingston grammar.

The 8 form intake at SHS is absolutely certain and has been confirmed in writing. The total should be just under 200 as they should only have 24 in a class, but experience of the juniors tells me this often creeps up to 25. We realised when they bought the new buildings that the intake would increase but not by that many. This is one of the main reasons why we looked elsewhere for seniors, indeed it may be the reason they lost so many from the junior school this year.

They didn't confirm the year size until the last minute after other offers had been turned down. Admissions were still claiming up to the last minute that there was no plan to increase the year size, but the staff had already been informed that it would be 8 form entry and it quickly became an open secret at the school. They may try and do the same this year which is a shame because year size is a big factor when choosing a school.

I'm not sure that's right about 200 girls in this year's Y7 intake at Surbiton. That would mean 8 forms at their max size. It'd be worth checking in with their admissions if that indeed is true. I also agree that LEH will be more attractive with the new head. Of all the schools I looked at last term I really did not enjoy their open morning......

Think LEH will be a much better place now the Head is changing and coming from Wimbledon High. In fact, if it wasn't so darn far away and annoying to get to might even now consider it for DD2...

My mother is now a retired secondary school teacher.Her colleague had 3 sons.One went to KCS Wimbledon,another to Tiffin and the last to state secondary.Did she love them differently or was it she was quite pragmatic and let her sons gravitate to the schools that they were meant to go to?
They all did well and the state school son is a maths graduate and teacher.

Isit makes a good point because there is a huge improvement in St Georges A level grades this year, they recently rebuilt and extended their 6th form and are known to have made some very good scholarship offers to attract the brightest A level students. They will only have to do this for a few years after that their 6th form will become desirable because of it's good results and they'll get the same students without scholarships/discounts.

As for which school is right, DS is at one of the top London boys schools. He was specifically sent there because he is incredibly lazy and will do just enough work to keep his head above water. The lower the bar the less work he will do, so he had to be sent to the most academic school. DD is a very different personality and we chose a co-ed school with similar results school to KGS, and a similar size. I think size is very important because a smaller school like KGS can offer more opportunities as there are less pupils to share them between. The new Y7 intake at Surbiton will have 200 girls, only 7 can be in the A team for netball and it can become very demoralising to be in the H team.

I wouldn't chose a school only for it's extra-curricular activities, because we're in Surrey. There is so much available in this area, I can't think of a single activity my DCs participate in that you couldn't pursue out of school at a local club. Anyone pursuing any activity to an advanced level will be a member of an external club. Also, by the time they get to GCSE years you'll be yelling at them to send less time doing rowing/tennis/footall etc and start studying.

LEH and St. Paul's far more selective than Tiffin Girls. Know many children who were accepted to TGS but rejected or Waiting List for LEH /St Paul's!

Good post Pinkfizzy.
Tess73-I did not realise the KGS 10+ process was like this.I thought they divided the top 40 into general and subject interviews taking 20 from the former and 5 from the latter.
Like Pinkfizzy I do not want to stealth boast but went to ,a highly selective boys school.This is not the school for DS,he has different qualities.I think he will benefit from co-ed and the great pastoral care of KGS.
We need to choose a school that will suit your DC and not suit your own ideals.In a nutshell,horses for courses.

I wouldn't put so much weight to the NVR at LEH. It's a school that really knows what it is looking for and is highly skilled in seeking out girls with potential that they know will thrive there. It's not just about level 6 SATS or grade 3 piano or even about high NVR scores. It's absolutely about the whole child. I'd argue the interview counts for an awful lot too. (I have 2 there, so am very familiar with the process and obviously know a lot of pupils and parents as a result)

Surbiton have announced their results now with nearly half of A levels at A*/A. When you factor in that they are a fee paying selective(ish) school it does make Hinchley Wood Comp's results look incredible. This supports Pinkfizzy's comment that bright children do well anywhere, something I wholeheartedly agree with.

From a 13+ perspective I would disagree about Hampton, they take at least the top 50% locally, but that's probably top 25% ability nationally. DS's friends who went there from an admittedly very academic prep at 13+ are actually shocked at how wide the ability intake is. Hampton do interview for 11+ and 13+ entry and I'm sure being strong at sports adds a few points to your application. LEH, nothing would surprise me.

Go with your gut instinct.

If you have a child who got in via 10+, they could have matured early, or they may be well and truly likely to get all A* with any decent school. In which case it is not about the whole group results, but the individual - those of your child. The question then becomes: where is my child going to be happiest and most likely to reach their potential? Which school's ethos matches what I aspire to for my child?

Mine had their pick, and we came to a common decision, based on how we felt going round the schools, talking to students and teachers. I was quite stressed about the choice at the same point in time that you are at in some ways,but having an offer in hand tends to make you a bit clearer sighted about what really matters to your family.

(Hope that doesn't sound like stealth boasting ...)