Exam results local girls secondary schools.

[LondonMathsMum]

So here are the results for girls schools locally. From the papers and websites.

A LEVEL

A* percents

Guildford High School for girls...43%
Lady Eleanor Holles..................35%
Tiffin Girls.................................31%
Putney High School...................29%
Wimbledon High School..............28%

Surbiton High School................22%

So this new A* for A Level hasn't been too successful in Surbiton High School.

G.C.S.E. LEVEL

A*-A percent

Lady Eleanor Holles..................98%
Guildford High School for girls...92%
Putney High School....................91%
Tiffin Girls...............................90%
Wimbledon High School...............89%

Surbiton High School................73%

So last in the pack of local girls schools for G.C.S.E and A Level.

More worrying is the rumour that there were several dozen fails at GCSE, in nearly all subjects they had failures, fails in a dozen or more subjects like Maths, English, French, Spanish, German, Latin, DT, Geography, History, ICT and Science. Girls crying when they got their results. Really bad.

Anyone here actually know if this is true, that there were fails in almost a dozen subjects at G.C.S.E.?

Also, if they have fails in the core subjects then they don't get everybody with 5 passes including Maths and English which is the baseline the absolute minimum surely?.

I am not quite sure what you asking - that the rumour that Surbiton High had a particularly bad year?

The stats don't tell the whole story of course. Some years top schools do badly initially and then send back all of one subject for remarking.

Did they absorb a high proportion of St David's girls - were they doing a different syllabus?

Hasn't surbiton just had a change of head?

If you are local then you will know that LEH is the THE school but then they have their fair share of other problems if rumours are to be believed...

73% still sounds pretty high to me. In comparison to those mainly selective schools, I think thats a fair result

@ClariceBeansMum - Yes, asking if there was any truth in the rumour that they had bad G.C.S.E pretty well in all areas. Now been confirmed from other source, thanks.

But no, it isn't just one bad year. Last year's G.C.S.E. were bad too, and this year's A Levels, so that's 3 year groups of girls, not just one.

They took just 5 or 6 girls from St David's - all gymnasts with near 100% bursaries/scholarships, the head trying to get more sporting kudos. Only 1 in year 11, though, DD2 thinks.

Yes, new head 2 and a half years ago, when J-Lo (the old head, Dr Jennifer Longhurst - geddit?) retired aged 63. Thank goodness she stayed past normal age, although I never realised she was that old, looked 10 years younger. We were so pleased with how she upped the academics for DD1 that never thought to ask her how long she was staying, when we accepted for DD2.

Wish now we sent her on the train to Wimbledon as new head has dismantled all J-Lo's academic structures and gone for superficial, flighty and sporty. The large professional sign outside the Main Building saying "Surbiton's Got Talent!" (3 of the girls, 2 of them ex-St David's, were in the Spelbound Team that won Britain's Got Talent) shows where the emphasis lies. Could you imagine LEH doing that?

Yes, very local, walking distance to Surbiton High. I know LEH is a step up, people have Surbiton as their LEH safety net application, but for each of DDs, there were nearly 400 girls sitting the exam, so selection too.

And under J-Lo they gave Wimbledon High and Putney High a run for their money, beating them both in the league tables. Their Ofsted said the exam results were Outstandingly Good, and J-Lo was an Outstanding Leader.

The irony is that next week there will be 8, read it again, eight, year 7 classes starting in Surbiton, we hear. 8 classes of parents basing their decision to join on J-Lo's past reputation and results, at a time when the downward spiral has been clearly proven, despite the school saying on the webpage "best G.C.S.E. results ever".

Sorry for the rant! Do I sound bitter and twisted? Well I am! DD2 has not had the same experience these last two years or so as DD1, we feel we have let her down.

Sorry.

@cyb - no, 73% isn't that good as it IS selective, and above all has done masses better in the past when DD1 was there.

Just really upset for DD2, sorry.

What are the other problems that LEH are having (vaguely, if there's anything potentially libellous)?

Eating disorders is what I've heard . . .

Allegedly.

Ah . It doesn't seem to be an uncommon problem, allegedly, in the more academic girls' schools.

That's one thing in favour of Surbie - gets less of that.

Eating disorders everywhere- state. selective and private.
Did hear there was trouble with internet postings at LEH with a year 8 girl....

Surbiton is very good indeed on the pastoral side, and dealing with bulying, knocking it on the head straight away, in our experience.

All credit to them for that.

Dear London Maths Mum,

I am Ann Haydon. Principal of Surbiton High School and I wish to respond to your messages posted on mums net.com.

? Firstly, Surbiton High School is an Independent School and, as such, is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. No Ofsted report exists for the school.
? Secondly, academic standards at Surbiton High School continue to be strong. Indeed this year, the School achieved their ?Best Ever GCSE results'. 19 girls gained 10 or more A* grades which is a phenomenal achievement and testament to the girls' commitment and ability and the quality of teaching which they receive. For the record, Guildford High School does not have half the number of girls that Surbiton does; in the GCSE cohort of 2010, there were fewer than 20 additional pupils at Surbiton High School
? Thirdly, we were delighted that 24% of all grades at A Level were at the new demanding A* and that in the local paper we were listed as the ?Top School in the Borough for A level results?

