Any views on Waldegrave Girls, Teddington?

@FromIndia sounds fairly typical for secondary school from what I hear. I hope it goes well for your DD.

@SleepyRooster my DD joined mid year in Year 9 and seems to have settled well. It's early days (she was there for a couple of weeks before Christmas and now since school started last week). I just feel like other than the usual random emails from school no effort is made to ensure we know the teachers or the school. This might be because DD is in year admission and also because Y9 they are expected to be quite independent. DD is happy enough and doesn't have any complains but she's also the sort to just go with the flow.... Sorry can't be more specific or helpful.

@FromIndia Are you happy so far with your choice?
Hoping to join in Sept Y7

Is there any Whatsapp group for current Year 9 parents fkr Waldegrave? We joined mid year and haven't had a chance to meet any parents.

@mellowmiaow I did tours of both schools. You’re right - both are great choices. I found Waldegrave intimidating and Christ’s more friendly but I think that might because of the size and also because of the guide….. I’m also from overseas so I don’t really know what I’m looking for….

Waldegrave had a fantastic Head for many years, but she left on a high, warning of budget constraints ahead. If you search through enough threads on here, somewhere you might find a link to the letter she wrote to all parents at the time, asking for big voluntary donations. It was always going to be difficult for whoever took over the reins. In the meantime, there is now a new Ofsted framework which judges schools on different measures to before, and is deliberately aiming to reduce the number of schools worthy of the Outstanding label. So there is no guarantee that Waldegrave will be Outstanding at its next inspection, or any other school that was inspected after September 2019. It can take a long time for a school to build a good or bad reputation, and a long time for them to lose it, because parents move on but assume the school has stayed as they remember it. Also, forums like Mumsnet bring up threads that are years old.

If you can't get school tours, do the morning commute to both schools with your daughter, stand outside and watch the kids go in, then stand outside at the end of the day too, and commute home again. Also, do a deep dive of the school websites for old newsletters etc. That may help. But if not, toss a coin. They're both great options.

@mellowmiaow thank you so much! I am lucky to have a choice. I am also tending towards Christ’s which is nearer to me but Waldegrave has such a outsize reputation that I’m confused.

The results are similar enough to make no difference: teddington.nub.news/news/local-news/results-how-boroughs-schools-performed-in-2022-gcse-and-a-level-exams-156408

In your position I would go with the one I lived closest to, to make it easier for my daughter to make local friends and not have a long commute. The bus routes between Richmond and Twickenham can be very congested at rush hour.

They're both great schools - you're lucky to have a choice.

Hi! We have recently moved to Richmond from overseas and have been offered in in-year place in Year 9 for our DD. She’s probably mid-range student and quite musical (plays cello) and is lively and full of beans but tends to not get along with girls who are queen bees / popular even though she’d like to. She’s never been at an all girls school before. I am quite confused because we’ve been offered a place at Christ too but it doesn’t have results as good as those at Waldegrave. Any help you can give would be much appreciated.

Are you by any chance a church goer? Opens up a couple more options in the area. Catholic Richards Reynolds and CofE Christs. RR is a lottery within admission bands so could live in catchment for GC or Waldegrave and still apply. Also, heard very good things about Orleans Park which may (haven’t checked) cross over catchment for Waldegrave . I only have boys so don’t know much about Waldegrave except has a good reputation.

On a positive note feedback on the school hours has been noted and likely to change to more normal hours from sept with 3.15 finish each day except friday which is earlier. Re comms - this is a different level of bad! My youngest daughters primary comms are far superior. We failed to get even a parents evening for most subjects and no feedback when requested. You can’t contact any teachers directly unless you book via the school office. I think the calibre of teaching & standards is high but as a parent you have to trust what is going on in the background as you are none the wiser as a parent! That said your daughter will be in a school with high achieving kids with a hard working ethic. If you have a blank canvas I would look at grey court as a more well balanced option - particularly if your child is sporty as they offer a much more superior sports programme. however if you want all girls then waldegrave is a good option. As you say catchments don’t cross. I know people who are trying to move their kids over though as and when there is space.

I have 2 daughters at Waldegrave. We are happy but I think it’s reputation supersedes reality. The results are in part down to calibre of intake and tutoring that takes place.
One daughter is v sporty and enjoys the provision but it’s woefully poor if you aren’t top of the pack. There’s no C teams etc.
My daughters are happy and so are we but it’s not in anyway a private school substitute. The communication for one is dire, so frustrating not to have direct contact with teachers etc. if you have a choice I would recommend looking at Grey Court, I think that’s really on the up. The parental apps give great feedback , transparency to parents which isn’t forthcoming at Waldegrave.
Waldegrave is a good school though vs many others and we like it for what it is.

