Hampton

AFAIK Hampton has onsite playing fields. It's RGS's that are a bus ride away, and that is imo a drawback of the school. (But the only one.) If my DC had been sporty confident types, we'd probably have chosen Hampton too. But they are both quite geeky. RGS doesn't exclusively cater for geeks but it is a very warm and welcoming home for them.

Typically RGS has more Oxbridge successes than Hampton, which given they have similar cohorts on entry suggests a slightly more academic thrust to the school. I may be wrong but am pretty certain Hampton fares better at sport. (They've always thrashed us at rugby when I've watched.)

RGS is easier for public transport and general safe but fun teenage hanging out around town which was important to us. We didn't want them to be buried in books every night. We like that they stop off for a coffee or to see a film before heading home sometimes. And that we never have to collect them from after school activities as they can just pick up a later train.

I'm pretty smitten with RGS. One of our sons had some severe problems (not school related) in his first two years and the school was outstandingly supportive of him. They flooded him with extra help and back up from a variety of sources which he could opt into as he chose. It cemented my trust in the school.

I don't know that much about RGS but the impressions I have gained have always been positive and for me both schools have a lot going for them. I never looked at the leaving stats myself!

I'd be looking at some of the practicalities also - which one is easier to get to both by school bus or public transport? What about the playing fields... at Hampton they're offsite aren't they? Which suits you best at weekends if you want to go and watch matches etc? If they have away matches which school is best for dropping off at 8am and picking up later on a Saturday? I like the long day at Hampton, the lunchtime clubs, and generally this means getting the bus home at 4.15... but there are some things after school (cricket at the moment 4-6 Weds for some Y7s for example). Football at Hampton was one of the deciding factors for us!

Weighing up between Hampton & RGS.
Spoken to parents, boys & staff.
I think Hampton offers so much for boys. It's academic, sporty, great for drama and the space is amazing. Boys seem happy and sixth formers are lovely young men.
RGS is academic, the head teacher is nice. However it doesn't seem as inviting in many ways. If I were a confident sporty boy and had free choice, I would choose Hampton.
Hampton had 23 boys go to Oxbridge last year
RGS 38
However Hampton boys go on to do a wide variety of courses at Russel Group Uni's.
Some boys are RGS types, some are not.
I felt the sixth formers at RGS were still children being moulded, where as the sixth formers at Hampton were independent thinking young men.
Don't shoot me down, just observations.

Yes great choice. Fantastic academic results combined with great facilities for sport and music. Down to earth and great ethos. An all round school. We're delighted our DS is going there

Good choice

I see that bookwormA1 has been whitewashing s/he said about Hampton.

S/he probably realised that it might affect the business that they tout for so relentlessly on Mumsnet?

I really do feel sorry for any child who is being tutored to get into a school by someone who clearly has such a huge problem with the school.

Son is also in Y7 and doing great, working hard and playing hard.

Not heard anything about tutors being used (though you wouldn't necessarily hear I guess). Friend with son in L6 concurs.

I've picked him up a couple of times during the day for appointments and the car park is full. Picked him up at 6pm after cricket in the first term on a Tues and Thurs and this term Weds and car park half empty so I don't know where all those lazy teachers have gone when they should be doing a 14 hour day

My son is currently in Upper 6th and has never had an outside tutor.

He also says that he doesn't know of any other boys who have been tutored while at the school. But, he added the caveat that it is not really something he would have discussed with his school friends, so he may be unaware.

We did not use a tutor for the whole entry thing either. I went over some Bond papers with my DS and we had lots of discussions around topical issues at the time.

I personally have never encountered a culture of outside tutoring at Hampton.

Just out of interest, please may I check with existing parents if there is a culture of getting help from tutors in Hampton? I assume tutors are used for entry but once you are in, I hope there is no longer any need for external help?

