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Original poster

Independent Day Secondary with NO SATURDAY SCHOOL?

30 replies

PowerPantsRule · 04/07/2017 19:43

Hi all

My ds is 9, and enjoying life at a private prep school so we are looking for a (preferably co-ed) day school but weekends are sacred to us and thus we'd prefer to finish the school week on a Friday evening.

I notice Hampton School do this - is there anywhere else? Looking in Home Counties and London plus Oxford/Dorset/Hampshire/Wiltshire (we are happy to move!).

Thank you everyone.

OP posts:
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dinkystinky · 13/07/2017 14:19

The only London and surrounds schools I can think of with Saturday lessons are those that have boarders too - as others have said, most will have matches on Saturdays and some (like Emanuel) will invite students in on weekend to train for teams etc.

Original poster
PowerPantsRule · 07/07/2017 20:59

Thanks so much, all - I had not realised it was a dead issue in London. The three 'name' private schools near me all have Saturday school and it goes on until 4pm.

BubbleBuddy - thank you for your concern about my child and our family life but it is unwarranted. When I say family time, I include having friends for sleepovers or playdates here in the family home as well as elsewhere. I just don't want them in school.

OP posts:
SuperSange · 07/07/2017 20:50

St Swithuns, Winchester? The junior school is coed.

BubblesBuddy · 07/07/2017 20:35

Where my children went to school there were no lessons on a Saturday but lots of other activities did take place. If a parent dictates that weekends are for family and that a child cannot join in with friends and do things at school, the child can end up being Billy No Mates because they will drop off the radar of other children. This may, or may not matter. Personally I think being flexible is better for everyone. There are very long holidays at private schools so who needs every Saturday as family quality time?

WinifredAtwellsOtherPiano · 07/07/2017 17:03

I honestly can't think of any London school with Saturday lessons - it's understandably unpopular with parents who might want to go away for the weekend. Remove it from your consideration as an issue

1805 · 07/07/2017 16:56

At senior school level, I would pick a school to be the best fit for your child rather than about Saturdays.
For example, in Oxfordshire, you could pick with Magdalen College, or Cokethorpe, neither of which have Saturday school, but the two schools are so different, you would not consider them both for the same child.

dairymilkmonster · 07/07/2017 11:34

magdalen college school oxford, or abingdon school - more academic options though

smerlin · 06/07/2017 22:27

Most day schools won't have Saturday lessons but often all students play sports fixtures on a Saturday, even if it is for a D team.

CruCru · 06/07/2017 22:24

To be fair, the OP just doesn't want her kid to have to go to school on Saturdays. I wouldn't assume that her child won't have a life at the weekends.

I must admit that I'm not terribly keen on the idea of Saturday school. Children spend long enough at school.

Sunshine5050 · 06/07/2017 22:21

I would book a couple of open days or spend a day driving past the SW London schools listed above. You might find the smaller sites & sports grounds away from the school (as in the case of KGS) help refine your thinking - i.e. the space & compact (but modern) facilities of these schools are in contrast to the independent schools outside London. Saturday school may move to a different place on your priority list.

BubblesBuddy · 06/07/2017 22:16

If you are determined not to let your child have a life outside the family at the weekend it is very possible to do so. You just don't let them have friends and behave like a normal child.

AnotherNewt · 06/07/2017 12:17

"There is absolutely NO danger of my child being picked for any team sports."

It's not just team sports that have fixtures. Sod's law will mean he develops a passion for rowing or fencing, or an unusual team sport like fives.

(And once teenage (if not before) you'll find it hard to keep weekends sacred anyhow, as the DC will have their own ideas about their social lives).

SquirmOfEels · 06/07/2017 12:14

It might be easier to list those in London that do?

Westminster

(that might be it)

CountessDracula · 06/07/2017 10:55

Agree, haven't heard of this at all
Try KGS/Laytmer/Emanuel/Ibstock Place

nocampinghere · 06/07/2017 09:39

in SW London i don't know of any schools with Saturday school, except for sports matches.

co-ed KGS definitely does not. sport participation is very high (lots of teams so show any interest and you can get in one) but not compulsory by any means.

Original poster
PowerPantsRule · 06/07/2017 09:18

Hi Liz, we have two big name independent schools nearer home but our work is partly in London so we can split ourselves between the two and thought we should explore options further afield.

OP posts:
LIZS · 06/07/2017 09:13

Any reason not to look at schools nearer home?

Original poster
PowerPantsRule · 06/07/2017 09:10

HI all - many thanks for responses. We have to be in South West or West London - we live on the south coast so would want to be easily able to commute back.

There is absolutely NO danger of my child being picked for any team sports. He is one of those geeky children who is last to be picked for any team sport!

I am really anti the idea of Saturday school - for me the weekend is precious family time!

OP posts:
AnotherNewt · 06/07/2017 08:29

Where in London?

Most have no Saturday school (in the sense of lessons) but if your DC is selected for a team they will be expected to attend fixtures including at weekends (many school fixtures are in Saturdays)

And the 3 Dulwich schools all have Founders Day as compulsory attendance, but as that's only one Saturday a year, date published at least 3 terms in advance, that shouldn't be too much of an encroachment into family life (they get the Friday off in lieu).

chopchopchop · 06/07/2017 08:22

If you don't mind the far edge of Wiltshire, KES in Bath has no Saturday school (and plenty travel in from Wiltshire). Warminster has sports fixtures but no Saturday school.

HardcoreLadyType · 06/07/2017 08:19

If your son is not into sports at all avoiding Sats completely might be possible.

Or music, drama, chess, robot building(!), debating...

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 06/07/2017 08:12

Latymer Upper doesn't have Saturday school.

roguedad · 06/07/2017 08:08

OP - you probably need to be clear about your views on sports. There are day schools with no lessons on Saturday but where a lot of sports take place. E.g. in Oxfordshire Abingdon abolished Saturday lessons several years ago but DS is now on the river most Saturday afternoons for two terms. I had thought it would intrude into family life but while being a significant commitment, in fact it has extended our social life, so you might be open-minded. If your son is not into sports at all avoiding Sats completely might be possible.

trinity0097 · 05/07/2017 21:43

St. Edmund's in Hindhead

Mary21 · 05/07/2017 19:03

Don't think Kingston Grammar, Latimer upper, St Benedicts Ealing. Radnor House, Kew House, Emmanuel or Ewell Castle have Saturday school. However they may well all have Saturday matches.
Happy to be corrected