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Original poster

This is the pushy parent Tiffin tutor thread.

469 replies

uwila · 22/01/2007 13:28

Okay, so wh ohas used a Tiffin tutor? Did it get your kid(s) into Tiffin? How old were they when they strted tutoring?

Okay, so my DD is only 3 1/2 but I like to plan ahead/. I've heard you can sign up for tutors that increase your chances of getting into Tiffin (boys and girls schools).

Any experience/opinions welcome.

Thanks.

OP posts:
Original poster
uwila · 22/01/2007 14:16

Tiffin schools are in Kingsto-upon-Thames.

OP posts:
hana · 22/01/2007 14:16

daughter is in a RuT primary school

hana · 22/01/2007 14:16

oh well neighbouring borough then

Original poster
uwila · 22/01/2007 14:18

I live Spelthorne, but DD goes to school (hopefully) in Twickenham. She is in the nursery and we haven't heard about reception yet, but I'm prettty confident since kids in the nursery get priority into reception.

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Mercy · 22/01/2007 14:20

Ok - thanks Uwila!

SturdyAngel · 22/01/2007 14:40

I live in RBK and am very worried about secondary schools for my DS. I haven't got as far as worrying about tutors for Tiffin but if nearer to the time it becomes clear Tiffin would not be an appropriate choice anyway, then we WILL be moving!! He is only 3 but I want to ensure I am prepared and can give him the best start in life no matter what he decides to do.

foxtrot · 22/01/2007 14:44

Uwila, i live near you . What's the journey like to Tiffin? What alternatives are you looking at?

twickersmum · 22/01/2007 14:46

Uwila - what school? be cryptic if you like i will work it out.
we are just looking at primary schools/nursery for DD1

sfxmum · 22/01/2007 14:49

one of our friends sent her daughters there and they live in Wimbledon but that was years ago, girls now early 20's, i think it is much harder now, but still she keeps telling us we should make this one of our top options for secondary school

Wheelybug · 22/01/2007 14:50

I think its fair enough to be thinking about senior schools when a child is at pre-school if it is a selective one such as Tiffin.

DD is 2 (on weds) and I am local to Tiffin - We have thought about it as I had heard you only get into tiffin if you've been to a private prep school or have serious tutoring. Therefore we had to decide if we were going to sign up for private prep. As it is the one that dd would most likely to have gone too did extra classes to tutor them for 11+ exams so if we decide to go that route we may as well pay for the extra tutoring but not the school fees IYSWIM, the state primaries are pretty good (particularly in the area we're in) and we also have a very good non selective girls senior school at the e nd of the road.

Hence, you have to think about it this early.

Don't actually know anyone thats been through it though Uwila so not much help !

Original poster
uwila · 22/01/2007 15:17

Twickersmum, tried to CAT you but you don't accept them. You'll have to CAT me if you want the school name.

OP posts:
Original poster
uwila · 22/01/2007 15:20

No idea about the journey to Tiffin. To be honest that's not one of my considerations on choosing schools. I'd far rather travel than settle for mediocre education. I can't reallyy understand why people are so interested in have their school within spitting distance of their house. I'd commute to Timbuktu for my kids education.

And, while we are on the subject of Tiffin does anyone know how it compares to private schools academically. As far as I know it is on par with them, but the big atraction is that is is free.

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hana · 22/01/2007 15:53

uwila, are you sure that children in nursery ( at your dd's nursery) get priorty for reception places? dd1 went to preschool attached to the school, but it was made v clear to parents that attending the preschool didn't any priority in getting into the school. As it happens, we had to go on the waiting list and she only got a place during the first week of school.
thought this was same across (RuT) borough

foxtrot · 22/01/2007 15:54

Personally i would have to set a limit on travel time/distance if it would make the school day long and tiring, or the journey was awkward.

Don't know how Tiffin compares with fee-paying schools. Are there any similar standard state/grammars in the area? DS1 is in reception, and i agree it is never to early to consider secondary, but the policies on feeder schools, catchments etc seem to change from year to year so there are no guarantees about where you may be able to send them.

frogs · 22/01/2007 16:02

But the thing is, uwila, it won't be you doing the travelling, it will be your 11-yo dd. By herself. In the dark (in the winter). At 7am. Waiting 20 mins for a bus that doesn't arrive, and freaking out that she's going to get a late detention. And not getting back till 5.30 pm, with supper, music practice and 3 hours homework to do. And up at 6.30 the next morning for more of the same.

