Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Duke of Kent, Manor House, Prior's Field, St Edmunds..Small secondaries surrey

40 replies

PelicanDaisy · 10/04/2015 12:12

Looking for a small, caring but high value-added secondary school for DD. Co-ed or all girls. We are in Guildford but prepared to travel any direction.
An extended prep school type ethos would really suit DD, her confidence has been bashed and we want somewhere small and not too competitive. She needs a really supportive atmosphere.

So far we have come across:
Duke of Kent
Manor House
St Edmund's... but all of these don't have sixth forms

Prior's Field... less of an 'extended prep' but does have sixth form and value added. Learning support looks fantastic, I think it caters for the less-academic and is relaxed. Not sure about size though.

Any experiences or schools we could add to the list?

OP posts:
Original poster
PelicanDaisy · 10/04/2015 22:00

Oh dearBlush !! I was imagining it 20+ minutes further into the countryside - good to know anyway!

OP posts:
homebythesea · 10/04/2015 21:52

Pelican it's only a 5 min drive from MH!

Original poster
PelicanDaisy · 10/04/2015 20:59

Thanks, not sure about a Catholic education (but not definite no go) and it seemed a bit bigger or aspiring to be bigger? Also was put off by a long commute as it is very out in the sticks. Will have another look though.

OP posts:
Clavinova · 10/04/2015 20:56

St Teresa's in Effingham? A Catholic school but only about a third of the pupils are Catholic I think. Open day on the 1st May.

Original poster
PelicanDaisy · 10/04/2015 20:40

Not looking for this sept - DD is year 5 - so it is positive to hear they are sought after.
Thanks for info about Dunnottar.

OP posts:
inthename · 10/04/2015 19:08

met lots of duke of kent youngsters, always polite and seem genuinely lovely, the only thing I would say is that they told me recently they have a waiting list operating so if you're looking for this September you may struggle

homebythesea · 10/04/2015 17:06

My comment on Dunottar in a practical note would be the potential for spending hours travelling to far corners of Surrey for your DD's social life- her classmates could live as far away the other side of Reigate as you do in Guildford.

homebythesea · 10/04/2015 17:05

I have pm'd you Pelican

hebe242 · 10/04/2015 15:52

I hear Dunottar's maximum capacity would be about 450 so it is not planning on becoming a huge school and definitely has a sense of community.

Original poster
PelicanDaisy · 10/04/2015 15:44

Thanks! Will have a look.
We liked the look of Dunottar and could get the train to redhill then mini bus. Only worry was it seems to be expanding as it recovers its numbers so we need to question their expected capacity encase it looses its small community feel.

Any experiences of Duke of Kent? DD likes the look of it.

OP posts:
inthename · 10/04/2015 15:19

try Dunottar, previously all girls, going gradually co ed since last year, or Luckley House, another all girls gradually adding boys over the next few years, both have 6th forms

homebythesea · 10/04/2015 13:58

Please feel free to PM me!

Eastpoint · 10/04/2015 13:57

I come across MH girls through voluntary work and they seem pleasant, happy and enthusiastic. It's pretty small, have a look on their website for more info, if they tell you how many sat maths or English GCSE you can work out how many there are in a year.

Original poster
PelicanDaisy · 10/04/2015 13:52

Thanks, do you know more about it? How big are classes and how many girls per year group? Is there much opportunity for team sport?
Where do girls tend to go for sixth? I understand your point that they need a bigger environment by then, thanks for reassurance there.

OP posts:
homebythesea · 10/04/2015 12:29

MH absolutely fits your bill- totally supportive, great value added academically. No 6th form is I think a good thing as it means the girls have to have a taste of something else bigger/co-ed before they go to Uni.