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Original poster

Hampton, KGS or Tiffin?

34 replies

FuchisaGroan · 19/02/2023 10:53

I was hoping for some advice on what I should do for my son, who will be starting year 7 this September. He’s an August birthday, so young in the year, quite shy and not at all sporty. He has offers from Hampton and KGS and I think there’s a reasonable chance that he will get an offer from Tiffin. I could easily drive him to Tiffin or KGS and there is a bus stop for Hampton just down the road. We can afford the fees although do have other children. If you were us, which school would you choose?

OP posts:
LemonandYuzu · 19/02/2023 16:50

I have a shy, not sporty summer born son in Y7 at Hampton. We had the option of KGS and came close with Tiffin but no place. He is very happy at Hampton. Lots of very sweet not so sporty boys there. But if I were you I would take Tiffin. The amazing facilities at Hampton are wasted on a non-sporty boy. Amazing music and drama also not accessible unless you are in the very top of the year out of 175 boys for those activities. Also Tiffin boys live within a smaller radius so easier to hang out.

KindergartenKop · 19/02/2023 16:10

Take Tiffin if offered. If not, choose whichever is easiest for him to get himself to. Committing yourself to driving him to Kingston every day for 7 years is a lot!

RedDogBlueDog · 19/02/2023 16:09

This reply has been withdrawn

The OP has privacy concerns and so we've agreed to take this down.

MaitreKarlsson · 19/02/2023 14:50

Hampton is a great school with very clever kids but sportiness is prized and it's not an especially gentle place. If I had a shy son who wasn't sporty I wouldn't send him to Hampton, especially if there was an offer from a much gentler, non-sporty school like Tiffin.

Aethelfleda · 19/02/2023 14:35

@NewNoo23 Tiffin IS a state school, just a superselective grammar one.

Having the extra info about the other siblings makes Tiffin sound more sensible if he gets a space (as DC1 is self-propelling to their school) and you can then see how the younger one does and act according to their needs.

kids can do well at different schools, resentment isn’t automatic BUT that only works if they are happy at their schools. Issues do definitely crop up, however if the state child is unhappy and the private child “fulfilled”.

NewNoo23 · 19/02/2023 13:26

This reply has been withdrawn

The OP has privacy concerns and so we've agreed to take this down.

Original poster
FuchisaGroan · 19/02/2023 11:51

Thanks so much for your replies. All really helpful. His older sibling walks to a state secondary as he wasn’t successful at 11 plus. He’s happy there. His younger sibling goes to a school in the same direction as KGS and Tiffin, so I have to drive that way anyway (and will need to do so for at least the next few years)

OP posts:
sailingsunshine · 19/02/2023 11:26

There will be many parents in your position and if they get the Tiffin offer they will accept Tiffin. It's harder to get into Tiffin than Hampton so if he gets an offer he has done very well. If you get WL Tiffin it gets more complicated!

Aethelfleda · 19/02/2023 11:14

is it important to you they all go to the same school?
can you afford for all children to attend if they all require full fees?
What would you do if child 1 gets to a school that needs driving, then child 2/3 get into a different school that also needs driving?
Which school did you and he feel on open day “suited” him best?

If there’s nothing preferred by him, I’d be tempted by the school he can get to independently (Hampton) as it gives you more options with the other two, and the superselective will be no guarantees for the others. there’s a lot to be said for the convenience of all in the same place (and if you have girls, the Hampton buses are shared with LEH next door)