Camberley area secondary state and independant schools

[QuillPen]

I was wondering if anyone could give me some information/ feedback on schools in the Camberley area. We are not vastly well-off, so a state school would be better. However, we could probably just about consider independant if it wasn't too much. Relevant information is that we have two boys.

I am particularly interested in feedback on the following schools:
-Kings International
-Collingwood College
-Tomlinscote (not in catchment at the moment, but worth moving for it??)
-Wavell
-Ash Manor
-All Hallows
-Salesian (Private)

And any other local state or independant schools worth considering!! We would also consider moving IF it would definitely be worthwhile and only if it was not too far away from this area, as all our family and friends are here and we don't love our boys that much

I guess my advice is rather out of date as I left Tomlinscote in 2002. However the contact I have had with the school and those people I know in the area suggests it is still doing very well - it is rated outstanding by OFSTED and achieves well in a variety of areas. It is a dedicated language college and there are heaps of opportunities available related to this. They seem to offer more vocational qualifications now too.
The head has changed since my time (he moved over to Kings International a few years back to help it get out of special measures, but now seems to have moved into the consulting world), but the staff have always been pretty good. I don't know the current head (Executive Principal?!) but there are one or two familiar faces still there. I believe there is a hefty premium on property in the catchment area.

I don't know what Kings is like now, but in my time, it failed as a school (formerly France Hill, went into serious debt) and was closed, before reopening as Kings, with a much more vocational flavour (business and the arts specialism, I think?). The schools are still linked, somehow, although I have no idea what that really means.

Collingwood was always pretty well regarded in my day too, but I have no idea when it is like now. Some people have concerns about it being based on the Old Dean estate, but I think that has improved massively in recent years too.

I'm not sure any of that was particularly useful, given my lack of update to date knowledge! But hopefully I have at least bumped your post

Thank you. It is helpful! I believe Tomlinscote and Kings are in a "soft federation", although that doesn't really clarify anything for me. The only real link I can find is that Kings children are invited on Tomlinscote skiing trips.

the soft federation is because Kings is continually in special measures and the council wanted to merge Tomlinscote and Kings, parents strongly objected and the soft federation was the result.
Avoid Kings, too many problems unless you're looking just for a smaller school with a lot of weaknesses.
Tomlinscote - very good but houses cost a lot just because they are in that catchment.
Collingwood - have friends with children there now. Has smartened its act up, fairly new head (who was the PE teacher in my day!) no great problems with location (Old Deans reputation from YEARS ago) but very big (spread over a massive site) and recent reports are that pastoral care is a bit shaky, especially if your child has any additional needs)
Wavell, you'd need to be in catchment as very popular
Don't know Ash Manor only from few years back, headmaster was known to be a bit of 'marmite' individual.
All Hallows - Catholic, not a hope if you don't meet the faith criteria, best to be in St Augustines Primary (next to Tomlinscote) beforehand. Have you thought of St John the Baptist in Woking if you'd meet the faith criteria?
Salesian - catholic all boys, tending to expand numbers each year, results not that different.
Other indies (boys/co ed) with buses from Camberley include Wellington and Lord Wandsworth, there are others around

Sadly, we are C of E and not Catholic, so I guess that takes out All Hallows' and St John The Baptist. I assume that Salesian, although RC, accepts non-RC children? I am quite interested in them as it seems like a nice school.

I think we might avoid Kings then!

Collingwood, although massive, I think I'd like to know more about. Will keep that on the consider pile!

The other two we can consider are Tomlinscote or Wavell if we move. I can't decide if it is better to move there, paying a lot more for houses, or to go private.

Going to investigate Wwllington and Lord Wansworth now. Thank you!

A big "No" to Kings. From several decades of experience thru friends and family. Having seen the teachers' markups on homework (not much, when there should have been), avoid at all cost.

There is Gordon's, which is a state fee-paying school, a few miles up the road. You need to live within half-a-mileish

Thank you KeeperOfSouls. Nice to have that opinion confirmed again!

Thank you too AgaPanthers, but what is a state fee paying school?? Surely that makes it private? I have heard of Gordens, but discounted it pretty quickly as I was under the impression that you practically had to live in the school field and that houses there are as rare as rare (because of the school). Is this not the case? Is the schocolate easier to get into than I was thinking? (I am going to take a look at it again anyway!)

There's one here that says 670m, in catchment 12 out of 14 years.

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/34467932

This is 500m (but it says approx)

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/34420916

They charge £6549/year for 'day boarding'. School day ends at 6pm, 6:45 pm or 7:30pm. www.gordons.surrey.sch.uk/page/?title=Day+Boarding+Houses&pid=18

They have a new policy whereby if you move more than 1000 metres away, siblings won't get in, so it's no use renting for a year now.

Salesian is very good, it used to be seen as the "insurance" school for RGS in Guildford, but as that has got harder to get into... There are good transport links to Guildford an Reading, so you could look in those directions too. I guess you have sons? Or you would be looking at Farnborough Hill.

Lots of Children in this area do commute by train from 11 (even at some of the state schools).

Both Salesian and Farnborough Hill take non-Catholics, as do all Catholic independents I know.

I don't know much about the State schools as I don't live there.

Check also whether your postcode would give you access to Reading Grammar.
Theres a lot of indies accessible around the Reading area (lots do the Blackwater - Reading commute) or theres RGS; but thats very tough to get into.

Thank you all! Lots to consider here! There are more options than I thought there were!