Schools in Richmond/Kew

[Pingu40]

I was wondering if anybody could help. A friend of mine is moving to Richmond/Kew and she is looking for schools for her 12 year old and 9 year old sons. She will look at both state and private. Please can you recommend.

For state she needs to look carefully at what catchment areas she'll be in, as that will affect her options. Don't know much about Richmond schools. In Kew, Queens does v well academically but would do with its intake. It is a happy school by most accounts, though faith and v traditional so not everyone's cup of tea. Kew Riverside and Darell more diverse probably. KR is one form entry community school and places a lot of emphasis on encouraging pupil confidence as well as academics (they do mini duke of Edinburgh heads award before finishing school); progressive air, pupils call teachers by first names. Darell has just got new head and seems on the up, but not sure what other changes in pipeline. Good luck!

Private primary schools in Kew are Broomfield House school, Unicorn, Kew College, The Falcons and Kew Green Prep for the 9 year old. There are others in Richmond which I am less familiar with. They MAY have the odd place at 9 as families move in and out of Kew due to job relocations. They mostly feed into the following private boys and co-ed schools so worth checking for older boy - Latymer (Co-ed, Hammersmith), Colet Court (Hammersmith), Hampton, Kings Wimbledon, Kingston Grammar (Co-ed), Ibstock (co-ed, Roehampton), St Benedicts (co-ed Ealing). The 12 year old would need to be academically assessed before joining any private secondary school, but again there are often places due to parents relocation. Just bear in mind most in West London are highly academic. The less academic schools are Ibstock, St Benedicts, Halliford and St James in this area. Your friend should have a look at the various websites and then make calls and arrange appointments. Choice of schools is highly personal.

Thank you. I will forward this onto her.