Unless you're planning to move house nearer the school, you do need to be thinking about journey feasibility because it is going to seriously impact on her quality of life.

Original poster
uwila · 22/01/2007 16:15

Yes, I'm sure about the criteria into reception. I'm aware that most schools don't give priority to nursery kids, bout ours does. It is a church school so they can set the criteria. And syblings get prority too. So, hopefully, DS will also get in.

Um, I think that sitting on a bus is not the worst treatment in the world for a kid. We all do these things as adults to get to and from work. But, really, we aren't that far from the schools. And yes if she got into Tiffin, I would consider moving closer. However, I'm aware that only about the top ten percent of applicants get in. So, the back up plan is a private secondary school -- and she would have to take the bus/train there as well.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure I'd put an eleven year old on a bus in the dark... might have to arrange some other transport for her.

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foxabout2pop · 22/01/2007 16:32

Uwila - I went on the train to school miles way on my own and was fine. Although it helps if there's other kids travelling from the same area (which I did not have). Anyway you could always move a bit nearer if she did get in?

Tiffin girls always comes up in the top 5 performing secondaries (state) for London, Tiffin boys is usually in the top 15 or so. Both would be fine by me. We also have the option of catholic secondary schools in west London, which are mostly excellent, but will indeed involve some travelling.

Our primary prioritises nursery children too. i.e. if you have no sibling - then the nursery is the only way in and that's part of the admissions criteria.

Hana - you live in the same borough as me ; so you'll know what I mean about great primaries, but crap secondaries.

Christ's is improving very fast since it became a LBRUT school again (was previoulsy a LBW school) but we'll need to see how much it improves in the next few years.

If we don't get into a decent secondary, we'll have to move out of London.

frogs · 22/01/2007 16:48

Well, only you can judge in the end. But dd1's journey is just over an hour, door to door, and I think that's at the margins of acceptability. We're moving house in large part to make her journey easier, as otherwise the child's day consists of nothing but Eat, Schoolwork, Homework, Sleep. Which even for a motivated child is not much fun.

We went to a drinks party in Sept with a whole bunch of pushy Wandsworth parents with kids in the year below dd1, and they were all busily convincing themselves that a 90 minute journey involving 3 changes of various combinations of buses and overground trains wasn't that bad really. Bearing in mind that almost all the academically successful schools are incredibly fierce about lateness (dd1's school allows one late and gives detention only on the 2nd late in a rolling 10-day period, but that seems to be the exception) and tend to have later than average finishing times, it's not going to make for a great quality of life.

Needless to say dd1 is desperate for our move to go through.

Original poster
uwila · 22/01/2007 16:50

OMG foxy, so you rode the train. Is THAT what happened to you?

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Original poster
uwila · 22/01/2007 16:57

Yeah, I have to agree that an hour commute is getting a bit long for a kid, especially if it meant changing public transport connections.

Also, my aim is actually to live in Twickenham long before time to sign up for Tiffin Tutors. But, if my ability to afford a house doesn't change sometime soon, I think we're leaving the country anyway. Every time I say this to DH I think he thinks I'm kidding... But I'm not.

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Celia2 · 22/01/2007 19:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

foxabout2pop · 22/01/2007 20:26

Celia - is the tutor Mrs W? I have sent Uwila that contact, which a friend of mine provided. Also her daughter provides tutorship?

I'd be very interested if you have a different one, as am planning to get DS assessed.

Celia2 · 22/01/2007 20:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

catesmum · 22/01/2007 20:31

as an ex-Tiffin girl, I would really say think carefully about pushing your kids to go there. My first 5 years were wonderful, but the last 2 were terrible as the place became an exam factory...I remember a year when the Year 11 only got a 99.9% pass rate, and the head said that she hoped that the current year 11 wouldn't let her down again...there's more to life than this. My brother went to a comp in Richmond Borough and was incredibly happy.....

foxabout2pop · 22/01/2007 20:31

oooh am glad I know something then!!!!

Do you think 6/7 is a good age to get DS assessed and try and get on her waiting list?