St Teresas Effingham

[Aboleyn]

Any thoughts on this school? DD is a quiet, gentle, non-sporty girl who needs nurturing, not pushing. I love the grounds and the atmosphere at St T's, and the new head seems promising. Felt GHS and St Cats, as much as I liked them, would be too pushy/sporty for my girl to comfortably keep up (if she passed the entrance exam in the first place!). Not sure about Tormead, it felt a bit cramped and that it is going to be a building site over next few years. Did like the Tormead head though, but again is it too demanding?

[holidaysrcoming]

Thanks for your reply - in all the msnet debates never heard this point of view before - interesting !! Not sure where I'd sit in this equation though - from 'generations' of private but in all honesty unless my dd tries for the more academically selective of these schools mentioned I would struggle to justify cost of private - from an academic success perspective only I might add.

So yes, to a certain extent I guess I'd be always wondering if I was getting value for money, but not sure how that would translate to my incredibly uncompetitive dd getting her elbows out ...!

[UniMama]

Hi, I know this thread seems to have finished now. However, I just wanted to add that I have a family member who attends Kilgraston in Scotland where Mr Farmer (the new head at St Teresa?s) was head for 9 years. She is in her final 2 years of school now and I visited Kilgraston many times whilst Mr Farmer was still there.
He did amazing things for Kilgraston and my relation who is there has had nothing but top marks as have her friends, but most importantly she is a happy girl and an all rounded individual. She is set to leave school with 3 A* if she continues her current success and is planning to go on to study medicine. I have every faith that St Teresa?s is going to go from strength to strength and with a new head of Prep and some other new staff joining in September I can only see good things for their future.
Just thought that might be helpful for some who are feeling doubtful about St Teresa?s.

[Padar]

My daughters went there.Both are academic girls, both did very well and have been very happy. Were not happy at Tormead.
One of them has had a long term illnes and her hospital told me : 'the best school we ever dealt with'.
I don't want to go too much into detail, but the school really went extra lengths with my daughter, supporting her even after she's left.
Very caring school , but not too small, and girls with many different talents.As you describe her, a school like St T's will suit her.
Prior's field is similar , academically( also caring).These schools have a broad intake, league tables don't tell you the whole story.One girl who wasn't good at science has been given so much support that she got her place at uni.
the biggest difference with a 'more academic 'school is that the girls are taught in sets, and at a school like Tormead the girls will be generally more academic and competitive, at st T's mostly the tops sets will be like that.But being friends with less academic girls takes the pressure off of having always to perform.Some girls do better with less pressure.Tormead will put more pressure, it can work for some girls..My daughter has found no difference in academic level .She was top half at Tormead and first or second set at St T's. With schools, don't over think,go in and let your gut feeling tell you what's right for your child.Mine didn't get different GCSE results or A level results then the girls who went to the schools that are perceived as more academic.Difference is, they love their school.