Kings College Wimbledon - So Disappointed

Did you apply to the Sutton grammars OP? One of the best young STEM designers out there went to one (currently an undergraduate at Imperial). Don't underestimate the state school provision in SW London.

[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]
KCS has 95 minute lunch breaks most days with hundreds of clubs for the pupils to choose from during those extended breaks. On the days when they have shorter lunch breaks the entire afternoon is given over to sport or co-curricular activities.

Perhaps you should have stayed to listen to the talk OP.

I got the impression (based on visiting 3 years ago under the old head) that Kings was quite cerebral and the old head was a bit ‘dry’ for my taste. D & T probably isn’t as intellectual as some other subjects so may just not be such an important subject choice in the school. They showcased other areas ( new theatre, great library, good music department, good science labs, wide choice of foreign languages etc). In another school you may find D & T is more impressive. One of the benefits of open days is you can, if you look carefully and ask thoughful questions, find out a school’s strength and weaknesses and it can help you prioritise your choices for applications and final choice ( if you are lucky enough to have multiple offers).

You have seen something in the school that is a weakness for you but there are others who will have been looking for different things and been impressed with what they saw.

There are other top level schools with impressive D & T offerings so keep looking and trust your gut. It wasnt right for you but will be for some families.

@Iamnotsoexcited
have you looked at Trinity ? it's a progressive school, with a very special vibe, they focus on bringing very rounded, and grounded modern pupils, all on the back of academic excellence. their buildings are contemporary, not the prettiest, but bright functional and airy. Pastoral care is second to none.
good luck !

I see where you are coming from OP.

A lot of London schools are so in demand that I sometimes feel they may rest on their laurels.

I had a similar experience of being turned off by St Pauls boys. It was the junior section and I found the building tatty and old fashioned, with no updates, most of all I was put off by the junior head whom I found cold and standoffish (she may have had a bad day, who knows). As it turned out, St Pauls started their updates and renovations with the senior school working their way down, which makes sense. My nephew is happy there.

Another issue is that some schools maintain a false reputation that they are more rich than they really are. KCS uses the funds from their gym to fund bursaries etc.

London schools also like 'oven ready' clever students - especially in their 6th form intake. And yes, there is a lot of tutoring (which they claim they can spot, but does not deter them from picking from the tutored crowd).
Yes, schools that were riding high, can come down at some stage or the other, but they never completely go disappear into oblivion and its easy for them to make a comeback. I remember a few years ago schools like Habs, MT, Harrow were right at the top, they are still great, but seem to sink and rise over the years.

At some point, parents do not just go 'but they are in the top 3' and may be swayed but what they view as a progressive school with lots of facilities, strong pastoral etc.

I have nothing to add about KIngs though there are schools nearby with very good art depts - Epsom for example. And grammars with new shiny DT blocks if thats what you're after (Wallington Boys).

But I disagree that Latin is harder than Computer Science - one you learn multiple coding languages for and the other you can basically pass through your couple of years at prep school. Latin GCSE is very easy indeed.

It's IMO almost, but not quite, better not to attend open days. Schools vary greatly in how slickly they can do a sales pitch, in ways that don't at all translate into the quality of the education.

In particular, don't ever read anything at all into your interaction the kids who show you round. A hard-selling big city comprehensive won't allow any of the thuggy kids to do it, just as a hard-selling private won't allow any of the obviously know-it-all/smug kids to do it.

You'll vastly better information out of other parents, preferably ones who have experience of multiple schools & obviously not ones who for whatever reason [e.g. because of a multi-generational connection, because they're governers, etc] appointed themselves as cheerleaders for 'their' school.

I do know what the OP means though in general (I don't know KCS).

I remember asking a teacher at a top school in North London/Herts area how many went on to do art at 3rd level. She looked me straight in the eye and said "None. Their parents want them to do vocational degrees like medicine/dentistry, not art". I appreciated that honesty frankly and think we are pushing academic disciplines over all else but that's what parents want! Another top boarding school told my friend that her son should study classics and Latin/Greek for easier entry into Oxbridge because the state schools don't offer it at A level.

I agree we're not thinking of schools for the future at all.

I wouldn't dismiss a school solely on the person showing us around but it can add to the whole 'gut feel' of the place. I said upthread I didn't like St Pauls. Probably more accurate to say I was a bit underwhelmed, probably because I expected to be very impressed. It was actually one of the speeches that put me off (which is why I'm surprised that the OP left before them at KCS). We didn't apply but know a fair few boys there who've been happy so I know it's a good school, just didn't feel right for us.
I actually think the open days did give a pretty accurate impression for the schools my DCs ended up but they would have probably have been fine anywhere. We were lucky to have a choice so you have to make a decision somehow.

Having been a tiger mother getting my kids into London private schools, I then changed careers and became a teacher in one of them.

