Surbiton High School

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Is Surbiton High very academic? I am considering the junior boys for dd1 at year3. How difficult is the entrance exam and getting a place in year 3?

EVERY school has had their best ever GCSE results this year, Happy!

I don't have any direct experience of Surbiton, but know mums of DDs who started this year, and they are very happy.

They did NOT have their best results ever in GCSE. Far from it. They were some of the WORSE results ever.

They got 0.3% more getting A than JLo's last year, yes. o.3% in a year where the overall A % went upo by more than that. So less than the national increase.

But they had 4% less A8-A than with J-Lo (so that's WORSE not Best!), 5% less A*-B than with J-Lo (so that's WORSE not Best!), 5%, that's a great deal more girls getting Cs or worse.

All WORSE, so how do they have the guts to say Best GCSE results ever on the website!

The absolute WORSE is that there were 12 subjects with FAILS!

FAILS!

12 subjects! Not just one or two, TWELVE!

Parents like us have paid out over £50,000 in the 5 year run up to GCSE, and 12 subjects don't even manage to get passes for everyone, let alone good grades!

It's a disgrace that they can say Best Results Ever, when by most judgements these results are not good at all.

I know that I am getting very agitated about this, it's just very worrying. Miss H is charming, yes, and popular with the girls, yes. Charming and popular, yes, yes, yes.

But charm and popularity isn't what we were looking for in a Head, we wanted someone prepared to be UNpopular with the girls for the sake of standards.

Unpopular by saying that enough is enough where skirt lengths are concerned, for example - but she lets them wear them as short and tight as they like. How can you expect good academic standards when you don't have general high standards?

This is just making me get more and more agitated so I'd better log out!

Skirt lengths sems to be an issue at all local girls schools as far as i
can see, not necessarily affecting academic results.

For instance, the senior girls at LEH all seem to have skirts barely longer than their knickers!

I would have been sent home for wearing a skirt even slightly above the knee - but my school had shockingly bad exam results.

My DD's been at SHS since year 4 - and I have to say, I've been very happy with the school. Early days yet in Secondary - but all good so far. DD is happy and being pushed - especially in Maths and Science which she's interested in. My one problem (in Y6 over a visiting music teacher) Miss H sorted out quickly and efficiently for me. Londonmathsmum - you've obviously had a bad experience - the other parents of children further up the school I know are more than satisfied. My only gripe this year was that there are 8 Y7 classes - yes 8! And we were assured there would be only six. They are small (around 20 or so students) but still - not what I was expecting. Obviously with this size of intake, Surbiton doesn't cherrypick like LEH or Guildford High, so the overall standard in the class will be more mixed. But there some high achievers and the school caters for everyone - not just the few, which is what I like about it.

LondonMathsMum

I must correct you on something: no year 11 or 13 student failed Maths at SHS this year (or, I believe, in the last decade at least).

I don't believe that a mother with genuine concerns would make such nasty personal comments about a headteacher on an internet forum. Are you really a concerned mother or are you J-Lo? I know she has a habit of posting under different guises online, even sometimes trying to pass herself off as a northern male.

I don't work at SHS but, as other parents here have commented, Ann Haydon is well respected and undeserving of your bile.

^^ Thank you! The comments on Ann Haydon were extrememly disrespectful, judgemental and out of order. She is in outstanding head and taking surbiton in a new direction. It had a lot of problems not showing on the exterior previosuly and she has given a new life to the school. j-Lo was a good head, had excellent qualities but every head is different and has different approaches- you may like it or not- everyone has their own opinions on different schools.
I cannot believe the tone and launguage you thought it was ok to speak of Ann haydon- an extrememly caring, strong and passionate Head.

I've only just seen this thread and I am stunned - LondonMathsMum why on Earth are you so bitter?

Oh, now I've read the bit about the ankle chain and I realise the whole thing must be a joke.

Haha

I am still in shock!! If you look at LondonMathsMum's other posts she has made similar comments on Ann Haydon, how surbiton 'isn't the same' and how it used to be brilliant until the new head. In almost every post its these same two Heads LondonMathsMum is fixated on!

How does she know soo much infomation into exactly what numbers of pupils failed in subjects etc.
The funny thing is, if she is a parent, she is spending the £50000 for all this which she is apparently hugely disatisfied with. No parent spending that amount of money would be slagging off the head so much and know such intense details on results!

Hmmmm!

i am a 16 year old girl in the lower sixth form at surbiton high school,having started in year 7. i love it. i didnt even think about applying to any other sixth form colleges because surbiton seemed an obvious choice to me.

first of all, LondonMathsMum, Ann Haydon DOES NOT HAVE AN ANKLE CHAIN. i saw her today, she doesnt, ive checked. i even had a little chat with her while i was there, she's a very nice lady.

this years results at GCSE were the best the school has ever seen, and we were all cogratulated personally by Ms Haydon, either on results day or prizegiving.

my results, if you care, were 3 As 3 Bs and 4 Cs, not what i really wanted but perfectly reasonable. that was my own fault.

