South East London Independents - Colfes, Eltham College

[chalkyc2]

I have a year 5 boy and have started to look around and consider secondary schools. He is pretty bright it seems and loves science, and enjoys sport. We live in the Bromley/Chislehurst area and just looked around Eltham College and I'd love some comment and to get peoples views on it and on Colfes. Eltham doesn't seem to have been widely discussed recently!

We are also considering looking at the Bexley Grammars but are pushing it on distance I think. I'm not sure we are academically good enough for St Olaves (but maybe should consider?) and also of course there are the local state secondaries which are probably Ravensbourne and the new Bullers Wood for Boys.

Any views or opinions welcomed!

My son is at Eltham and he/we have been very happy with it so far. It stretches the boys academically without piling on the pressure. My son has less than an hour’s homework each night. It has a nice mix of boys from all backgrounds. They play lots of different sports but team selection seems to be biased towards the junior school boys. Not sure if this is just laziness on the coaches’ parts or they are genuinely superior. If you’re not in the A or B teams, then you’re not over encouraged which is a shame for less sporty boys. Communication with home is great and the teaching very good. Ultimately the boys can be boys and they get a well-rounded education in a supportive and caring environment, reflected in its great results. We turned down a grammar school place and don’t have regrets so far.

Colfes is better for sports, it’s a real priority for them.

In my opinion Eltham College is a great school! If you are looking between Colfe's and Eltham they are not really in the same league. Eltham's results are superb (GCSE was ahead of Dulwich College this year!) They do well in Sport but also have strong provision in Music, Drama and the Arts. The teaching is very good and the students are supported and encouraged to do well in whatever area their interests lie. They communicate well with parents and we have never regretted our decision to join.

are you looking for co-ed? because Eltham will turn co-ed in the year your ds will join. Personally I think the Eltham campus is rather tired. The new head is definitely targeting exam performance (hence the co ed move!) - but surely that's not the be all and end all of education?

We all only get one crack at this decision - great that the people who chose Eltham are happy with it - but you'd find equal number of grammar school parents happy with that decision? Beths is another v good all boys option if that's important to you? Or Chis and Sid for co-ed?

Olaves is always worth a punt and with a new head in place looks like a great option if you get a place?

Thanks for replies...Nice to hear good things about Eltham.

I'd prefer co-ed I suppose but I don't have strong feelings either way. Re the Bexley Grammars - we are right on the cusp of the geographic catchments - 4 miles from Chis and Sid and 6 miles from Beths. I think the journey to Beth's might be a nightmare - having travelled a distance to school myself I'd love him to be as local as possible.

In my head St Olaves sounds impossible to access from an academic point of view. I need to talk to his teacher and get her opinion!

If your son is bright then he'll hopefully pick up an academic scholarship at either of the schools. The top scholarships are worth a 50% discount if that's important. Eltham is going co ed and may however prioritise girls for these to entice them in.

The Bexley grammars are definitely worth a punt as is Dartford Grammar (but your ds would need a higher score in the Kent Test to be offered a place). Why not try St Olaves? It is a great school with lots of opportunities. I think due to the recent troubles, applications may go down for the next year or two but I think it will rise again quickly due to the positive changes.

Just a correction on Mrs P's last post - the top Eltham and Colfes scholarships are 90%. And that's not means tested.

If you really want co ed then Colfes maybe better as Eltham will be in its first year of coed the year your ds starts so will be very out of balance until he's right at the top of the school?

It is a wonderful school, academic with fantastic & dedicated teachers but also very well rounded with regards to music (really good), sports, arts etc. It has always been quite academic - I have quite a few friends who went there years ago and onto Oxbridge etc. The emphasis has and always will be on excellent teaching. The vision to go co-ed from 2020 should really work. I don't think there are enough academic independent co-eds in South East London which are also "family" and community orientated. Alleyns, for example, can be tough to get in for siblings if you want your children in the same school. I think Eltham will attract the Blackheath/Greenwich/Bromley etc well paid professional crowd who want their children to have an excellent academic, but also well rounded education with sufficient local friends. Eltham doesn't look as "swanky", glossy as some other independents when you visit but it is a really solid & happy school and from my experience, really brings out the best in its pupils in every way. Having said all of that, choosing schools is about finding the right school for your child, family and the parents as well I think.

@chalkyc2 Hi! I'm considering Colfe’s for my DS too. Both Colfe's and Eltham are great schools. Yes, Eltham's more academic than Colfe's but I just get the feeling Colfe's has a more 'family-friendly/caring' atmosphere which's an important factor for my DH and I when considering schools for our DC. Many DC from the Bromley/Chislehurst area attend Colfe's so your DS would commute to and from school with several of his classmates. Somebody told me there were 500 applications for 120 Year 7 places for this academic year (2018/2019)!