I can assure you that the open day parents’ visits give pretty much zero idea of what a school is actually like. Until your DC is in the school, you have no real idea of what you are getting into.

It always amuses me when someone says they loved one London Day school but hated another, very similar one. Surely you need to dismiss factors such as the pupil showing you around (some are better than others).

As a poster above says, in London most people take the private school place they are offered, as only a few have a real choice. Generally the schools are all pretty good and the kids are very lucky to be there.

If you are measuring a school on the length of lunch breaks for clubs it is 100 minutes at KCS which allows plenty of time for coding, robotics and (mostly) football in the playground. Things didn't click for you and the school and it is more traditional and formal than works for you. Don't worry about it! Pick somewhere else. Good luck!

It's a good school and there are lots of other good schools. Gut feel is important and who shows you round can make a huge difference.

I didn't like St Pauls Boys, G&L or PHS, even though on paper I should. Loved LU, WHS and KGS. Others would have had totally different opinions. A lot of that was down to the heads talk and who showed us around.

DD, (less so DS) also had strong opinions and flatly refused to apply to a couple of schools.

Luckily there's lots of schools and they seem to offer to the pupils who they think will 'thrive' (their favourite word!) so all tends to work out!

I think most of them have long lunchtimes with lots of clubs these days.

Just wanted to flag that I've had 3 children go through KCS and not one has been tutored while there. DS1 is now at Oxford and DD has been predicted 45 in her IB.

It's absolutely normal to take a dislike to a school on an open day. I took a particular dislike to KGS for no particular reason. Perfectly good school just didn't inspire me.

We chose KCS because of the type of boys we have met over the years from there. Absolutely delightful boys. We had a wonderful 18th last weekend for my DD and every single one was a pleasure to have as a guest in my home (we stayed in to supervise). All doing exceptionally well academically as well.

Oh and KCS does have an extended lunch break for extra-curricular.

With competitive entry day schools you don’t sign up, you wait and see if they offer you a place. They pick you, the school makes the offer not the parent
Schools you just sign up to straight away they’re not as competitive to get a place at.

@Cheshirewife - yes - exactly this.

But they do have lunchtime clubs too, 19 pages worth on a link down this page: www.kcs.org.uk/senior-school/co-curricular-life/clubs-and-societies

They spoke quite a bit about it during the deputy head's talk. It's really bizarre that you didn't stay for it.

[quote Iamnotsoexcited]@cricketjoys85 I agree. Latin is great as an academic subject, but we need to focus on the academic subjects of the future. Computer studies, engineering, design etc. My friends in the city say their roles on the way out. I just think Blockbuster the video store thought it had a thriving business and by not innovating they did not move with the times.

Mental health is so important and I think part of that is made up from your physical environment. I was surprised there were no child centric displays on the walls. Do people not think they are important?

Genuine question. We went to Kings expecting to love it. I was surprised I didn’t.[/quote]
Computer Studies A level is not generally that well thought of. My son did CS at Uni and doesn’t rate it. It’s about good teaching and learning to use your brain. Those who want to go into engineering etc will get a good foundation with Maths, Physics etc. Latin is a great preparation for lots of things. Very academic schools know this and therefore don’t focus on vocational stuff.

I think you’re being a bit unfair to be so negative about a school that you’ve only seen on an open day!
However, I agree with you particularly about teaching of computer science. Yes there are lots of industries which will continue to flourish but many of them have substantial and increasing use of computers. I think schools are doing the kids a disservice not to give them a very good grounding in computer science and IT, it would enhance so many career choices. One of the few good things about the pandemic is the increased use of technology

What are you on about these schools should be setting the new tone?
New tone?
You come across a bit overzealous and agitated. It’s not combative. You attend the school that makes you an offer. That’s pretty much it

@EspressoDoubleShot sort of. Engineering and technology will enable ever business process, eg think the platforms/technology/tooling which exists already in financial services, people have been let go because they’ve struggled to adapt.

It’s an old fashioned outlook to segregate disciplines. Engineering and technology will be at the heart of every career and therefore schools should adapt and teach this with each core subject.

I had a friend send her sons there (years ago now). Mine went to the local comp and Richmond Further Education College, My eldest did Natural Sciences at Cambridge and he only did Dual Award Sciences at Gcse ( all that was on offer then). He certainly wasn't at a disadvantage @Cheshirewife.
I taught in a Sixth Form College. In my experience, Oxbridge Colleges are so anxious to recruit from ordinary comps.

Engineering and technology are the future, to deny this just seems ignorant
Actually no. These careers are the future for those who have the skills & aptitude
Other careers will continue to flourish too. Health care medicine cannot be replaced or adequately replicated as it heavily relies upon personal skill,judgement and interaction
People will still want & seek out literature,arts,drama
Finance is a global term for a myriad of jobs that won’t vanish, change yes. Vanish no

You’re quite myopic in your predictions