@HappyMum22 i totally agree. do you think LondonMathsMum has even met Ms Haydon??

Ms Haydon also personally helped me and my best friend with our geography coursework, as we really needed it. so, Ms Haydon, if you ever see this, you will know who it is. and we are very grateful :) thank you.

so LondonMathsMum, if you want to say anything else about Ms Haydon, feel free, but i and the whole of my year (at least, if not the whole school) will be backing her, becuase she has changed the school so much and it is so different now to how it was. and so much better than i could have ever imagined.

But Guildford High is far more selective that SHS as well you know LondonMathsMum! Surbiton High is a broader church and, as you've pointed out, takes more pupils -- for me the key thing about a school is it does its best for each pupil (value added) and doesn't try to limit its intake to already A grade (or highly tutored) students - who, not surprisingly, will get a string of A*s at GCSE! ;)

I am sorry that LondonMathsMum has had a bad experience with Surbiton - it is a large school and inevitably some students, in all schools, will not do as well as predicted for a number of reasons. My elder daughter is there and is doing better than we had ever expected. The overwhelming ethos of the school seems to be to get the best out of each pupil and this certainly seems to be the case for my daughter. She says that the atmosphere has changed since J-Lo left - J-Lo was keen on pastoral matters and Miss Haydon is emphasising the academic (although I agree she seems to have been unduly dazzled by the gymnasic success of a group SHS as a school has barely contributed to). With 22% of entries at A level at the new A* grade, from a broach church intake, I think they are getting something right. We have certainly never regretted our choice, even though we have supposedly more academic schools considerably nearer to us.

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.

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.

Well done that Principal and the 16yo pupil who, so eloquently, stood up for both her and the school.

Ann Haydon- i was delighted to see your post. I knew you from guildford high a few years back and you are definately a huge loss from GHS. My daughters and their friends all had huge respect for you and miss you greatly! Many parents also speak incredibly highly of your professional, caring nature and outstanding teaching. I cannot think of a better person as a head and have heard nothing but praise of you from parents i know with daughters at surbiton. You did not deserve to have had to read the awful personal comments made on this forum as well as the comments about Surbiton- all certainly not true and not reflecting your reputation or leadership of surbiton!
Best wishes

@LondonMathsMum
"There are now 1,300 in Surbiton, it was said at P{rizegiving last night."
I can see that you actually is a 'mum' of a student at SHS.
If you don't like the school, why don't you just send your daughter to other school instead of - as Ms Haydon mentioned - attacking the school?

"Surbiton High has changed a lot since DD started there 9 years ago with the old head Dr Jennifer Longhurst (J-Lo !) in charge."
9years... That means your daughter is in now in year10/11/12/13. (Not counting reception). Again, why did you not transfer her to another school? Is it because of your fear that it will interfere with her GSCE/A-level studies? Then, I assume that your daughter is in year 11 or year13. If she were to start year10 or 12, she could have moved to other school, seeing how you are so bitter about SHS.
(Are year13s invited to prize giving as well? I can't remember. If not, then it's obvious that you are a parent of a daughter in year11. I know people who were invited to Senior School Prize Giving - have a list of names who got form prizes - and it's very disappointing that any parents of a SHS student would attack the school and Ms Haydon so bitterly on a public forum)

"But the G.C.S.E.?s were bad, lots of B?s and C?s, it was mainly A* and A with J-Lo."
I urge you to check the school website.

"Miss Haydon has just got a second class degree, nothing else, in Geography, which is what you do when you?re not clever enough to do Maths or Science or Languages."
That is just so rude. So, do you have 'first class honours degree and a MA and a PhD'? Are you that well qualified and intelligent? Have you won the novel prize or something? I don't think you are in any position to saying something like this.

"We are very disappointed by the change in atmosphere in the school and second DD missing out in consequence."
Well, if you are unhappy, you can always transfer your daughter to another school. If I were you, that?s what I?d have done, instead of childishly posting rude posts on a public forum.

• SHS AnonStudent

I would like to add that I was just expressing my opinion about what LondonMathsMum has said. Feel free to reply back

• AnonStudent :)

I am a year 13 student at Esher college, but I attended SHS for 9 years from the age of 7-16.

From personal experience I can tell you there are some amazing, inspiring teachers and staff, and there are some alright ones.

I was the first year to have j-lo as a head teacher and although she was a little...eccentric shall we call it, she was a lovely woman who put her heart and soul in the place. She made an effort to learn everyone's names and took a personal interest. She also had a strong ethos and moto that was drummed into us from the start, "respect and service" and "may love always lead us". This gave us something that, as a pupil, i felt united the students.

Halfway through my first GCSE year Ann Haydon arrived, and as an example of the new heads priorities, she once decided that instead of fixing the boiler in the science block (which meant we froze for the entire winter) she urgently decided the lawn by the side of the tennis courts needed re-doing. It snowed over the next month and as a result was ruined!