From what I've heard, it's a lovely school. The pupils are very well-behaved whenever I see them around Lee commuting to and from the school. As mentioned in an above post, the school's very sporty. It's also very strong in drama and music. I used to take my son to swimming there at weekends and although I haven't been inside the main school building, I'm really impressed with the sports facilities and the acres of on-site greenspace Colfe’s has which is unusual for an inner London school! I've walked passed the new Sixth Form Centre and it looks really impressive! Very bright and modern!

I've heard Colfe’s have now upped their game academically and are now really pushing their Sixth Form students hard to study at Russell group unis/Oxbridge/Medicine etc, etc.

Colfe’s is certainly one of the top choices for my DS!

TJsAunt where did your scholarship information about Eltham College come from? The registrar has said scholarships are a maximum of 50% of the fees. Means-tested bursaries can be for as much as 100%.

Eltham is a beautiful school. I attended as a girl in 6th form 10+ years ago. The perfect balance of freedom/discipline and academic/extra curricular. Without a doubt (if the same ethos has remained) I would send my children there.

We know of a boy who was awarded a 90% scholarship to Eltham split between academic and sport. He was offered less originally but his parents negotiated quite hard as he had lots of offers from elsewhere and that was the final offer.

It definitely wasn't means tested.

Our ds was offered a 50% scholarship to Colfes, but the headmaster was quite clear that if it was our number one choice, we should go back and have another chat. A number of other families did, but were cagey about the outcomes.

The Eltham headmaster informed me personally that the maximum scholarship allowed under HMC guidelines is 50%. Unless any remaining discount is means tested, I’d be very surprised if they broke this rule.

Will Eltham be harder for boys to get into once go co - Ed?? Thinking they will need to take a higher percentage of girls and thereby accepting a lot fewer boys??

Colfes are rated at bottom of secondary independent schools.. 148/150 ... so can’t be that academic??

Eltham is definitely going to be harder for boys to get into at 11. They have the (all boys) Y6 coming up from the prep school who are guaranteed a place. Clearly they won't hit the 50% girls target for some time but even so at 11 that does mean the odds are slimmer for an average boy until the prep school is fully co ed

Bright kids will do well anywhere. Colfes has a pretty broad intake but its top performers are Oxbridge bound.

Nearly a year after the original post! Yes I agree re Eltham - it's going to be super tough for non junior school boys to get in I think for 2020 - and people have obviously anticipated this as year 6 is absolutely full!

Eltham is our first choice for our 10 yr old - and we will apply for Colfes and probably Trinity too. Given that all three are competitive I'm feeling pretty stressed right now. Bexley 11plus this week.

I know it's always suggested that you should have an 'easier' option. I'm not sure that exists anymore in this area!!

Colfes does have an entrance exam and uses it to award scholarships. I have never known them to use it to decline someone who genuinely wants to come to the school.

HTH

Chalkyc2, just wondering if you have made a decision on schools? Grammar or private?
My daughter have been offered place at Eltham, she has also received offer from Tonbridge grammar school for girls.
My biggest struggle is to choose co ed school or single sex

Hi @TanyaSofia - Eltham and Tonbridge are w far away - where do you live! We have Eltham and Grammar options plus a coupl if other independents but will be going for Eltham.

Sorry full of typos!!

Thanks for replying. We live in Bexley and in case of choosing Tonbridge we would have to move, which is not a great option.
I have decided to let my daughter to choose. She had a taster session at Eltham last thursday and she loved it. Makes me happy as moving is the last thing i want to do.
Great to hear you have got the school you wanted.

We were there on Thursday too - my DS loved it too and was sold. I like that everyone seems relatively local. We will decline a bexley grammar and a couple of other independents for it. See you in September!

Hi everyone, just saw this thread while checking for reviews for Eltham College. My DS has just received an offer and wanted to know if you guys still feel the same about the school one year after, with the co-ed and all. We have previously visited for an open day and liked what we saw. However It's so hard to decide whether to decline a grammar place for this offer with the recent changes. I would really appreciate your comments on Eltham. TIA

@Zemama, my daughter is in Y7 in Eltham and she loves the school. The first term was so good: lots of clubs, after-school activities and some different sports during this short time! There are about 30% girls in each class. Teaching is great, also they do full time online lessons during lockdown. There is a lot support from teachers during home study since January. My daughter and I are very pleased with Eltham college and would definitely recommend it .