Waldegrave Girls or LEH?

What did u decide then? Plz do share

@mynameis2 - 100% agree!

I’d say LEH too. Although it’s expensive it’s definitely worth it. The facilities are amazing but the important part is the ethos of the school. The girls all want to learn and do their best and are encouraged all the way by the school.
Waldegrave has a great reputation but I’ve heard a few cases of bullying. I also think the hours are quite odd - they only have a very short lunch break and seem to finish at 2pm some days.

LEH 100%
....if you can get in!

MelBasys - time has moved on you might have all your answers or made all your decisions but to answer your area A and B question:
Catchment A is essentially based on simple proximity to Waldegrave. 85% of places are awarded to girls in catchment area A. Because the school is popular this catchment extends roughly 1200metres from the school (you need to check I'm not sure on this distance but few girls need to get public transport in catchment area A 🤣 )
Catchment area B is historic I believe (not totally sure of the history of it however) 15% of places awarded to catchment area B and it essentially covers the town of Richmond (at least in practical terms) It starts just the twickenham side of Richmond Bridge and extends through Richmond
My daughters were at Waldegrave from year 7 and got places in catchment area B.
Waldegrave is a great school in my view (although my experience as limited as anyones in that assessment 🙃) I think there can be some challenges socially to begin with for girls in catchment area B because the majority of their classmates live near the school and one another - while they on the other hand will be in a significant minority of girls in their class who get the bus to school - they are also unlikely to have gone to the most common feeder schools to Waldegrave - rather they will come from Vineyard; St Stephens; Marshgate; Darrell; Holy Trinity primary schools in Richmond and again be in smaller numbers compared to the feeder schools from catchment area A (not necessarily a bad thing - depends on the child)
Impossible to advise anyone of the decision you describe because its so based on your circumstances, priorities and the children.... We were living in the catchment for Waldegrave and hated the whole 11+ nonsense in west London so ended up going to Waldegrave. I don't think you can compare the state and primate school experience really - there are significant pros and cons to both and I think a key assessment comes down to the importance of extra-curricullar opportunities - drama, music, art, sport, visits and trips - in my experience these are very limited in a state school - in a state school however
the pure academics I think will be ok certainly if you daughters are bright and 'school shaped'

Good luck

There's a zoomable map online here which shows the size of the areas after waiting list movement in previous years www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1yAHk1HEQtqt4qyqTnpPUkYOa3qA&ll=51.44414630279813%2C-0.30960049999998773&z=12

In terms of your question on Waldegrave A and B, you should take a look at the Richmond council website admissions section. I think 85% of admissions are from Area A (which is closer to the school than Area B). Area B is the other side of a line that is shown on the map and includes a few streets on the Twickenham side of Richmond Bridge and Richmond itself. Easier to understand if you look at the map itself.

@repebdi.
Thank you very much for all the information. I had no idea about all the new arrangement and changes in Waldegrave. Really good point. I have to rethink it. Thanks

@MelBasys as the thread is 4 years old you'd be better off sending a direct message to the OP, or at least tagging them. Though I suspect their DDs still haven't reached secondary age.

Some things have changed in the last 4 years since those original replies were posted. Waldegrave has recently got a new Head. The previous Head, who was much respected, wrote to parents at length about how Austerity funding was impacting the school's offer. Class sizes were increased, and experienced teachers who left were replaced by much younger, cheaper staff (its now a Teaching School, which means some staff are learning on the job). They are still getting great GCSE and now A Level results, but the experience in years 7-9 is more mixed. Some parents of girls lower down the school, say they're not getting quite the same experience as their older sisters. Some very academic girls complain of being a bit bored in some subjects. There is no setting in year 7. It's still considered a very good school though, and the austerity problems have hit all state schools to some extent.

I don't know anything about LEH or Tiffin, so can't comment on them.

If your children are that young, there is a very strong possibility your Requires Improvement school might have achieved the improvement it requires by the time they make it to secondary stage.

DS's school became RI when he was in Y9. Huge amount of work, new head, annual inspections, new governing body, now Good with Outstanding Features in three and a half years. Didn't affect his schooling - has 11 x 7 - 9 level GCSEs and holding offers from two very highly respected Russell Group unis plus they have continued to get Oxbridge places every year. You may be panicking both too early and totally unnecessarily and there have been a number of cushy Outstanding schools that hadn't had an inspection for 10 years that have found themselves RI under the new Ofsted regime.

