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Original poster

GEMS Hampshire School

36 replies

GG22314 · 17/08/2010 00:47

Good Day! Does anyone here have any insights on GEMS Hampshire School in Kensington&Chelsea? It is on our shortlist of schools and we would love to get feedback from parents who have had experience with it. Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
Original poster
GG22314 · 21/09/2010 23:54

Good Day! Does anyone here have any insights on GEMS Hampshire School in Kensington&Chelsea? It is on our shortlist of schools and we would love to get feedback from parents who have had experience with it. Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
Amanderrr · 22/09/2010 00:22

I can't give you any feedback as a parent but I was a pupil when the Hampshire School was in Ennismore Gardens. I have very happy memories of my time there and if we lived close enough I'd probably send DS3 there too.

It would be interesting to hear what parents think of the school as it is now, so I'll follow this thread with interest.

riverdalian · 11/10/2010 16:09

I would like to give this message a bump. We are relocating to London at Easter and this school is on our shortlist as well. Any views would be appreciated!

Original poster
GG22314 · 14/10/2010 22:39

bump... any further thoughts before we go in for an assessment please? many thanks!

OP posts:
arizonagirl · 15/10/2010 00:08

Hi GG22314 - not much knowledge I don't think out there about this school. Hope it all goes well - let me know what you think. We have an assessment day coming up in Winchester. All good fun!!

ampere · 16/10/2010 15:38

Princes Mead?

Original poster
GG22314 · 17/10/2010 23:17

Best of luck!

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Trato · 14/01/2011 19:08

Hello!, not sure if it's too late. We have 2 kids at Hampshire School and they are extremelly happy. We are also delighted as parents. Hope it helps!

test01 · 19/01/2011 17:31

I absolutely agree with your comments. My best friend takes her daughter to the Hampshire School and she is doing great academically and in general. The environment is extremely positive and I'm also thinking on moving my daughter there (from Glendower)

montysorry · 19/01/2011 17:34

I don't know this particular school but I do know GEMS and for that reason alone I wouldn't send my children there.

Michaelahpurple · 21/01/2011 13:40

I live nearby and my children go to Cameron House, nearby. I looked around Gems Hampshire when I was checking whether DS2 was suited to his big brother's school.
It have very good facilities, particularly for a school in Chelsea where real estate is such a problem. Big playground, good library, lots of space, huge hall for sport and drama etc.
I have to say that I personally did not like it, however, despite the great space. I found the head too excited about the building, and less interested in discussing literacy etc, and thought a lot of the children looked a bit bored or lumpen. It also has a somewhat odd demographic for a school in the area. Don't know why, or whether it is a problem, but very foreign intake, which I suspect could mean a lot of turn over pupils as diplomats move. Oddly, although I meet people with children at Cameron House, Eaton House, Hill House, Garden House, Thomas's etc etc often, I have never met anyone who goes there - I'm not sure whether they are drawing the children from. Not that that is a big issue at all.

Note however, v personal view, and of course just derived from my tour, so perhaps I got the children on a dopey day!

Lorikeet · 26/01/2011 21:18

Interesting thread. Does anyone have +ve or -ve views on Queen's Gate? I'm thinking of moving my daughter there (from Glendower). The students I have met (briefly) who attend Queen's Gate do seem very well mannered, educated and very kind hearted.

test01 · 27/01/2011 11:21

I went to see Queen's Gate as well and I also had the same impression. However, I now met some mothers that take daughter there and they are not very happy. Seems the teachers have been there for long, long time doing exactly the same. Two folds: experience good, but also sometimes kids need energetic teaching....Another complain (minor) is the lack of uniform.......

SusanW2 · 01/02/2011 14:53

Probably is too late to help GG22314 but let me know if you have any specific questions. My son used to go to Hampshire and move to a fantastic secondary school. My daughter is still there and she is very, very happy there. I consider it a wonderful school with a fantastic atmosphere and excellent academic results

sanam2010 · 01/02/2011 17:30

Interesting that two people here moved/ think of moving their DC from Glendower - any reasons?

absolutelyabsolutely · 01/02/2011 21:53

Why, what is wrong with GEMS management?

Original poster
GG22314 · 01/02/2011 23:56

Thank you all for the very helpful comments. I, too, would love to hear a bit more about the concern regarding the GEMS management.

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absolutelyabsolutely · 02/02/2011 10:06

I have just heard from a mum that was at Gems hampshire for 18 months that it is considered a school for transient foreigners! So for a family that wants their children to stay on in London and go on to excellent senior schools, it is not the best option. I have also often been told that entry to Senior Schools depends not only on exam results but school reputation, and GHamp reputation is as above...a school for foreigners with a short stay in the UK. Does anyone have a view on this? I am not saying this is fact, just what I have been told.

SusanW2 · 02/02/2011 22:14

I don't think the Hampshire school is more for foreigns than any other school in the area. In K&C there are obviously many Americans, French..etc and all schools in the area have some foreign people, but I don't really think Hampshire has more than others

absolutelyabsolutely · 03/02/2011 13:43

Yes I would have thought as much. I agree, thanks!

Trato · 03/02/2011 20:30

I agree. Talking to all my friends in K&C, I don't see higher number of foreigners in Hampshire than in other schools in the area

rose2011 · 04/02/2011 00:50

The point about foreigners seem off base. I do not believe its higher than the local demographics which face it, is Chelsea, which has a really high proportion of foreigners. Many students are also half british or just british but not white - simple as that - and one can make an assumption (based on one visit) of many of the kids not looking local but they are not foreign. But my son has been there for more than a few years, and his friends and classmates have been relatively stable. I would agree that Gems Hampshire does not appear to have the same mix of people one would see in Dulwich college but that is only to be expected given the locality. Many of the parents work in the City, in fact some of whom dismissed the other named schools in Chelsea as being too soft academically. What I will say is that I do not see a snob factor in this school, which I see in some other schools in Chelsea or Kensington; and if entry into excellent senior schools, the usual suspects, also means sounding like you belong to the "club" with the right accent, and then yes, i agree this school will not give the kids the right accent, which is a significant hurdle at the interview stage.

absolutelyabsolutely · 04/02/2011 13:46

Thanks Rose2011 - great for me as I am interested in Gems but dont know anyone there. I am coming from outside UK but want my kids to go to senior school in uk. Is it really true what you say that kids are better off with smart accents at interviews??? Seems archaic, I thought in UK they had gone past that!

rose2011 · 04/02/2011 17:36

Unfortunately, I do think so.

GwenEH · 22/01/2013 15:03

Very interesting. I am looking at GEMS for my 2 children but as a local mum I do worry that I have never heard of this school before! Any current views of the school? Is it still considered a school for foreigners? Also, any opinion on GEMS management, which seemed a concern in this thread? Any input is highly appreciated, many thanks!