the harrodian in barnes any info?

[mrsshackleton]

Does anyone know anything about this school please? Thinking of it for dd1 in reception but it'd have to be pretty damn outstanding to make it worth the cost. Also I keep hearing it has a very bling reputation and is full of the children of Russian oligarchs. But then I only hear that from perfectly nice normal people have never met a real-life blingster Harrodian parent (but then don't move in those circles!) Any info much appreciated. Thank you

The general consensus I've heard (thinking more of the senior school there, admittedly) seems to be thst if your child is very bright (i.e. you'd also be looking at the very academic schools) then the Harrodian may not be for them, but that it's good at getting full potential out of more average (academically speaking) students. Don't know about the bling factor.

There was a previous thread about it here last year.

Do you know of anyone whose child went to the Kitson Hall nursery in Barnes? I understand that the children from there migrate to the Harrodian in quite large numbers. I have no first hand info to add to the previous thread I'm afraid.

thanks I saw the previous thread but resurrected it in this form as it didn't address the bling question! Only know of one person from Kitson Hall who is definitely extremely loaded, though not blingy!

I know parents at the Harrodian and wouldn't say they are particularly bling (and they're British not Russian!), though they are loaded. They're nice and friendly however.

Agree with PP that it's not super-academic ie, I know a little boy who was moved there as he wasn't coping well at a more academic school. But this makes it a good thing in my books.

Barnes has good state primaries however (though I know they're totally oversubscribed) - do you really want to go private?

The Putney private schools also often run buses from Barnes.

may well go state, just looking into all the options, esp since there's a chance we won't get our local state primary and end up having to send dd1 to to the other end of the borough which I definitely don't want! Need to hover by shcool gates I think to inspect bling factor!

Have you been to look around? It is a beautiful school, great facilities on site. When I went to look around a few weeks ago, the outgoing Headmaster said that they take a wide range of pupils with varying abilities. New head due to start in September.

Don't personally know anyone who goes but a friends neighbour's kids go and they are apparently very happy with it.

I've heard that lots of 'media' people send their kids there, hadn't heard the russian connection!

Do look around, and don't believe what poeple tell you who have no direct connection. We were put off a (different) local schol because people had told us it had very arrogant pupils and uner-rich parents. When we actualy MET the pupils and parents (and teachers), they were not at all arrogant - extremely nice, friendly people, and ver welcoming to our (ordinary!) family. So, definitely visit yourself and form your own impression...

Every time I've had an appointment to look round have had to cancel as dh's work has got in the way - grrrr emoticon
But obviously will do so as soon as possible because assessments are in October, in the meantime will look at local state primary and weigh up whether Harrodian is worth £12k a year or whatever as opposed to nothing!

I have to say I didn't look around with my husband for exactly that reason!

Harrodian had a very good ofsted report a few years ago which you can read online.

I think they get good results for the children that have the ability to achieve good passes. Thy also have less acedemic children in the school.

I suppose you need to see what the local state schools are like in comparison, as you say. I'm afraid I have no idea about those as we are over the river (and our local school is still not brilliant).

Good luck

Ibsock also has a reputation for being blingy, but the parents and children i know who go there are all normal, nice people.. It also used to have a reputation for being for the rich but not academic children. I believe they also have al ovely assessment process of bringing in the children for a day, so it is not like the pressured exam that other schools use.

my bil teaches in the secondary school. It sounds like an amazing place, with fantastic facilities. It certainly sounds as though there are plenty of famous parents use the school. I do get the impression that it may not suit the brightest kids, who would go elsewhere, but that is secondary school. I haven't heard much about the younger children.

I perhaps should add that his own kids will be going to their local state primary, but I'm not sure that should be seen as any sort of criticism of the school itself, as I think they wanted a local school.

Mrsguy, it was an ibstock mum who told me how bling the Harrodian was (though others have done same!)
I guess any London private school is going to have its share of rich parents. Do them good to meet proles like us!

I went to Harrodian!
The school puts more emphasis on individuality and the uniqueness of every pupil than anywhere else. Every face is a friendly face, the rapport between teachers and students is fantastic and there were fewer cliques than any other school i know- because of the small sizes of the years, (especially as you move up the school) everyone is friends with each other.
Academically, the only reason it is deemed 'not strong' is because it doesn't discriminate against academically challenged children, but values them as much as intelligent ones- nor does it enter the rat-race of league tables but remains in its own, very special, niche. If you are intelligent you will get all the private help you need, excellent teaching and encouragement. Especially in the 6th form, where the year group is only around 40 and only academically motivated pupils are urged to remain, teaching is outstanding, pupils are pushed as much as they would be were they at st pauls (i got my As not without the pressure and tears) and class sizes are tiny- on average, about 6 to a class
And it's so untrue- the rumours about everyone being showbiz and money orientated
GO
it is brilliant
I loved it so so so much
I even joined a website for mums so i could write this ONE comment to prove to you how brilliant it is

Ibstocks reputation for swinging far exceeds its academic reputation.

