Senior schools for DS: sporty and academic

[Ebullient]

Hi mumsnetters,

as some of you I'm agonising over the senior school choices for my DS. Registration deadlines are near while my list is still very short. It appears that there're many constraints and few choices.

He's in Y6 of a good Prep school but is very keen to move on to secondary school from Y7.

He's very sporty and reasonably academic. We live in SW London. Of the senior schools we visited, he most of all liked Whitgift in South Croydon and Kings College, which is for 13+. We could possibly include Dulwich though for me it'd be a drag commuting-wise. Somehow we overlooked Emmanuel and now its registration list is full and closed. I registered DS for Holland Park - I'm ambivalent about it but we're in the catchment area.

Another complication is a school for DS2. He's in an excellent primary next door and is very happy there. We could possibly move him to either a through school or a prep school.

From where we're now Holland Park would be the closest and easiest to get to. But I'm not sure about it and would love to move out of the Central London. I work in Windsor for now, Paddington for later. We also looked at Merchant Taylors (Northwood) with a view of living around Uxbridge, but the commute for both DS and me looks complicated.

Can anyone suggest any other good schools for a sporty and academic boy for 11+ on the Earls Court/Windsor/Paddington trajectory.

Many thanks.

Have you considered Colet Court/St. Paul's? Good for boys who are both sporty and academic, and not too distant from your target geographic area.

Why dont you sit the exams and then decide if you get offers. We are in the same situation but im not even looking at the schools until we get offers after the entrance exams.

"but im not even looking at the schools until we get offers after the entrance exams"

Whilst I would certainly be of the view that one should try to visit the school again between getting the offer and making a final decision, not visiting the school AT ALL before interview may put you at a disadvantage, and may suggest that you are not that bothered about the school. At a school such as Whitgift for example you have to put on the front of the application whether you have been to an open morning, afternoon or evening, and which of the various taster courses have been attended.

Clearly an exceptionally academic and sporty child may be sought after by many schools, and the top 50-60% of places usually go primarily on the child's performance in the schools assessments, but equally the schools will be alert to a scatter gun "try for many schools and see what happens" approach. Some schools would prefer not to risk making a scholarship that is likely to be rejected.

Ebullient, my West London geography is decidedly hazy. KCS is obviously very academic, and the complaints from my (very) competitive parents friends is that sportswise the school simply isn't that competitive. There is obviously plenty going on, but winning every match is not the priority that it is at say Whitgift. The Whitgift parents tend to be a bit more fanatical, and winning is very key. KCS is safely top 20 academically, whereas Whitgift top 100 territory, so you have Whitgift as a safety net. Hampton, Kingston Grammar and Dulwich I think all in a similar league, with parents usually expressing a preference as a result of geography. I thought one could do KCS at 11+, though obviously eyebrows are raised is you are at a 13+ school. But I know parents who have made the move early after talking to the KCS headmaster.

We moved DS in year 7 to Whitgift as very sporty. We live right by KCS but not right school for DS. So DS chose a long journey over a short walk to school! Sports good at KCS but not level DS wanted. The opportunities sport wise at Whitgift are unbelievable and DS get great support from them in terms of academics. Hampton great too - went to the wire deciding between that and W but for us W has been amazing and thankfully we feel we made the right decision. Academically very happy with it at W too and no CE lucky boy! Dulwich is another great school i hear fantastic things about it - and a great rivals to W in the sport - and they beat us often and no not all the parents mind that - Got to learn to lose however fanatical you are! You can check the box at pre-test for KCS to move at 11 plus. I know someone who did that last year. Good luck. Pm me if you want any further info.

Good points Ladymuck. I have older children DS is the youngest of 4 (all at different schools) I am so fed up of looking at schools I decided just to sit him and see what happens.
I prefer to have a private tour once we know if he has a place as open days show schools in a different light to how they really are.

Dulwich schools run a daily coach from SW London (clapham areas) so could that help?

see here

sorry, not just clapham areas, lots of areas. see the link for full list.

Many thanks to all who answered my thread! Your help and suggestions are much appreciated.
Ladymack - hm, could you please elaborate on how 'the tick' at the 13+ pre-tests work. Just yesterday I spoke to KSC admissions and they said upfront that my choice was either 11+ or 13+ not both. This is apparently because the tests are held on the same day in January. Of course, DS wants to take the risk and pushes me towards re-registering him for 11+. But I am very concerned with the dismal number of places available at 11+ (only 15) versus 65 at 13+. Would be grateful if you let me know how your friends did it last year.

Mominatrix - yes, we're registered with St Paul's. Colet is on my to do list. But again I want to be realistic and have more schools in Tier 2 rather than Tier 1.

Ohnoimnot - yes, I take your point. Will probably do just that.
Alpinemeadow

Alpinemeadow - thanks. Latymer is another 'hot' and overly demanded school. But worth looking at, I agree.

Havinganightmare - hi!! We talked sometime in summer over here. :)
I wish I could have moved him too to Whitgift but my ex didn't consent to this. We got a place at 10+ but DS's dad literally last minute turned it down. DS was very traumatised and is still very angry with him. Whitgift is still his number 1 choice. We're going to try again and this time I will apply as a single parent.

Minipie - yes, I know about the coach. We're at Ears Court. Would still have to get to Clapham first. By overground Dulwich is only 40 min from us. If we move there though it'll be 1h 30 min by train to get to work. Him having to do the commuting at 11, hmm not sure.

My friend literally said she checked the box for 11 plus but maybe she was embarrassed to tell me that they'd changed their minds and decided to move at 11. It was the same exam that others boys took and interviewed all around th same time as the 13+ cohort. I'd forgotten we'd talked before and I'm so sorry DS dad didn't sign the forms. I know how much he wanted to go to W Good luck with doing it on your own and am really happy to help you if I can. All the best with it all!