Kings College Wimbledon - So Disappointed

Hi there,

Are there other families who went to the 8+ exam at Kings College. From the info I gathered, the exam was particularly different from other years and quite difficult. I know that the bar is quite high but it seems like this time they used the surprise factor to balance the over tutored kids with the rest.
Also I had the impression that there were many many kids, but I believe that we are not allowed to know how many candidates apply for it.

Any parents out there that are now also waiting for the results or parents that went through this same process last year and have any advice?

Thank you,
K.

I find that comment about the Aston really odd. All the parents I know at KCS are pretty unostentatious and their kids are if anything very bookish. The school is really academic and you won't just get in with money.
The private schools aren't all the same. Do look around OP.
There is an academic pecking order based on the league tables which have a lot to answer for IMO.

I get it - I took my daughter to Wimbledon High School open day (for sixth form). Great rep etc, but we were so turned off. They made the mistake of having a whole school open day, it was jammed packed, the girl showing us and another family around was not taking any of the seven A levels my DD and the other girl wanted to take. It also didn't help that they were in the early stage of constructing a building which would house many of the sixth form classes. But some people love it! We didn't apply.
I used to go to the Kings College Christmas Fair as we lived opposite. It was always amazing. The hall was ginormous. My kids went to summer camp there (separate to the school but in the grounds). The playing fields right there and they have a pool.
But impressions count and if it wasn't for you so be it.

@Comefromaway who do you think you are coming onto an emotive thread with reasoned logic.

I believe the desirable combo for Cambridge Engineering is Maths plus Physics and then FM if taught. Something in addition to that would be positive but substituting one of those for computing or DT would probably put you at a disadvantage to other candidates.

No offence to OP but if you turn up to an Oxbridge interview with a D&T or Computing A-level, while you won’t exactly be laughed out the room, you will be at a disadvantage. Surely not if it's your fourth (or even fifth) A Level?

@Sashamia I do think sometimes open days/evenings for schools (state or private) can bring out the worst in people, particularly if the schools are extremely hard to get into. Not sure whether it's not some stress/anxiety in play, but it can magnify particularly sharp-elbowed parents and those who may want to puff their chests out as if to prove their own worth. Maybe much of such posturing reflects lack of confidence or a desire to appear to fit in?

I'd agree @CrumbsThatsQuick - the JCS parent body is made up of all people of all sorts, with the vast majority being perfectly nice. As a local of many years I've encountered good and bad apples amongst parents in all the schools (both state and independent) my children have attended.

Yes, it seems to be fair game ?!?! Very odd and comes across as slightly chippy. Interestingly, KCS is the least flashy-parent schools of the 4 "high profile" ones I have experience of.

I notice this year there is exceptional demand resulting in numerous open days/open mornings/open evenings at KCS. The packed events might give impression of claustrophobia and/or aggression/competitiveness created by the number of visitors, not the school itself.

I don't know what the school should do, either limiting number of visitors and creating impression of elitism/exclusivity or opening to all and creating impression of overcrowding/lack of care.

I'm slightly 🤔 at the vitriol directed at KCS parents on this thread and the associated discussion about manners. If that kind of commentary were posted on a thread with sweeping generalisations about parents from local state schools how would that go down?

[quote Iamnotsoexcited]@Whstdoyouthink I agree with your post. A true leader stays ahead and Kings should have been exciting, inspiring, forward thinking, shown me a new type of incredible education that would have me signing up my child straight away. Instead, it offered an academic hot house with a focus on grades above all else.

One school, for example, has extended its lunch hour to 75 minutes every day so they can run a myriad of clubs of lunchtime. The focus they put on this additional element was inspiring.[/quote]
I find your post very interesting. Kings has 90 minute lunch break so boys can join a myriad of clubs many of which you might not have heard of. An example club is joyfully "Have a good life".

@Darkchocolateandcoffee
Manners hide many sins. You can be bought up to have impeccable social manners and still be an adulterer, tax avoider, abusive partner. Manners do not make the man I am afraid, manners can in fact hide man. Some of the dads of friends I made at boarding school were absolutely vile pieces of work and hideous fathers - but they knew how to behave at a dinner party.