Back to the original point......my son is in year 7, very happy and settled, thriving in his new school environment and all the challenges that are coming his way. Yes, at times, homework can be heavy and due in the following day, but he is more than coping as are the other boys in his form. He is being kept very busy in the day with the extra curricular activities, both sport and music, and in my opinion keeping him busy makes him more sociable, happier and more driven to do well. Less time spent wasted on the iPad, Xbox etc etc

Incidentally, I pick him up at 6pm one day a week......the car park is pretty empty at that time so wondering where these 14 hours are being crammed in.

14 hours a day, so 8am-10pm?!

Of course you are entitled to your views, but can you explain this:

BookwormA1 wrote:

I'm a local tutor and used to work at Hampton for many years. I have lots of experience and get great results... Obviously I specialise in Hampton exams

BookwormA1 wrote:

Firstly, I never said that I worked there!

You also wrote previously: There are about 200 teaching staff. In the past five years, over a third have 'left'. Would that not be a reasonable turnover, I would expect 10% a year, and you are saying it was less than 7% pa?

The staff I know there are not unhappy with the place, there will always be some that don't like their employer. 14 hours a day is a lot, and would imply a very long day at the school - are teachers staying in school that long?

Do you not think it reasonable to advertise for a new Deputy Head since the current one is retiring - as it says in the advert (or are they being misleading?). I've been following their adverts for new staff since September and the number advertised has been few and seems to me lower than you might expect for normal turnover in a school of this size.

Thanks for your input though and appreciate your views.

Why advance search an anonymous poster? What business is it of yours? Quite aggressive, don't you think? Am I not entitled to my views?

Focus of my list was of people management not the students.

Sorry cookingwine, but I really do not see the point of you posting personal and utterly unfounded comments about me on someone else's thread. I can read them, you know! I and several others have reliable local information on the topic I added. That is all. It is confidential, for obvious reasons. This is not the same as having a grudge. Frankly, that sort of comment is very naive. Your experience and many other parents' may well be totally different from that of the staff. I stand by what I say. It is easy to pick off staff in a big school, and the aggressive responses of several parents does not exactly bode well, does it? Forums are supposed to be anonymous places where views are aired and shared. But that is not to say the issues do not exist. I have to be very careful what I say and have no wish to offend you personally. I am stunned, however, by how quickly people rush to the offensive.

Yes same here, that was a very strange comment from bookworm IMO, from someone with a grudge IYSWIM

I don't know about Hampton from the perspective of a parent but I have a number of good friends with sons there (some have sporty boys, some more creative and arty). They are all incredibly happy with the school and I have never heard anything but positive talk regarding the teachers and teaching.

When you say bullying - can you elaborate more? Is it right from the top? What is the motivation - is there a desire to drive results higher or what is the root? Is this a wide held view? What is the atmosphere like in the school and how does this impact the boys? Is it trending for the better or worse?
Appreciate these are subjective views and I would be very grateful for any corroboration or counter view. This is our school of choice and I will be turning down some very good other schools and this making me a little nervous.....

Yes..thanks for your reply. I cannot believe how offensive some people have been. It is possible to be very fond of a school and deplore its management system. Deeply resent the heavy handed biased comments of jetjungle...a Hampton parent, yes, but thankfully still a minority type. But i did post to point out an issue of bullying. Think this has been achieved..op..wish you luck as your ds begins in new school.

BookwormA1,

Thank you for your opinion. It's always very useful to hear all point of views regardless if we like them or not.

Thank you all.

BookwormA1, good tutors will not advertise themselves on Mumsnet, they are fully booked in advance.

I openly admit that I advance searched you.

You do say that you worked there.

Firstly, I never said that I worked there! And to all the Hampton parents on this thread, yes, I am sure that your experiences of the school are positive because its staff deliver a great education from first rate teachers, and the facilities are excellent. But...also... the staff are dropping with exhaustion, they do work very hard, often over 14 hour days...and there is now faster staff turnover. Why would that be? The boys would not necessarily remark on this issue at all, but, as a parent, I'd like to know.