QUEEN ELIZABETH BOYS vs KCS vs HAMPTON Vs WILSON BOYS

[Rajswapna]

Hi Friends

I have a series of questions and would like to know peoples opinion

1. If your DS is offered a place in QE ( or Wilson) Vs a top independent school ( Kings, Hampton,Haberdasher), is the 25K£ overall fees worth the marginal benefit of the private school over QE. Assuming Education is 1:1, the Extra curricular activies in independent schools definetely take a lead. And How does the A level results compare?. Do the teachers in QE / wilson push the kids and genuiely care for their education. Or do they assume the brightest boys in the country have cracked the exam and will sort the studies by theselves,The filtering is already done and the teachers effort can be minimal while teaching a majority of bright set of boys

2. Assume one got 40% scholarship at Hamptons or Kings or Haberdasher, would your decision change to put your kid to private school assuming he also got an admit in QE / WIlson ( assuming paying 60% fees is affordable)

3. Since I am renting, I am happy to move to any part of London / Greater london. I would like to know peoples opinions who have been in the same boat as above, People keep all options open. What if i son does not crack the grammar, i should have a few independent school options open.

OP, you might want to spend some time on the www.elevenplusexams.co.uk website in the Surrey forum section where over the years this question has been asked.

You are highly unlikely to be offered a 40% scholarship from Hampton.

Best of luck to your ds but it's a long time until you can make a decision if you are waiting for the grammar results in March 23.

Thank you @sailingsunshine !

QE / Habs are in the north London section too.
If you page through the Surrey section you will find someone who choose Wilson's over all the private schools and the reasons why.

Do you have the link. Can you PM it to me. QUite lost in that website. Thank you !

This is a question we have been pondering. We can afford to send our DS private but if he got a place at a Grammar then we would take that instead. 200k is a lot of money. The reason I want a private school is for the level of learning to be suited to my child and there not to be so many disruptions/distractions. I think a Grammar would probably deliver this.

If he got a scholarship to a private school then I think it would need to be a decent amount to sway me!

On your third point, yes, we have applied for a Grammar, two top private schools and three less competitive private schools. Poke around on mumsnet in the Secondary Education section to work out which schools are the right levels.

Where do you live? Are you moving about? To be able to access Hampton, Kings, KGS, the Sutton Grammars and Tiffin then New Malden would be a good location.

In terms of money off, I think Hampton offers one (or maybe two?) 100% free places - really special prize award, and then a number of nominal scholarships (not much off). Kings have several 11+ scholarships but they too are worth a few hundred quid. If you want money off at kings or Hampton, because you are low income, then you must apply for a bursary. The bursary is reassessed every year and if you suddenly come into money/get a better job, it changes accordingly. Assume same at habs, but I don’t know that school.

To the qu: is an independent better than a grammar? Same teachers, but nicer buildings, more funding (of course). People often speak of the “private school polish”. But on the other hand, do you want your children to be part of a wealthy bubble?

I have experience of both private and grammar and private really is great for the added care/time the teachers (are able to) give to the kids v state. But it’s a hell of a lot of money. And I worry about the bubble. I wondered a lot about whether to take the grammar place. But I went to a grammar and bloody hated it…

Thank you Koopo and Kindergartenkop for your inputs !

HI Kindergartenkop,
"Where do you live? Are you moving about? To be able to access Hampton, Kings, KGS, the Sutton Grammars and Tiffin then New Malden would be a good location."

I live in east london in Canary wharf. So as you sggested, SW london will offer a range of Grammar and Independent schools ( Sutton, Wilson, KGS,Kings, Hampton). Thanks for the location tip . I want to find locations to Rent / buy which are affordable. Wimbledon seems so expensive now.

@Rajswapna look at the 213 bus route, it basically goes between Tiffin and Sutton Grammar. Tiffin has a catchment btw and this means they basically don't accept kids outside a 10k radius (I think) so you'd need to be aware of that and move before application.

i am not applying to Tiffins,

It is a really tricky question because it depends on how rich you are and also, the character of your DS.
Top independent schools can offer an amazing “experience” to certain boys who make the most of the facilities. For example, play loads of sports, or even musical boys who get 1:2 chamber groups and orchestras every day, or even those who do lots of debating/maths Olympiads. There can be amazing school trips to Florida, South Africa, Iceland, ski trips, that kind of thing. The top grammars do actually also have some really good trips as well, but obviously the offering at some independents is outstanding.
Some kids are just really academic and just want to study and already have an outside interest that is already really well catered for in London (for example, fencing, music) and for them, sometimes the long school days at independent schools are not great anyway.
You will find that many of the kids at the top private schools would have also gotten into the top independent schools and many are offered both. So then it just boils down to parent choice. Increasingly, the parent group at top private schools is more and more lawyers who have made partnership and bankers, some successful in advertising and tech too of course, but the former group is overrepresented.
I do know many boys who were offered both but because their parents could afford it quite easily (already had a big house etc) they chose top private schools. I think if you are in any way worried about the money aspect I would do state grammar until GCSE and then reassess for Sixth Form. Top private schools tend to LOVE grammar kids coming into their Sixth Forms.

sorry - whats the difference between private schools and independent schools. For me both are fee paying schools. Are you referring to international schools like Halcyon etc as Private schools and the other ones like St pauls, Kings as independent schools?

@Rajswapna if your son does get a place at Wilson’s I would not bother with top private.
I have boys at Wilson’s and at top private (from above, do not want to out myself).
Not much of a difference, at Wilson’s very driven and able kids with teachers caring and yet demanding to develop them. Same at the private, but obviously you have to pay.
Sport, particularly football, very strong and lots of training at Wilson’s. Top private rugby focused. Music is excellent at both.
if he get a place at Wilson’s I would take it and not think twice. If he does not get a place obviously go for top private.

Thank you G176. If I am in a fortunate position as above, def will opt for Wilson
Thats very useful and you have experienced both the scenarios !

I know a few parents had options to choose between top grammars and top indies. The parents who can comfortably afford the fee all pick top indies in the end.

My DS make it to Hamptons today, So quite pleased. He did the advanced 10 plus. The pressure is off. And now to focus next year on top Grammar schools ( Maybe just the SET exam) and 1-2 independent schools. He did not like City boys and Kings. So we will just try St pauls. I am not sure on Dulwich college - He wants to write it. The grounds are impressive but its lower in the league tables. Even though i dont fully go by league tables, i believe maths/music andsports ate strong at Hamptons.