Kingston Grammar vs LEH: air polution and other things

You can't get a government table for GCSEs because of the exclusion of IGCSEs and GCSEs matter to no-one after Y11. I wouldn't trust any of the other league tables because so many schools exclude their results or supply their own figures. There may be some movement of pupils at A level but it's a minority and any educational doping should cancel out as they all do it. These are the government tables which include state and Indy schools and are the only ones I would trust.

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools&phase=16to18&for=16to18&orderby=ks5.0.TALLPPE_ALEV_1618&orderdir=asc&datatype=integer&sortpolicy=inversepolicy

There is a LOT of "educational doping" (as I call it) at A Level and hence I wouldn't use them as a comparison. GCSE would be the more meaningful imo. Moreover, in truth, the differences between these schools are minimal from an educational perspective and much more about fit, interests, ethos, logistics of travel etc

I meant hockey. In the States, girls do play ice hockey. It is very dangerous, and ruinously expensive.

Choose the school with the easiest commute, other factors being equal. A long commute is exhausting and wasted time. Field hock is safer than lacrosse. In the States, lacrosse players routinely wear helmets.
Air pollution is a total non factor for me, butI have spent most of my working life in a car dealership.

I can understand pollution concerns.

I doubt schools will let a musical DC miss sport because of hand injury concerns! Lacrosse is probably a higher injury risk than hockey.

roseredvelvet oops sorry about mixing your name up. I was typing it from memory!

Good luck with your decisions everyone.

I was looking at % figures in tables published in one of the broadsheets for GCSEs and A Levels. I'm not sure how it relates to government figures. Yes, it was close.

As many say, it's about fit. I'm sure a motivated child will do the same at any school (although redrosevelvet co ed vs single sex is probably one thing you / your DD need to decide on first).

Also, here is an article on London schools and pollution. It was published two years ago but was based on 2013 data. Some of the most over subscribed state secondaries in London (it didn't include indies) are in areas classed as polluted. It's clearly not great but it gives some perspective on London schools. Hopefully the government & local councils will do something. It seems BoJo didn't release the data when he was mayor...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/01/children-at-nearly-90-london-secondary-schools-exposed-to-dangerous-air-pollution

I have checked the govt A level league tables now out, Wimbledon have an average point score of 47.29 for A levels, Putney 46.67 and Surbiton 46.41. So it was close but SHS didn't beat either. For op in case you're interested LEH had an average point score of 49.67 KGS have an average 44.01. There are no govt figures for GCSEs because they exclude IGCSEs.

The stats are very confusing! Ds sat the 8+ (in a desperate bid to avoid 11+ again) and we accepted an offer based on proximity. He is also a child who thrives in a highly competitive environment. Dd will do better at a more nurturing school and KGS/SHS ticked that box, despite her receiving offers from more academic but pressurised schools. LEH would definitely fit into the latter, so it really depends on which school you feel will bring out the best in your dd.

But GCSEs aren't as important, once you've sat them that's it finished its all about your A level results until you go up a tier. All schools offer incentives to get a few better students at 6th form, a friend of DS's got a free place at KGS so it all cancels out.

If you look at the GCSE results, then the tables are flipped in terms of KGS and SHS (I don't know about LEH). SHS did particularly well at A Level last year, beating either PHS is WHS (I can't remember which). It's very common for students to move schools for A Level, and schools do offer incentives to get the brightest students. Look at A Levels, but GCSEs are a better indicator, imo, of how well the cohort who entered at 11+ do.

There is a huge gap between LEh and KGS for A level results which will determine which Uni they go onto. LEH is 35% A and 45% As, compared to KGS which got 16% A and 37% A last year. To put those into perspective, Esher College which is free of charge and completely non-selective got got A11% and A 22%.
SHS which is seen as less academic achieved 30% As and 37% A.

OP, I completely agree with you about pollution and have chosen schools, homes etc accordingly.

Leo1234 we love in London. Pollution, unfortunately, is everywhere. It sounds as if your DC would suit LEH, but I would probably find out a bit more about LAX if your are worried about injuries!

KGS boat club is at Hampton Court (not Kingston).

There are only 60 girls in the year = tons of opportunities for everything, huge extra curricular offer and no battling for a chance against 100+ girls as in most other schools.

I have children at both.

KGS has to be more polluted; it's on a huge one way system with traffic lights outside & frequent traffic jams...LEH is surrounded by green fields though heavy traffic is not so far away.

You are not a sporty family but your DD may yet surprise you, given lots of opportunities and plenty of encouragement. She is bound to find some hitherto unthought of niche at either school. My DS who I had pigeonholed as academic & sporty has shown real musical aptitude & enthusiasm, picking up 3 new music instruments. My DD who I saw as a bit of a bookworm with a bent for technology has emerged as a drama star who belts around the SE on Saturdays in a variety of sports incl lax, which I do agree is seriously dangerous!

Part of the great advantage of these schools is the resources for children to experiment & spread their wings.

Both are academic & sporty in different ways. Parents at KGS tend to be a little bit less flashy imho & a bit more normal. There are many rich families at both but it seems a bit less obvious.

It will come down to which one you & your DD feel fits better. Gut instinct. Though I have to say, all other things being equal, travel time would swing it for me.

Thank you for the info Sunshine5050. Is SHS not as academic as KGS? Dd has offers from both and 2 other GDST schools but prefers these. So hard to know which is best suited!

Have girls at LEH and find it very creative. Have you visited the drama department, theatre, art block, attended a music recital? Loads and loads of creative activities and a very high standard of sport too. Which does your dd prefer?

Yes I have a dd at SHS and yes the hockey and netball A teams are for sports scholars and B/C teams are for those that play at club Level. My dd did literally no sport outside the school day in year 7 but in year 8 she started rowing at the boat club in Teddington so now it's fine. Currently there are 200 girls in year 7 and 100 attend netball club, you need 7 in a team! Apparently they they will limit the next year 7 to 7 classes. But otherwise SHS is a great school, she adores it and wouldn't have got into KGS. She is very happy and I'm now trying to decide between Hampton & KGS for my ds.

Sunshine5050 do you have a dd @ SHS? We are trying to decide between the two and she is quite sporty but I've heard it's quite difficult to get into the A teams and if you don't, there's not much play time. Is that correct? Thanks

I think you need to speak to the registrar or a current parent but KGS is known for team sport on a Saturday, it's the great different between Surbiton High where I have a dd who does limited sport and KGS. You can get away without a team sport at LEH and SHS much to the parents disappointment but at KGS it's the whole part of the school package, only 55 girls in the year means they all play sport.

Played both lax and hockey to high levels and saw more injuries playing lax! Antique? Are you
Serious? It is played with metal and plastic sticks and is the fastest sport on two
Legs.

Ease of access would sway me.

Look for your daughter to be much
More rounded than academics- if you want her to be successful- those who are pure work robots never fair as well in life. Which one has more to offer than pure work or sport.