This is the pushy parent Tiffin tutor thread.

[uwila]

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.

fox, I'm in the same borough as you. Both Orleans Park and Teddington are viable secondaries (for boys and girls) although so much will have changed by the time ours hit secondary level so it's far too difficult to predict what the state schools will be like by then. (also have a 6 yr old in yr2 and a 5 yr old in reception).

Twickers

I understand from Mum's with boys at the Oratory that one of the criteria is when you got your child baptised.

i.e. if you are a real Catholic, therefore believing your child will not go to heaven if they are not baptised, you would have them baptised ASAP after birth. Thus a child who was baptised at 3 months would be allocated a place before a child baptised at 6 months.

Although this made me smile, I think there is an underlying logic, because so many families now get their child baptised aged 2.5 years - after they've suddlenly realised the criteria for local faith schools and suddenly decide their child should become a Christian!!!

I don't want to hijack this into a discussion on faith schools (please lets not go there) but I just thought it was quite funny . I laugh in the full knowledge that DS was baptised at 3 months

Foxinsocks - you in RUT then? What is Orleans like?

no idea about the Oratory and baptism thing.
i wouldn't be surprised if they expected children to be baptised by say 6-9 months old, but no one believes the whole thing about unbaptised children not going to heaven, that's been renounced i am sure. (but that's a whole new thread isn't it...)

I've heard it's OK (always seems to be doing reasonably).

Thing about round here - traditionally, children went to the state primaries then off to private secondary (or grammar if they got in - but as you know, fiendishly difficult to get in, even if you are v bright). Great private secondaries here - Hampton, Eleanor Holles for example (and others further afield) - lovely reputations, great grounds - still (I think) biggest intake of pupils from state schools rather than private etc. etc.

However, I think (and this is my own opinion!) that in the last 5-10 years, things have changed somewhat. Because of the massive increase in house prices, those that have moved into this area (without a long history of house buying) have silly size mortgages (like us) and are beginning to realise that they may not be able to afford private school. Hence, more children are going to the local state secondaries with parents who want to be involved in their education and hey presto, the standard is improving.

My theory doesn't apply to everyone (especially those minted from the city!) but we have noticed this amongst our friends who have started to say, no matter what, our children will be going to state secondary because we have no choice.

Similarly, the council seems to have taken an interest in the secondaries (as you know, has always had a good reputation for primary), and the government has pledged money to improve them (and this seems to have filtered down to the schools - Teddington, for example, is about to be rebuilt).

I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that this trend will continue!

frogs

thanks

if it is the one i think it might be... quite a few self-satisfied parents i would have thought!

Foxinsox

we have precisely that problem - mega mortgage and no disposable income. TBH I don't think I'd want DS and DD to go to a private school anyway. I feel we pay anough in tax that our children should be able to go to a decent state school - and all children should have a decent education, regardless of income, but hey, that is a whole other thread too.

I agree with what you say about the typical education route for RUT (simlar situation in Islington too). Hence, there is a dire shortage of decent secondaries in RUT, particularly for boys. I hope you are right in your belief that parenst are investing in the local state secondaries now.

A lot of children end up going to Grey Court but I'd rather move out of London TBH.

RUT is the only london borough with no Catholic secondary school

I'm just hoping that Christs continues to improve. Apparently its completely oversubscribed and children from Queen's school cannot even get in, despite both Queens and Christs being CofE.

So do you guys really think Waldegrave compares with private schools? I know it is regarded as good among state schools, but I didn't really think it held a patch on privaate schools.

My plans are try for grammar schools (doesn't have to be Tiffin but Tiffin would certainly be nice), and if they don't get in then it's private schools, which frankly won't cost much more than the full time nanny costs now. SO, perhaps we'll just have to buy a teeny weeny house.

depends what you want from a school I think uwila. It (waldegrave) is very good academically (especially if you take into account that it hasn't been able to academically select the children in the first place) and has a good reputation for getting the best out of a girl.

Having said that, the downside of state secondary in RUT borough at the moment is that none of them have sixth forms (though I think this will change) which means you either follow on to Richmond college (which, again, has a good reputation but is huge) or go into a Tiffin or private education at that stage (which quite a few do though).

