Ibstock Place School (Roehampton) vs Danes Hill School (Oxshott)

[Peach007]

I know this may sound like a request for a comparison but there are provisional places at both Ibstock Place and Danes Hill school for my two children. We have been living in Switzerland for 7 years and due to be moving back this Summer. My DD is 8 and will be going into Year 4 and my DS is 6 and will be going into year 2. We have decided only to look at Independent schools

We were originally based in Richmond and although we are still considering moving back to Richmond we are also looking at other Surrey areas with relatively short commute to Waterloo. We would rent in the interim with the intent of buying next year. Moving house is one thing but we really do not want to change schools (esp for my DD who has only 3 years left of Primary)

A few schools that we did like (Unicorn/ The Mall) had places for either my DD or DS but not both of them. There are no other options for our other child in the surrounding area. I really would want to be driving in long distances or opposite directions for different schools.

So these are our options: Ibstock vs Danes. Does anyone have any good or bad experiences of the schools in question?

Also from a lifestyle perspective I would prefer to stay in Richmond although financially it may be a stretch especially with the school fees! If we opt for Danes Hill I really would like to live in Esher possibly Claygate or Cobham but must admit a little scared of moving further out as I have spent most of my UK life in areas fairly close to central London. Although it is nice in its own sort of way I would be quite hesitant to base ourselves in Oxshott due to being fairly quiet....but I have been heard that traffic around this area esp with access to Danes Hill is horrendous at drop off and pick up?

I really would be grateful your views as decision making time is very close!

Thank you

Hi, we have moved to Cobham in order to send our two DS (yrs 3 and 4) to Danes Hill. We absolutely love it here. Yes it is quiet and the surrounding countryside is glorious. The traffic can be horrendous and the Danes Hill school run is busy however, it only really jams if the M25 gets snared up. DH gets the train from Oxshott which is about 35 mins. Often standing room only as for some reason only known to themselves it is often only a 4 carriage train. The train is more frequent from Esher and quicker but we love the town and community in Cobham. School run from Esher is often slow.
Danes Hill is a large school and generally (certainly in our experience) produces confident, outgoing children. The music dept is fantastic and sports facilities to die for. Hence some sports celebs choose it for their kids. It has a reputation as an academic hothouse and certainly there are some very clever children. Eldest DS is average academically and is doing very well as he is in a middle stream set and is performing beyond his given ability. Youngest DS is academically able, in upper sets and is doing well also. I wouldn't say either of them were being pushed overly. Pastoral care is excellent and the staff, friendly and caring. Hope that helps. Any other questions Pm me.

Danes Hill would be my preference. I'm not a mum- I'm a nanny who has had children at both. They are both lovely schools, and the academic side seemed similar but pastoral care at Danes Hill was fantastic. (All of my charges have had additional needs in some way).
Funnily enough the children who attended Danes Hill lived in Richmond. It was an extra effort, but playdates etc was no problem. An hour in the car each way though.

Thank you so much for your feedback. If we were to opt for Danes Hill we would live in Esher Cobham or Claygate as I didn't want to have a long commute....although I am a little worried about the Esher to Danes Hill road.

For Ibstock we would try to live in Richmond (in a house half the size and most probably twice as expensive!) Any views out there on Ibstock...for a large established school I am surprised that there is not many reviews on the Primary section of the school? I am also worried about the limited options on areas to live around here where you are not affected by the planes.

We are also deciding on taking a place at Danes Hill into Year 2 for our DS, and have exactly the same worries about leaving inner London! Great to hear that the pastoral side is so strong.
For what it's worth friends of friends at Ibstock are also very happy. Let me know if you choose Danes Hill. We will be in the same boat!

Hello, it could also be worth posting your thread on our Local Talk board:

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

Good luck with everything

Local Editor

I would move to Surrey on the basis of traffic on Upper Richmond Road being a total nightmare.

I have not heard anything negative about Ibstock primary, but it is more academic now than it used to be.

If your DCs are musical at all I can highly recommend DH. My DS s learn violin there and the teacher is exceptional.

Thanks for all your feedback. Another option has just arisen. St Catherines (as LEH and Surbiton are full) in Twickenham for DD and The Mall for DS nearby. Rokeby could also take them at a later stage. We would then base ourselves in Teddington....which I quite like as an area! I know I need to close down rather than open up more options. We will decide this weekend. So if you have any views on these 3 schools too it would be very much appreciated. Harve I will let you know what we decide as our DS's may be in the same class / school in the long run!

Sorry I meant Radnor not Rokeby! Too many schools flying around in my head!!

given you don't want to move right out of London, last option sounds easily the best. Places will open up in all sorts of schools in time. Radnor House also meant to be vg in that area

Oh sorry, you said Radnor - heard great things about it, go for it!

DS1 is in yr 1 at Ibstock, and DS2 will start reception in September. Overall we're really happy, and he is thriving and loves it, I also have a couple of niggles.

Pros:
Excellent, really creative teaching (certainly all teachers and TAs DS has had have been exceptional)
We feel they really 'get' DS - he's had very good pastoral care, particularly in helping him develop friendships
Teaching is very well personalised to individual children (it seems so to me anyway)
Good all round, lots of emphasis on speaking, confidence and so on as well as the more academic side (eg at this stage lots of art, music as well as excellent science, maths etc)
Nice, normal parents
Quite international, so children meet lots of different people
Children higher up the school seem very friendly and polite
Increasingly academic - great recent results
Lovely setting, facilities etc

Cons
The increasing academic emphasis is great in some ways, but seems to be being pushed through with little consultation with parents. Lots of people chose Ibstock because it had a reputation for being a bit soft and hippy - so it feels odd that it is changing direction quite so dramatically.
Maybe linked to this there is little SEN provision. It seems that children who are not keeping up are quietly encouraged to go elsewhere, so it seems to be bringing in selection by the back door, which I'm a bit uneasy about.
The food! The same menu week after week. Lots of parents have asked for more variety (it's fine, just limited choice), but the head won't hear of it. Which I think is ultimately the problem- she has a very fixed idea of where the school is going, and isn't really interested in hearing other views.

However, the cons certainly don't come close to outweighing the pros at the moment, and DS couldn't be happier, or more positively stimulated. For a child that is 'right' for the school it's very very good, I just worry that for children who don't necessarily fit the academic criteria (and time will tell with DS2) it's perhaps less good.

Do PM me if you'd like to

Forgot to say, if you do go with Ibstock then Kingston is a potential option for area to live - much less affected by planes than lots of Richmond areas, good trains and a lovely short drive across Richmond Pk to school

Good luck with your choice, all schools mentioned are great, but suit different children. Think about the longer term, what are the feeder senior schools and work around that. I would choise Kingston/Surbiton/Richmond due to the faster links into London, great spaces around and good choice of senior schools in the private sector. Depending on your requirements/taste you could be spending the same about of money in SW London or Surrey. If location is important and cost of communte into London then look at then schools in SW London Richmond Borough, if its the schools that are the priority vist all of the schools in the areas you are interested and base the decision on that. Good luck