I hope that those reading this will agree with me that these statistics speak for themselves and that academic standards are far from declining at Surbiton High School.

With regard to buildings, the previous Head, Dr Longhurst was responsible for the main school rebuilding project which cost several million pounds. It was a wonderful addition to the School?s superb facilities and the girls have gained from an improved learning environment as a result. All the projects with which I have been involved have continued this move to enhance the teaching and learning environment and our vision with regards to upgrading the physical structure of the School goes hand in hand with a first class education and strong and improving academic results.

I am also pleased that in your comments you recognise my commitment to Sport. My view is that Sport is an important aspect of the type of well rounded education which we provide at Surbiton High School. However, I am also pleased to use this forum to draw people's attention to the vastly improved quality and variety of Musical and Dramatical performance, along with Extra Curricular and Enrichment provision since I took up my position as Principal in 2008. In the last two years our Senior School Choir has increased from 14 to 350 girls and the quality of their performance is outstanding.

It is a pleasure and a privilege to lead Surbiton High School and I am extremely proud of our wonderful pupils and our dedicated and well qualified staff.

The vast majority of our parents are delighted with the education we provide and if you are ? as your comments here would lead me to believe - dissatisfied with the quality of education that your child is receiving and the leadership of the School, then I encourage you to come and meet with me face to face to discuss the issues. This would seem a more constructive way forward for all concerned rather than using a site like this to attack the School and me personally.

Please stop spreading rumours about LEH. You should know better. My daughter goes to LEH and I have found it an excellent school in every respect possible and I feel so privileged that my daughter is part of the school.

The school ethos is excellent, they have an excellent headmistress. The girls have just won the BBC Choir of the year 2010 and will be performing at the Royal festival Hall which will be televised and have many other achievements musical, sporting and academic to their credit.

LEH is an inclusive school and reflects society as a whole. Some young girls will have eating disorders whether they are in a state school or not due to their personal circumstances and the make-up of their personalities. To blame it on the school is ludicrous. The school does much to highlight and tackle these normal teenage problems and has excellent pastoral care.

I am a huge fan of this school and the tolerance and understanding they have shown as well as the encouragement and confidence they give the girls to excel in all areas. If any of you mothers manage to get your children into LEH, you should think yourself lucky.

The comment is scandalous. I cannot get over the lack of academic pressure at LEH. Rather the girls do so many other activities to keep them well-rounded I have often marvelled at how they manage to get such good results and concluded that it must be down to the excellent teaching and the atmosphere at the school.

I actually missed the LEH entrance exam. It wasn't originally my first choice and since the date was so soon after the new year we got caught up in the festivities and unfortunately I forgot to take my daughter. LEH rang me up, I confessed to have forgotten and they pleasantly and calmly offered me another date. I was so impressed with the lack of judgement and their humanity that despite my daughter receiving a scholarship for another school I decided that LEH was the school she would attend. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. She fits in so well.

I am sure the head of Surbiton High is doing her best and with the help and co-operation of the girls and parents will iron out any problems the school may or may not have. We sometimes forget how far above the national average these schools are, and attacking the schools publicly in this way is not constructive and is unfair. Those wishing to go to the school may get the wrong impression and may very well miss out on a wonderful opportunity. Everyone should visit the schools, speak to the headmistresses and girls and judge for themselves.

My DD is in LEH Juniors so don't have direct experience of seniors yet, but have certsinly not heard any rumours of "problems" in the senior school and I am sure I would have by now if there was any truth in this.

The only "problems" I am aware of involve bags being put in the emergency exits of the coaches!

I have found the junior school lovely and not pressured and i am glad to hear this continues into the seniors.

My DD does not even have to take the entrance exam for the seniors due to the new guaranteed places system which is a great idea.

I note that the poster who made the veiled allegations never came back with specifices.

If you haven't got the guts to put your cards on the table don't go around slinging mud.

As the mother of a younger girl trying to make sense of the array of possibilities, all of the information you have all offered about the various schools - good and bad, including the rumours, are very helpful in getting a sense of a school's reputation. That is something that the statistics and results cannot show.

Along those lines, does anyone know anything about Putney High's Senior School?

A vote for SHS here - we didn't even bother with taking exams for other senior schools - dd in Y7 - yes there are eight classes (too big!) but I hear it's back to 6 next year. Good all-inclusive school and I like the way they stream fairly quickly for certain subjects in Y7 (maths and languages). Great array of after-school clubs - DD has done tennis, trampoling, music groups and gym (influence of Spelbound no doubt!). All the new girls seemed to settle in very quickly and all the ones I know are happy. It's well worth a look if you are considering a secondary school for your DD.Quite an 'urban'feel to the school - as some have said previously - nice buildings but not grand like some of the other indies - that's what I like about it.

DD is at SHS Juniors and we are delighted, it is a very happy school and we cannot believe the difference in DD since she started. We moved her from one of the so called "top local state primaries" because we were worried that she wouldn't pass the 11+. If she was to sit the exam after 4 years at SHS Juniors I would have no doubt about her passing, however she has a guaranteed place in the High school.
They are currently spending some serious money on the sports facilities, and with the already excellent classrooms SHS can only become more desirable.
I think we are luck to have our DS there.