Help advice re Schools in Surrey for 7 & 11 year old boys from Middle East

[Dzi]

My husband and I have lived in Bahrain for the past 20 years. We anticipate returning to the UK next year. Our older son will be going into Year 7 and Year 3. Any suggestions on friendly Private / co-ed schools for our children. They are both rather reserved in nature and not very out going. Average academically although I feel it could be the average schooling we have received here. Sporty and would love to sing / dance if they were encouraged. One of my my major concerns is us adapting back to the UK lifestyle and making friends at school with other parents. Looking at Weybridge, Chobham, Cobham, or any other schools within Surrey area. Help!

[Dzi]

Thank you for all the advice. Will be back with further questions. I believe Danes Hill is fantastic - sounds lovely .... and other schools. Decisions!!!

[HRHLadyG]

......and a fabulous activities programme Sports, D of E, Two annual school productions! x

[HRHLadyG]

Do look at Box Hill School, Mickleham, Dorking. International Co-Ed, day and boarding Age 11-18. Wonderful, caring and supportive environment. They're well used to settling children from overseas.
For the seven yr old, you may want to look at Chinthurst, The Priory , Reigate St Marys. x

[Janacek]

Danes Hill. Don't listen to the " wag" stories. Mix of backgrounds. Children are delightful, staff committed, and facilities amazing for all subjects. We are both teachers and can only afford this thro grandparent help and both our DS are thriving.

[Dzi]

Newlands House - Twickenham?

[Dzi]

My husband and I like the look of King Edward School in Witley - any comments or ideas?

[Dzi]

Thanks Lizs. We have registered him for a mix of prep and secondary schools, basically it boils down to the schools that will offer him a place based on his results. We have opted to sit the tests in Bahrain. Certain schools have been very helpful in this regard and some have been quite awful.

[LIZS]

Some prep schools are large though and year groups in standalones can be bigger than for those which feed a senior school. You could register your ds1 for 11+ assessments now but need to be quick as some will be closing shortly with tests early in the new Year. Often there are different arrangements for those coming form overseas. Academically year 7 and 8 in a prep school is quite a hothouse in preparation for 13+ and/or Common Entrance exams for senior schools so that may not necessarily do him any favours whereas at least those joining a senior school at 11 are all new.

[Dzi]

Yes I agree Prep school is the way to go. Unfortunately, my husband does not see this way of thinking at the moment. I think the larger schools would be such a huge change for the boys and a prep school would be a gentler introduction to life in the UK. Thanks for all the advice. Still working on all the options. !!!!

[homebythesea]

Dzi, you will not find a private school in this area that is not "pressured" in some way. They are all selective, just some more than others. It's how it is I'm afraid, and why you will be better off in a prep school to prepare properly for senior school

[antimatter]

boys from my son's school are happy in both Ewell Castle and Priory in Banstead

Ewell would I guess be better as it is 3-18, and now is mixed 3-11.

[grovel]

Hope that helps.

[grovel]

HTH

[grovel]

Dear children.

[Dzi]

Oh joy. More pressure. Excuse the ignorance - what does dc mean?

[holidaysrcoming]

from what I hear from parents with children there - quite academic, more homework than their dcs are getting at other schools. Sporty and quite competitive ethos all round. Parents fairly affluent bunch - BUT this could just be those particular year groups. I would say it is similar to Cranmore.

Hopefully someone with dc there will come along for a first hand view. I would be surprised if they had vacancies in year 7. Also year 3 might be an issue as the 7+ exams are generally held in Nov I think and you'd have to register pretty soon. Quite a few boys move from state to private for year 3 so there is a pressure on places.

[homebythesea]

Parkside quite academic. Know lots if people whose boys are there and thriving

[Dzi]

Any ideas or comments about Parkside School?

[LIZS]

Ewell Castle or one the many prep schools that go up to 13 - the Priory School Banstead, Aberdour, Homefield, Daneshill, Downsend, Feltonfleet ?

[homebythesea]

Claremont Fan is quite Marmite- you will find some who wax lyrical but personally I wasn't impressed when we looked some time ago. It certainly is not considered an academic powerhouse so may suit on that basis

[Dzi]

Thank you, think I will cross it off the list. Not easy, living abroad and not having any family or friends in UK with children of school going age. I am lost. We have registered our sons to sit the 11+ exams in January at St. George - Weybridge but I think it may be such a huge, large school with huge academic requirements and it might all be rather over-whelming for the kids, including me. Looking for a friendly school with normal all-rounders! Any ideas regarding Clarement Fan Court School in Esher?

[homebythesea]

Oh and I would say that Cranleigh is at the posher end of normal if that makes sense. It is an old pukka public school with all that entails - only difference being the existence of girls these days!

[homebythesea]

Cranleigh is a very well thought of school (prep and senior) for all rounders. Unless you live fairly locally boarding is the only realistic option- no train nearby etc. they do Saturday school too if that is important.

Pre testing as come about largely due to massively oversubscribed lists for entry (what recession ). Therefore the schools need to weed out those not likely to get the required CE score and/or fit in generally at an earlier stage. If you get past the Pre test it means you are very likely to get your place in year 9 unless you wildly muck up (I have never heard of this happening). However this system means that applicants like you who have missed the boat may find t more difficult to secure a place because they have all been allocated already

[mummytime]

Cranleigh is quite a long way from Cobham area, are you planning that they board? This would be a difficult commute, especially in winter. Cranleigh is not on the A3, and I wouldn't want to travel through Guildford just to get to it on a daily basis.
It wouldn't be my first choice of school, but I don't know anything first or even second hand.

[Dzi]

Thank you for all your comments. We were considering Cranleigh Prep for both the boys. Any suggestions, is it a friendly school / children and parents? Very posh or normal.

Any comments on Heathside state school?

Have not heard of the pre test for Year 9 in Year 6 - where did that come from, perhaps we are just so far away and out of the loop?
More confusion.