It really bugs me when people write off their local secondary when their kids are barely even out of Reception (or sometimes barely out of nappies).

With Tiffin - make sure if you move it's to the inner catchment. It makes it slightly easier to get in. So if they get in the top 350, the first 60 places go to inner catchment, then to others.

One more question: how does area A and B works? What is the difference?
Thank you.

Hi. I assume you made your decision as this post is for four years ago.
Now I am exactly at this position. Can you please advise what did you do at the end? Which school you chose and how is it?

I have this dilemma to change house or pay for private? Considering that I have 2 daughters.

All advices are welcome.

Ps. Both daughters are still very young but we want to make a solid decision to sell our house and move to Waldegrave catchment area soon.

nocampinghere, I'm in SM2, outer London lol I know there is a lot of competition in and around London for independent senior schools and even more for selective state schools. I just thought I'd give that example as the OP is worried that her bright daughter might not get into a private school coming from a state primary. It's obviously not the case + parents might choose either independent or state education for their children at different stages in their education (even if money is no object).

it depends on the area you're talking about JoJoSM2
the numbers of applicants per place for private secondaries in SWLondon is very high.
very different to Kent or Bucks.

It's very common for children to go to state primaries and on to independent secondaries. And a bright kid is a bright kid... And the right school is the right school. Funnily enough, in my area most children from the local academic preps go on to grammars and not indy if they get in ;)

they are both great schools, don't get me wrong, just not right for my daughter. she was adamant she wanted co-ed and 2 years later i am so pleased that we have.

Waldegrave:
fantastic results, astounding when you think it is non selective.
i do believe a lot of external tutoring goes on
definitely has a tried and tested process/system - each girl is heavily tracked, assessed and early intervention etc...
aim is for As, not a GCSE pass which was my impression of a lot of schools.
early finish (home by 3pm if live locally). this is a pro or a con depending on your home set up, whether you want your dd occupied for the full day etc.. 3pm - 10pm is a LOT of time to fill in with extra curricular/homework vs hanging out.

LEH
full of bright, high achieving competitive girls. Do you want that environment? it's both a pro and a con.
if your dd is bright but not sporty or music (and i mean exceptionally in those two areas) will she feel good about herself?
i couldn't bear the old head tbh, i might have reconsidered if the new head had been in place at the time
v low state school intake vs other local independents. why? would a state school primary educated dd be always on catch up?
i didn't get the impression, nor did dd, that the girls were at all happy, bubbly or full of life. they seemed moody. maybe that was just our impression.

At the end of the day your dd will get the results she is meant to get, if she is happy, engaged, focused and doesn't go off the rails. You have to choose the school where you think she will be with the environment where she will shine. Only you can decide that. We are blessed with amazing schools in this part of the country.

Good luck!

Regarding the situation and not the schools I would personally stay put rather than go through the upheaval of moving. I have boys (one at Hampton) so can't comment on the girls schools. With the squeeze on funding at schools getting worse I think I would rather spend the money on schools rather than moving costs. But it should be the right school for the child also (if you are lucky to have the choice which you are) - our other boy went to a different independent school and we turned down Tiffin for the one at Hampton. Horses for courses etc.

jfyi i turned down both LEH and Waldegrave for DD1.
neither were right despite offers from both.

Waldegrave isn't right for every girl Neither is LEH. Both schools do very well by a lot of girls.
Waldegrave is a state school. It does have girls with behavioural problems like any state school. It does have girls from a variety of backgrounds despite its location. However in contrast to several other schools in the area it does better by its low achievers and its disadvantaged pupils than most which says something. I do know girls who have been bullied there and removed. I know parents who have looked and said it's not for their girl. In Essence you need to look at it. It's a very good school but not perfect and not right for all.
LEH is very competitive to get into. And Tiffin girls even more so. There is no guarantee your dd will get in. However if you stay put you will have other indie options. Kgs, Radnor House, St Catherine's, surbiton high.
I assume your local school in Hampton High. It may improve now its part of a mat with Waldegrave. LEH is also not right for all girls. There is a Mumsneter who has written at length about how it suited one dd and not her other dd so again go and look and look at other indies too

no you don't have to be year 6. you missed Waldegrave open day a few weeks back.