Claremont fan court school

@BleuNoir if @Berrylina hasn't visited since Mr Brierley took over then that's got to be 4 years??? (Happy to be corrected though).

Berrylina - what made you feel uneasy about Claremont? Was it something specific?

Admissions person from Claremont last week said 110 Cat score plus to me. That's not in the lowest academic 25% at all.

Hey everyone - sorry I didn’t mean to offend at all! Absolutely of course everyone wants and needs to know about ability. It was just more the language used but perhaps that’s something I’m a bit more sensitive to. Fwiw I’ve got children at two different local private schools too and I’ve been keen to read all about them!

I'm with @guinnessandblackcurrant on this. I've had 2 kids go through Claremont recently and I can't speak highly enough of it. Mr Brierley has been head for 4+ years and has made a big impact. It is not super academic but not everyone wants or needs that even for very clever students. I live locally and it's reputation is on the up.

@Academeo what you have mentioned is really useful. Thanks.

@taj0112 I asked about ability because I want to know if my child has a chance if getting in and whether it would be the right fit for him! If you go to a Prep school they usually sit you down in y5 and give you guidance on that but the state school my son is in does nothing like this so other than the vague categories of expected/below/above expected progress, I haven't got a clue!

Oh and look at the leavers’ destinations, you will find a few top results. So yes, there are some super bright children. But our local comprehensive gets similar results. This school just isn’t an academic hothouse. It does have lovely grounds, great pastoral, small class sizes, happy children. Our local comp, of course, has 30 per class, few facilities, less sport, fewer clubs, etc etc. If you have the money, you are paying for that private experience. Having friends whose children go here, the parents certainly don’t feel a “bit rubbish”, many are very privileged! and those I know seem very pleased with themselves and their choice. Though I do know one who scrimps and saves to make it happen. But they have made the decision so their children have a good experience at school, avoiding any usual social problems. It’s not a fair system, but then nor is capitalism. Fwiw I have gone the private route, but I find it deeply unfair.

@taj0112 but the op wanted insight. If you have a child who is academically average, who is “meeting expectations” but rarely if ever “exceeding” at primary, this is a good choice.

You are the paying client. If you have a child who is top of their class, exceptionally academic, wings every test, then this is not the best choice. Such children tend to get bored at non-academic schools and want to be stretched. Otoh if you have a child who struggles or is perfectly average, they would hate the “hothouse” highly academic schools.

These are all private schools, you know your children and you try to fit the school to their personality (and the schools likewise give places to the children they think will be best suited, hence not just an entrance exam but also an interview and a school reference).

Or you send to the local comprehensive where you get the full range of ability (as at state primary) and no pre-filtering to suit the child.

I know lots of children who are very happy at Claremont. I dont think it is especially hard to get in to, however, that doesn't meant there aren't any very bright children there. I know one family who turned down a place at LEH for Claremont as they thought it was a better fit for their bright but sensitive daughter and she is thriving.

Am I the only one to find some of these comments quite “othering” and insensitive? All these references to it being people’s bottom of the list and kids going there being “nothing special” academically, bottom 25%? There will be different schools for different kids and for those parents with children there who are loving it and others who are thinking about it - I think it would make me feel a bit rubbish. (Neither of my two go there but we are very local).

Claremont was always the cheaper option for private schooling or if your child wasn't quite academic enough for other private education.

The children who got into this school from my child’s y6 class were nice kids, nothing special academically.

I agree, I also thought it was a lovely school and would be very happy for my son to go there - we have applied

My child loved their time there. Got great results and into their first choice uni but more importantly always felt valued for who they were even though they were quite quiet and reserved. Great teachers, a beautiful site and a much broader and more rounded approach to success than some of the educational hot house private schools around here.

It seemed a very nice school either way. I'd happily send my son there.

I would imagine it's much easier to get into Claremont, although my views about the school may be outdated.
I do think it's harder to get into the schools mentioned - which are better academically.
Some of the other schools locally are a lot more expensive - especially for families with 2 children. Is it possible that some of the less expensive schools are more popular and difficult to get into for that reason?

On the contrary, I have also seen less academic schools like Epsom which are competitive to get into - is it less selective? Sibling policy?

I know one boy who didn't get into Reeds, Epsom, St John's and Claremont - average grades.

I think Epsom and St John's are ok academically ; not at the top with some of the other schools. It's just shocking how much they charge . I often feel the facilities are not that different from some of the other schools. To me Epsom isn't vastly different from St John's but Epsom costs a lot more from year 9! May as well be 10K.

With the latest ISI report from Epsom, I can see why people would opt for other schools. If money is a factor to consider I would push for a similar school with better results academically; where does one find these schools in the area?

Let's hope Claremont will fill that gap as you say. I would love to see a school like the above but just not as expensive - with better academic results.

If we are saying this school takes kids in top 50% (for example), where are the bottom 50% of independent schools kids going? Given schools line KGS, KCS, Hampton, LEH, Reeds, St Paul's, GHS, PHS, WHS, SHS, G&L, and nearly all other schools I can think of are harder to get in and have better results?

I think there are some outdated views of the school on this thread. Might be worth reading some of the other threads. A level results this year put the school alongside Epsom College and St George's College, and it was very competitive to get into this year - I know of very bright kids who didn't get offered a place

I am not sure why people think independent schools are all only taking the crème de la crème. All the independent school kids have to end up somewhere, and they all do in practice.

I would expect so - don't believe the results are all that? If we assume independent school pupils are of the same innate intelligence as the wider population, and we know that this school is regarded as pretty much the easiest to get into or one of the easiest, does that follow?

@Dallasdays what? Of the entire population? They must be an excellent school to get those results out of them then!

I imagine no where close to that. Independent schools are all pitched at different points on the academic spectrum, quite rightly - part of their business model. And I believe this school is very much at the easier end. Maybe lowest 25%.

the new head at Epsom has started and I'm sure she has taken the report seriously. Personally I think the fees are extreme, they will be up to £10k a term by the time your dc reached year 9.

The new head at Claremont has been there a few years, there was a gap in the market for a mixed mid range nice school which Claremont has filled and it's on the up academically.

My ds is at Hampton but he did have offers from St Johns and Epsom but it was many years ago. We live nearer to Hampton and the fees are lower so it was an easy choice.

I do agree it's hard to gauge schools at open days unless you put in factors like the city location of KGS. Often final
Choices come down to journey length and sports offered - football rugby swimming etc.

@Berrylina thanks! Any tips on how to choose?