I think it is a shame when schools jump on trendy and or political bandwagons, when DD was there (5 years ago) a teacher told her she was wrong about the cause of the financial crash in America 1920s - but she was right, my husband knew far more than the teacher who wanted to make it a political statement and was factually incorrect. I did find a few 20 something keen teachers going off subject and give life advice that wasn't always helpful or appropriate, luckily the worse offender, who regularly reduced Lower sixth to tears left after 2 years. The form tutor whose job was to teach the extra curricula and sex ed. refused to do so, so one of the students took over the class in a helpful and informative way - the tutor was apparently shocked that she was less embarrassed then him to use the correct biological terms... He also clearly favoured boys over girls, I suspect he may have retired now. I hope so. I didn't find the school particularly approachable, and I once had to use the loos and was truly upset at the broken and doorless cubicles. I hope that has also improved. IMO most schools are too big, Stephen Biddulph writes an good argument on maximum sizes and why they matter.

I’m a current parent. We moved house into catchment for the school, as the op is considering. I know a number of families who have done this. Suits our daughter (year 8) who seems to be thriving there. She’s happy, nice friends, making good progress. The only criticism I’d say is I don’t feel her talents (artistic, sporting) are recognised/nurtured so I’ve accepted that’s down to me (which I’m fine with). My experience is that school aren’t that proactive with communications but if you contact the form tutor or head of year they’re responsive and deal with issues. Dm if you’ve any questions.

I’m a current parent, yes. You won’t find the word ‘girls’ on any letters or other documentation. And teachers openly call JK Rowling very nasty misogynist slurs. Awards are given to ‘brave’ girls who try to opt out of womanhood by claiming to be non-binary. How schools can’t recognise social contagion and safeguarding risks anymore is beyond me.

My daughter is older but parents of year 7 girls I know are already trying to move their daughters because of it.

We are current parents of a child at Waldegrave. We were initially concerned about the sheer size of the place (our daughter came from a local prep) but actually, she manages the space well and more girls have allowed her to find her ‘tribe’.

We have have had the opportunity to observe the inner runnings of the school and feel the new Head is exceptional and cares deeply for her students and staff.

I wish there was more sport on offer but there generally is plenty going on around the place and, living in the vicinity, there are an abundance of opportunities at out of school clubs etc.

Also, our daughter has SEN and is supported very well indeed.

You are welcome to DM me should you have any specific questions

The sixth form are allowed off the premises when not in lessons though. Don’t know if that used to be different

Sadly many parents consider Waldegrave to have gone rapidly downhill since the last amazing Head left. If you’re not 100pc on board with gender ideology (ie there’s no such thing as a biological female), for a start, it really isn’t the place for you.

It used to be a school where girls were incredibly empowered and womanhood was celebrated. There was no ‘right way’ to be a woman or girl. Now it’s all ‘if you’re not girly then you’re a boy or non-binary’ and the word ‘girls’ is forbidden. Very sad as the local boys’ schools still use the word ‘boys’ all the time.

Results are still great. But it’s not the wonderful feminist school it used to be just a few years ago.

I've got/had 3 at Waldegrave so I know it quite well!

I also have experience of the 6th form with the current head.

I am friends with parents of and know lots of children who are at private schools locally and tbh I can't see any difference. They all do the same things in and out of school (they are all friends) and are all headed to pretty much the same universities. They have also all had the same struggles with friendships and other social issues.

One of mine is now at Oxbridge. One is Year 13. She was always a "mid-range" student and at the start of Year 12 she was predicted AAB but is now on course for A*s - partly due to her hard work but also the incredible teaching and support she has had in her subjects.

All 3 have taken 2 MFLs including Spanish. One does Latin.

If you are happy with an all girls education, then go for it. However there are plenty of other good schools in the area so you don't have to move.

It's interesting that the people that criticise it don't usually have children there.

I live near Waldegrave but my dds go to a nearby coed school. I think Waldegrave is a great school and would have been happy for my girls to go there, but I also think it gets a lot of hype that isn't necessarily always deserved. Mainly because it has a very middle class intake, is only girls, and the last head was a star. I know quite a few girls there and most are v happy, though it doesn't seem so good with pastoral and SEN. Remember things can go wrong for a child in any school, whatever the Ofsted rating. Where are you now and what are the alternatives?