Is Emma1989 for real or does she work for the Harrodian, who incidentally wouldn't comment on the Tv that they had a teacher who had been sent to prison for paedofile activities, (had sexually abused several boys at Caldicott). They sacked him, but didn't tell the parents the reason.

I think there is a lot of rather dubious activities in schools. I dont know if only in private schools or in state schools also. But the head of a private school for girls in surrey was sacked after he was observed committing adultery with the caretaker in the bushes. Nevertheless, he got another head position in another private school not far away.

QS is not far off with that comment. I can mention nude session in the pool on parents social evenings, offers of wifeswapping, and affairs amongst parents. For that reason alone I would not send my children as I would not be comfortable in such a milieu.

As a mum at the Harrodian, I can only agree with Emma 1989. The rapport between the staff and children is fantastic and communication between staff and parents faultless. Yes, it has the 'bling' parents but what school, private or state, doesn't nowadays? The Caldicott scandal was dealt with sensitively and professionally so LAZYMUMOFTEENAGESONS doesn't know all the facts. I would recommend the Harrodian to anyone.

For the record
I am for real, and no i don't work for the school. Is it really that hard to believe that someone could like their school enough to want to share that? Perhaps you should consider sending your children to a school of which they can be proud

The school held an assembly about the teacher-situation; he didn't have a criminal record when they hired him and they had absolutely no clue.

I am so sick of hearing people assert with total authority that the Harrodian is academically weak, or that none of us can spell. I came from one of the top schools in the country to Harrodian and I can say with confidence that Harrodian has been better for me on every level- academically as well.

If you're one of those intense, st. pauls, PTA mothers who yells at her children on sports day, makes them play two instruments and berates them when they get a B, then maybe Harrodian is not the place for you. If you want your children to fulfil their potential in all areas and be happy, I can't recommend it more highly.

And at least my spelling is better than that of 'lazymumofteenagesons', who may want to use a dictionary next time she spells pedophile

pedophile?????

This is, i believe, the same Harrodian School, Barnes which was mentioned in tonights (15th Dec) Channel 4 programme 'Chosen' - about sexual abuse. One of the paedeophiles, Martin Carson, was teaching, for several years,at this school and was only removed when former victims from a previous school came forward. He, subsequently, went to prison. Harrodian School apparently chose not to disclose this information to parents - merely telling them that this teacher had 'left for professional reasons'!! This, presumably, to protect the schools reputation.
Personally I would prefer a school which puts childrens welfare first.

Mind you, a parent and a pupil at the school have already posted here to say that the school did keep them informed about what was happening.

If anyone saw the channel 4 documentary last night called Options, they would be advised to ask the Harrodian what measures it has in place regarding welfare of children, inspections and what they do to check up on references of appointed staff!!

As a parent of two girls at Harrodian, I am both amazed and saddened that so many of you have chosen not to read and take in the positive comments - but prefer to make your minds up based on rumour and a TV programme - the contents of which were fully discussed with parents and students and so for us now water under the bridge.

Don't get me wrong. Because of the Barnes dinner party chatter I initially rejected Harrodian for my girls even though I live two minutes walk away.

However having put them into one of those very fine SW London schools that many here seem to think ARE socially acceptable, when my eldest daughter was 8 I moved her and her 5 year old sister to Harrodian.

Why? Because not only was hot housing beginning in socially acceptable prep school to make sure my little cherubs wouldn't let the side down by failing to get into equally acceptable senior school but, perhaps far more importantly, I made it my business to find out first hand about Harrodian ... not make a decision based on gossip.

Which meant I talked to the pupils, the staff and the parents. What I discovered was that yes, we have our chi chi brigade (and no I am most deffo not one of them), yes we have our Russians (incredibly friendly and at least you know your children are safe with them!) and yes we have our famous people (show me a private SW London school that doesn't!)

But there are far more 'normal' parents as well. Parents who make sacrifices to pay the fees, feel threatened by the recession and who fight the homework and uniform battles as well.

Because while Harrodian is not, on the face of it, as academic as schools like St Pauls or Godolphin it is not an easy ride either. It achieves great things for its children - including university entrance - and indeed has become far more academic since we joined five years ago.

But it doesn't forget there is more to life than academia alone. The children are encouraged to develop all their skills ... not just their brain matter ... and the fact that my girls look forward each and every day to going to school is I believe the best advert a school could have.

So before you make judgement I would suggest you talk to the people who know, not reply on heresay and gossip.

Is Harrodian perfect? No of course not, no school is.
Am I glad my girls are there? ABSOLUTELY.

Caroline Spurgeon
Mother to Annabel and Zoe