BK -- ruddy loads of self-satisfied parents.

I remember going to said child's 4th birthday party, where what appeared to be half of smart Wandsworth were discussing, in all seriousness, the relative merits of the various different toddler French classes, and how important it was for their 3-year olds to be able to speak French. Having had a glass of wine too many, I told the story of my dd1 spending a week in France with some French friends, and the only French words she learnt were 'pipi' and 'caca'.

A nasty silence ensued.

Frogs LOL!! my DS does Spanish, mind you he is 6.5 - its free as well, so I thought "well why not"?

We really do need to start thinking about our little precious ones' CVs you know.

All these preferred secondary schools will want to see things on their CV like "fluent in Latin, excels at rugger, talented violin player etc"

Oh yes, I'd like to sign DD up to be a chorister and sing in Latin...

Don't suppose it will get her into Tiffin, though.

I find this thread so depressing on so many levels. To think that yo are thinking about entrance exams when your kids are tots is mindblowingly depressing.

I have a very bright ds (well I would say that) and we live close to a very sought after secondary school and it has not crossed our minds to have him tutored. He is 7 and in yr 2. I'm not sure how this local school compares to Tiffin but I would be horrified if parents around here were thinking as you guys are.

Really really depressing. I really hope someone sorts out state education one day.

Frogs - Sorry to bump this thread but I have some info about Cardinal Vaughan so please feel to contact me off board if you like.

Hi Uwila,

I went to private schools in Kingston and Twickenham if you need any info. I have a lot of friends from LEH/Hampton Boys/Tiffin/Claremont etc.

I also went out with a number of Tiffin boys and got repeatedly thrashed at hockey by Tiffin girls.

I asked this on another thread but it was mainly 11+ members but how does a school assess a three year old for entry? Many will just go silent in new surroundings

Oh my goodness. Have just come across this thread. Am in Twickenham. Had thought I was pretty well ahead on the schools front but am clearly WAY behind the mark!

teachersmummy, this is basically an 11+ thread - some people just start a bit early.

Teachersmummy, there have been a couple of recent threads on the "3+":

This one on the Habs 4+

This one is more general

Just looked at 4+ Habs (what is habs) looks horrendous, luckily primary and secondary school for DS just needed proof of bottoms on pews for few years

drosophila, I'm afraid I know some parents thinking of getting tutors to get their children into the school you live near (they live further away, so wouldn't get in on distance and are competing for the 63-odd places for the highest scores in the test - I don't think you have anything to worry about). The children are juniors, not tots, though.

I find it depressing that all this effort is going into preparation for verbal and nonverbal reasoning tests - at least English and Maths would be useful for other purposes.

sarflondon, have CATed you.

Foxabout2pop - are yours currently at the catholic primary in Twickenham? If yes, how are you/ your kids finding it? If not, please ignore and apologies for hijacking this thread!

Am waiting to hear in March if our DS has got in. Naively thought that because am a regular at St James's church & live nearish that would be enough ....did not realise that being in central Twickers, am at the far reaches of the likely catchment area...We have a back up of place at a (non-catholic) private school where DS has been down since he was 2 weeks old (ridiculous) but will be a bit peeved if we aren't even offered a place at the state catholic.

foxabouttwopop....haven't had time to message in a while...yes I did go on to uni and did okay...but then did a lot of the girls who went to the local sec mod...and my brother who went to a Richmond school went to uni (after going to a sixth form college)and got a first...

this was a couple of decades ago, and we don't live in the area now, but lots of old friends do, and their kids won't be going to Tiffin...

Arfishy, yes I'd be interested in your opinions on Twicker/Hampton area options.

Our plan is go to out lovely COE school in Twickers. But, after that, I'm half expecting to end up paying private school tuition. Would be great to get into Tiffin. But, of course the competition is stiff. So, it would be nice to start collecting private school information/opinions.

Of course, I am planning WAY ahead here, as we haven't yet started reception. But, hey, a bit of inside information is always helpful.

You can e-mail me at uwila at hotmail co uk