All the schools have half truth,gossip,rumours,made up stories and half baked opinions attached to them.
Often it is parents who didn’t get a place or chose somewhere else

Habs, UCS,Dulwich,St Paul,kings,City,channing,MTS, Mill Hill, Highgate , Latymer…pick your school
The story always goes…
I attended open day/.sport day and the facilities were DREADFUL. The atmosphere was OPPRESSIVE.
The pupils were boorish and entitled
The parents were boorish and entitled
I know a pupil who went there they said it was HELL
I know a parent who went there they said it was HELL

But of course, the school that the parent chooses is NURTURING
The pupils THRIVE
Facilities are Marvellous
All other schools are underwhelming and dull compared to their magnificent choice

Essentially, pick what seems to be a good fit and you’ll probably be ok
You don’t pick the school, the school pick the pupil.

[quote puffyisgood]@Darkchocolateandcoffee - it's an expensive London private school, I'm not sure what you'd expect. If anything, I'd expect Kings to probably attraect a less macho/ostentatious crowd than most in a similar price/prestige bracket.[/quote]
I would expect better manners. In my experience people who have money are often better brought up than this terrible man!

@Iamnotsoexcited @Darkchocolateandcoffee is accurate in a summation of elitism at KCS. We watched first hand at a recent school Ruby game where the KCS boys heckled the other team” your Dad works for my dad type comments” thr comments were all white noise to the parents. Put me right off. There is a pecking order and that became abundantly clear their entitlement with the KCS brand.

@Darkchocolateandcoffee - it's an expensive London private school, I'm not sure what you'd expect. If anything, I'd expect Kings to probably attraect a less macho/ostentatious crowd than most in a similar price/prestige bracket.

this vulgar father is representative of the parents there, I am THRILLED we didn't go for Kings! Having loads of money doesn't necessarily make someone classy, for sure!

I have only been to King's College School once and thought the facilities wonderful. The drama/music block was awesome. Just what type of facilities are you looking for OP.

Also, it's not the facilities that make young people brilliant at their subjects!

I went to a sports match vs Kings the other day and in the car park a Kings dad said to his son loudly (after checking to see I was watching) 'Do you want to go home in the Aston with me or the Disco with Mum?'

He then looked at me to see if I had fainted with lust.

We looked round Kings for our son but fuck me, if this vulgar father is representative of the parents there, I am THRILLED we didn't go for Kings!

I think you have to follow your gut. I was convinced dd would go to Sherborne girls but I hated it (to be fair it has a new head now). Dd went to state school in the end and we’re surprisingly happy. She wanted to stay with her friends so we thought we’d try it and reassess, moving her in year 9, possibly to Bruton… she’s now in year 9 and in the state school after they were incredible through lockdowns.

I see where you are coming from. Myself being one of a handful of SW19 parents who just was not drawn to KCS. Course, we never tried for 11+, but the junior dept really put me off, as did the 11+ Open Morning years ago. Glad to say the boys didn’t like it either (for the only time, we all agreed on something). Tutoring is at it’s peak at the school, esp after 7+/8+, and the school can’t see beyond the levels of tuition when they select these boys.
As others have said, there are plenty of schools to chose from and not every school suits a child. Good luck on what you decide!

Interested in this thread. We are very local and have two boys but I've never felt inspired by KCS. Agree the facilities are pretty dreary. I have to be honest you are either the sort of parent who gets a kick out of having your son at the school and or you're not. I have only ever been to one open evening and left feeling completely uninspired.
This was with DS1 5 years ago. We never even considered it with DS2. For reference he has offers at Hampton and Tiffin.
He is now at Trinity which is where DS1 is too. Do go and have a look at the school. We found it really inspiring, welcoming and I have nothing but praise for the school.

The more school you visit the more one will resonate with you as a preference, Free choice applies with registration. There are typically in the range 10:1 odds of application to receiving an offer from KIngs and this is similar to most other London day school (indies & Gramma's). Your DC's CAT scores are strong, and performance on the day needs to be match. You will have lots of decisions ahead.