Parkside, Rowan and Danes Hill

[eshermum101]

Hi - I'm new to Esher/Cobham area and looking for independent schools for DS1 (aged 6), DS2 (aged 3) and DD1 (aged 1). I've narrowed it down to either sending them all to Danes Hill or sending DS's to Parkside and DD to Rowan (and have places at both sets of schools). Does anyone have any feedback on these schools?....my children are all quite confident and outgoing (well - not sure about DD as she is still only 1 year old, but if the other two are any to go by!!) and the boys are certainly showing signs of being very bright. I have quite high aspirations for all of them in terms of senior schools (RGS and Guildford High School) so I want to be sure I'm sending them to the right prep school but need to make a decision soon in order to accept the right places!

As someone who split DS/DD into singles sex schools I would go for Danes Hill every time for your sanity, otherwise you spend half your life shuffling between the schools. It is very academic and I have a friend who moved her son out of DH into Parkside because it was too much for him. But you seem confident the boys are bright and outgoing, and you can usually tell.
Rowans is nice but stops at 11, DD is at SHS because of the guaranteed 11+place (it would have to be). Guilford, Surbiton and Rowan are all owned by United Church Schools Trust, but there is no benefit to being at Rowan to get into the senior schools at the moment - that may change and is worth bearing in mind. Even LEH now give guaranteed 11+ places to their junior girls.

That's interesting to hear about Parkside - the good School Guide said something about it being "relaxed" which made me think that might be code for "not very academic". I don't necessarily want a hot house, but I think its good to stretch a bright child otherwise they find other (often less industrious) things to occupy their mind!! Its also interesting to hear that Rowan no longer gives the headstart to getting a place at LEH or Guildford High.....perhaps Danes Hill is the sensible answer answer after all (especially as I have just discovered that none of the holidays between the different schools seem to be the same!!)

To be fair to Danes Hill when I was looking for DS now Y6 it was not very academic, however, they got taken over by Chris Woodwards's (sic? ex head inspector of schools) and since then it has really geared up, I do agree though that a list of senior schools and the number of children getting into each will give you the best picture. We wanted KCS for DS and went with a small academic prep with a fantastic record for London day schools, its paid off as he has a Y9 place for 2013. Beware of impressive sounding boarding school names even with scholarships, these are more selective on bank balance than intelligence.

Have you considered motoring down to Lanesborough and then putting DD into Guildford? Its quick, and the schools are close.
Don't start me on mis-matched holidays, last October half term went across 3 weeks. Someone has told me that this year it will be 4, I haven't looked but they better be joking.

Good idea. I will get the leavers information from the registrars and do a comparison.....it's troubling to hear that neither Danes hill or parkside are academic but I guess as they are non selective you are always going to get a full spectrum of abilities. I am more concerned with whether or not they push the kids to achieve their potential as I know that I was always inclined to coast as a child given half the chance!!! I did look at milbourne lodge as it's close to rowan but something about it put me off - I can't quite put my finger on it....likewise with Shrewsbury lodge. Lainsborough looks fantastic but I just don't think I could be doing with that school run at this stage in our lives....life is tricky enough with three small children and inreally want the kids to make some more local friends. If my boys don't make the cut for kings or rgs, are there any other good schoolsmin the area that take boys (just thinking ahead for contingency).

I would consider the run to Guildford, as then your DD could follow to GHS or Tormead when she starts school. You would also get more realistic idea as to whether your aspirations for secondary are realistic. (And both schools could point you in the direction of good alternatives for senior.)

Consider Downsend - a range of abilities, yes, but they do push the children to their full potential and regularly get masses of scholarships to local academic senior schools. ALso strong on sport

I know where you are with Milbourne, I couldn't take to it either - no idea why not.
Have you looked at St Georges Weybridge? They run buses from your area. Alternatively, what about Rokeby? They have Holy Cross Prep next door for DD.Another thought would be Twickenham Prep if you are prepared to do battle over Hampton Court Bridge every day.
A number of schools run buses from Esher. Denmead share buses with LEH and Hampton and have an extensive network. Because Denmead is owned by Hampton, boys have the chance to sit an 8+ guaranteed entry test. DS attends The Mall in Teddington and it has started a bus up the Hampton Court Way coming into Surbiton and Kingston. It is very academic and would get the kind of results that you want, many boys go onto St Pauls, Westminster or KCS with the bulk of the rest going to Hampton. (DS has a place at KCS as do 8 other boys),BUT it is very urban and you have chosen to live in leafy Esher so I think you need a school with fields around it.

Senior Boys alternative schools would be St Georges Weybridge, Reeds, Halliford, St Johns Leatherhead, Epsom College or Kingston Grammar. I have excluded Hampton as its a similar level to RGS.

We are in leafy Long Ditton and I sacrificed green fields for urban feeling schools because I think you go to school to learn. Choosing a school is a bit like choosing houses you have to give on something. If I had my choice again I wouldn't change because they are both so happy and have places at good senior schools, but me life would be so much easier if they had gone co-ed.

Keep us posted, its interesting to see someone with the same choices 7 years later just to see if anything has changed.

Good Luck

Isnt that where Katy Price is supposed to be sending her children!!! Guess it fits in with all the Surrey rich and footballers.

There are many mums/dads doing that commute at the Guildford schools. So GHS/Tormead for the girl and Lanesborough/Cranmore for the boys. Cranmore has the added advantage of a pre-school that is co-ed for your 3 year old and your girl when she is 2.5. We all seem to muddle along with the school run - many of us share pick up/drop offs. If you have such high aspirations for senior school I would choose these schools over the Danes Hill/Parkside. Another option is Glenesk in west horsley with a nursery and pre-prep to 7.

Reading a lot of misconception about Danes Hill. We are def NOT ric h and struggle to send our sons there. However, outstanding school. Staff and standard of teaching fantastic. Not all parents rich. Most struggle to keep kids there. Don't begrudge a penny of it. Wonderful school.