She began by saying she had a keen interest in sports. Well, to be quite frank that was rubbish. She has no actual knowledge of what is happening week by week sporting events wise, she also has not introduced any new things. Oh apart from the tiny and underused 6th form gym, but thats it.

She has also completely changed the schools focus. The moto now reads "the best in everyone" and now has a 'gifted and talented' program. This really only applies to someone who is part of a british team in sports, or is a reknowned musician.

There anti-bullying policy is inaffective, but there pastoral care was second to none when j-lo was around. On average I was told that 2 children will lose a parent every year at surbiton. They really helped me through. I do however think this took a bit of a dip when the two past deputy heads and j-lo left within 2 years.

On the whole I came out of the experience with excellent GCSE results, but I do think that I have benefitted more from leaving surbiton to go to esher college as I have myself learned to be less self-absorbed, stuck up and a more independent learner. Of course again a generalisation not all surbiton girls are that bad, but it is amazing how much environment and the people around you can mould you as a person. Leaving surbiton was right for me, but I would not have changed my years there. Despite some setbacks I loved it. I do have, hopefully lifelong, friends and some wonderful memories. I look back with fondness, no regret. And I feel that SHS gave me not only an outstanding education, but a confidence and strive to achieve my potential. I just feel leaving independent schooling has given a wider perspective that currently none of my friends that stayed on have.

I would reccommend this school because I had some of my best times there, but SHS 6th form is a waste of time and money. The amount of students leaving after year 11 is increasing every year, and Miss Haydon seems to be clutching at straws to keep people on. I was told several times in my last year I would fail if I left, not very encouraging or nice to hear, and completely untrue. If you are not willing to work at your a-levels on your own accord, you won't want to work at uni so whats the point? A college teaches you to work for yourself. Surbiton 6th form does not.

I hope my rambling may help in some way.

Former SHS student

I'm not going to get involved with all that's been said about the Principal of the school - I was at SHS when Dr Longhurst was in charge and only for a brief time after Ms Haydon became Head. What I will say on that subject is that a personal attack on Ms Haydon is completely uncalled-for when discussing the school - whether she wears an 'ankle chain' or not should have no bearing on any decisions made about the school, and it was snide and immature to mention such a thing. Rather than personal attacks being made, surely adults can keep things considerate and polite rather than reducing themselves, frankly, to bitchy teenagers? I'm shocked that, as a girl in my early twenties, I feel that I have to say this to people many years my senior. (I am aware that this only involved one person, but even so...)

Anyway, onto the next thing. Academically, SHS, when I was there at least, was good. The increase in year size is a little worrying, but many of the classes are in 'sets' by ability, so those who can't manage the harder work don't pull others down who do better. At A-Level, the classes tend to be smaller anyway, which helps those who are more competent to thrive. The 'gifted and talented' group was something that caused something of a controversy whilst I was there - as a student who held an academic scholarship to SHS and is now at Oxbridge (holding both an academic and a music scholarship), I still failed to be included in the group which considered themselves to be academically/musically superior, which was something of a sore point in the sixth form. However, the 'enrichment scheme' which was in place whilst I was at the school was particularly interesting (and useful!), and there was the opportunity to study things like psychology, archaeology, current affairs etc. I think with regards to the teaching and the level of education, as with most schools there will be strengths and weaknesses, but there were several teachers at the school who worked hard to support me (although, as is to be expected, there were those who I didn't get along with and who weren't the most supportive along the way).

The one thing I would say is that when I was there, there was an issue with bullying. Someone brought this up in one of the messages earlier in the discussion, and I have to agree - the pastoral care was not particularly good. As an all-girls' school, where bitching and bullying is likely to be rife, a better bullying policy would not go amiss. Teachers were, for the most part, supportive, although it took a long time for anything to actually get done, and I remained unhappy and on the edge of things socially for most of my time there.

Still, work-wise, things were good - I'm sure there are schools which perhaps challenge the students more, but then again, well-being also needs to be taken into consideration, and a school like Tiffin or LEH which has a reputation for pushing girls hard might not be the route you wish to take with your child. I'd bear in mind though that like any school with just girls, bullying is likely to be an issue, and that the support system wasn't brilliant - although, to be honest, girls will be girls, and frankly, those who are 'different' are really unlikely to fit in anywhere - I'm not necessarily sure it makes a difference which school you go to. The year I was in had a reputation for partying very hard (as did the year below me, and the year below that...), but I think it very much depends on the people.

Anyway, that's my twopence-worth. Hope it's helpful.

This chat is quite old. Could I ask what are mums' views of Surbiton now? my two DD have just got into the prep school but my eldest especially is quite bright and would have liked to have tried her for Guildford or LEH especially considering the league tables don't place SGH very highly. Your advice would be much appreciated.

I do not and can not recommend Surbiton High School - more interested in money than education, sadly.

Hi thank you for your comment I know it was 2 years ago but just wondering why you say that?