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Original poster

Which London (private) school for very sporty boy? Not full of the Uber elite.

38 replies

Failingteenparenting · 21/06/2023 08:06

We are looking for a school for our son who will start secondary in 2024. He’s very good at football, rugby and athletics so we want a school that celebrates sport. He is bright but not a genius so it can be academically selective but not top top academic tier.

My issue is that a lot of the schools we have visited are full of the super rich and I just don’t want that. We are a normal professional family without a huge house, loads of international holidays etc.

We are west/central area so have looked at schools like Wetherby, Harrodian and Ibstock and I just don’t feel any of them have many normal kids in them. I might be wrong but that’s what it felt like on the open day.

I have an older son at Latymer Upper which we haven’t loved either as it’s too much about celebrating the kids who are best rather than celebrating effort and giving everyone a sense of pride. It hugely knocked his confidence and I am reluctant to try it again.

OP posts:
SerenityNowInsanityLater · 21/06/2023 09:18

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housesforhomes · 21/06/2023 09:17

Have you thought of St Benedict's in Ealing Broadway? I know about 4 absolutely lovely sporty bright boys who go there in various years. It's known to be sporty but recent years academics have been getting much better. Most of the parents seem to have to work to keep their kids there- much more normal people. If gets good results but is obviously lower down the league tables due to the fact it takes a lot of sports scholars and has a more rounded approach to entrance.
Quick google from last years GCSEs

69.3% of all the exams taken have been graded 9-7 (A/A), with 48.1% awarded grades 9-8 (A).

My friends kids seem super happy and well rounded and not particularly stressed so I think they're doing something right. One of the lads did get a Latymer place a few years ago but parents chose bennies (location plus anxiety about Latymer peer group) and he's now on track for all 8/9 at GCSE...

ThePlacesYouGo · 21/06/2023 09:14

@Failingteenparenting At the schools you're interested in, ask about the % of kids they have on bursaries. Lots of the London private day schools are very keen to widen access (if you have a DC at LU you'll already know how proud they are of their 30% bursary student stat). A lot of the schools we've been visiting are already at 12-15% and aiming for 20% in the next few years which does (to some extent) change the make-up of a school (for the better imo). I think it's really hard to get a full picture of the diversity of a school from an open day (we're in the midst of them now too) so getting those stats might be quite instructive. Is Hampton commutable? That's supposed to be great for sport.

Foxesandsquirrels · 21/06/2023 09:06

Have a look at Thames Christian too. Much more diverse than the others.

Original poster
Failingteenparenting · 21/06/2023 08:54

@Foxesandsquirrels that is what we do at the moment - state primary and lots of sports clubs outside of school. We may well continue that for secondary but it’s such a shame not to have an option where sport is really celebrated at school.

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Original poster
Failingteenparenting · 21/06/2023 08:52

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz that is the dream - a sporty state school near us. Sadly the two we would get in by geography are notoriously unsporty. The one that is best academically has almost no outdoor space at all let alone space for sports. I have heard that places like Fulham Boys do sports places if you come top 8 in a fitness test but I haven’t heard of others like that.

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Original poster
Failingteenparenting · 21/06/2023 08:49

@HawaiiWake i will defiantly look at Emmanuel as a few people have suggested it and it’s reachable for us. Alleyns is just a bit too far for a daily commute aged 11 sadly.

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Original poster
Failingteenparenting · 21/06/2023 08:47

@Behindthelines i should have been clearer. This is for 2024 year 7 entry. I do t think we have missed any deadlines yet.

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Seeline · 21/06/2023 08:39

Trinity in Croydon may be worth a look. It is academically selective though so don't know if it would match your DSs ability.

Foxesandsquirrels · 21/06/2023 08:36

All private schools will be full of Uber rich people. Fees are now astronomical even for the rich. You're better off sending him state and putting him in a competitive club.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 21/06/2023 08:32

Have you any sport focused non private secondaries near you?

HawaiiWake · 21/06/2023 08:31

Alleyn’s school and Emanuel for coed.
Dulwich for boys only.

Behindthelines · 21/06/2023 08:07

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