Choosing an Independent school - London / Surrey

[TandC]

Hi everybody, please can you help me with some serious decision making. Due to a shortage of vacancies at good local state primary schools where we live in a south west London suburb I have looked into, and received offers from the following local Independent schools (for my reception aged boy) - The Rowans and Hall School. In parallel, I have been negotiating on a house in Epsom Downs and have received offers for places at Aberdour, Downsend (Leatherhead site), and Chinthurst. Please has anyone had experience of any, or all, of these schools, and which would you choose any why? All feedback gratefully received. Many thanks.

Hello, have you tried also posting on our Local Surrey site?

local.mumsnet.com/Talk/surrey/local-active

Good luck with it all

Local Editor

Hi. My son went to Aberdour (sept 1998 - July 2008) and had a very happy time there. He went onto St John's in Leatherhead and is now at Durham uni. The headmaster there - Mr Collins is excellent - he was appointed in my son's last year and he has taken the school from strength to strength. I have no personal knowledge of Chinthurst or of Downsend. Although locally Downsend has a very good reputation. Have you been to visit any of them as that's probably the best guide?

I'd be wary of Chinthurst. A Mum has been told (and checked the Land Registry) that they sold the land to a developer last December. Here is the thread to that discussion...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/bloggers/a1928958-Chinthurst-School-Tadworth

I can't speak for the Epsom schools, but the Rowans and the Hall are very different, so it depends what you are after. Do you want your son to try for KCS at 7? If so the Rowans is a better choice. Do you want him to be in a non pressured environment where he can do his entire schooling up to GCSEs? If so the Hall will provide that.

I can't speak for the Epsom schools, but the Rowans and the Hall are very different, so it depends what you are after. Do you want your son to try for KCS at 7? If so the Rowans is a better choice. Do you want him to be in a non pressured environment where he can do his entire schooling up to GCSEs? If so the Hall will provide that.

Oops, sorry, don't know what happen here.

It's difficult to advise because the fact that you have such very different schools as Rowans and the hall but not for e.g. Rokeby, Donhead or willington, makes it difficult to understand what your requirements are.

The Hall is really different from Rowans such that I can't think of anyone I know who has liked both or applied for both.

Just a heads up, Chattyone is posting on every possible thread that Chinthurst has been sold to developers, is in financial trouble etc. Not sure who this person is or what their agenda is but ignore it. Chinthurst has done a sale and leaseback to release capital from its assets for improvements to the school. Chinthurst is a wonderful family school with excellent academic results and a great ethos. It is definitely worth a visit.

I would echo what jrsmum3 said. I started a post asking for info about Chinthurst and Chattyone has been very malicious about the school. I even got sent personal messages to my inbox under a different name (which I am assuming was her - as the info she had was exactly the same). She seems intent on spreading rumors all of which are untrue

Anyway on a positive note I have looked round Chinthurst and loved it. I have had in depth conversations with the governors about it future and it is stable hands and has big plans. As such my children will both be starting there this year.

In addition I know people with their children at Aberdour and they are extremely happy also.

What I have found is that you need to visit the school and consider what is best for your child. I know quite a few people with children at Micklefield in Reigate. When I visited I could see it was a lovely school but completely wrong for my boys.