Lady Eleanor Holles

[Corwen]

Considering this school for DD but I have some questions. Any LEH parents around?

Just bumping for you but I'm a Hampton parent. You can try secondary education section too. What is your other school choice?

I'm a junior school parent if that's helpful.

What are your questions?

Oh hello! I hadn't seen the replies sorry. I have some questions about 6th form @Choccybuttonsandprosecco so unfortunately you're at the other end of things but thanks so much for replying. She's at a state school currently but getting we think it may be worth paying for sixth form for various reasons and LEH seems a realistic and lovely option as far as we have seen. I wanted to ask a couple of A level related questions but also I was hoping to have someone DM me a list of significant extra costs that we might not have considered and that aren't on the main school fees which is all the school have sent me. Trips, music lessons (she currently does 2 instruments and singing), might want to do LAMDA grade 8, DofE? Anything else? She's not much into fashion etc so I doubt she'd be worried about keeping up with all that but I would like her to be able to take her music lessons in school and get properly involved in the ensembles etc.

Any other feedback from parents of DC at LEH would be great

Ask away…one thought is definitely worth applying for music scholarship as lessons are pricey. Other music/drama stuff free apart from small contribution to costumes for dance club/productions. Huge music opportunities for good players (which instruments?) and singers. Trips all optional.

For sixth form, I would suggest looking at other schools around the area too - LEH hasn’t been doing great with A-levels recently.

@meuntilmarch2025 yes one question I have is about the results- I know there are schools with better results but is there a concern about poor teaching or is it just a case of having a broader, less selective intake?

I would like to know if there is any sense of a culture of not trying too hard academically, because it's not cool or because some of the girls are wealthy enough that it wont matter.

I have a couple more subject specific questions but will consult DD again before asking those.

we wouldn't be opting for independent school for the results but for smaller class sizes, better extra curricular provision and a broader offer of subjects.

I should add the A level results aren't exactly bad!!!

@DorotheaDiamond we would intend for her to apply for a music scholarship but I don't know if she'd get one. She's got grade 7 flute, grade 6 piano and has singing lessons too. She hasn't had lots of ensemble opportunities so far and won't be doing A level music.

Definitely not a culture of not trying hard…honestly I’d say a lot of it was due to bad management by previous head…new head is totally on top of things - very open to listening to parents and acting on it. I think there was a culture of assuming everything was going well and not actually ensuring the girls were working properly rather than actually keeping an eye on them. Results have been worryingly weird I agree - lots of girls 2 years ago not even close to predictions - school much stricter about predicting realistic grades now (new head/management). Last year much better (20? With straight A*) . It’s hard to know how much is about teaching and how much about intake….

money wise I’ve not seen insane wealth being flashed around - yes there is money but jot oligarch level…most of the girls do seem to want to do well.

there aren’t a huge number of stunning musicians in current year 10/11 so I would think that level would be definitely worth trying for scholarship…although there are always millions of flautists in the school for some reason!!!

I think the A level results are quite good overall. The exception was one year group in 2023, which was an exception.

There are some girls who do not try that hard, but overall I think that the vast majority of A level students work hard to achieve their very best. Teaching is fantastic in the main, some departments are exceptional in fact. I think around 1/4 of all students achieved 4 or 3 straight A stars last year. I don't think the cohort is actually that wealthy, there are lots of professional families, working hard to make ends meet but not lots of very wealthy families.
The music department has a gazillion opportunities whether you are a music scholar or not. Aside from paying for individual lessons, all the opportunities (ensembles, musicals, symphony orchestra, jazz, wind and brass groups, various choirs etc) are all free to the students except for the odd costume for some of the musicals. The music standard is high and the concerts are really superb. A highlight of the school I'd say.

@SeaofTranquility I see, at a quick glance the results did not look have gone back to 2022 or 2021 levels but I guess those were covid years so were quite inflated anyway. The 2023 results were pretty shocking though, I would still be concerned they could let something like that happen.
Good to hear the school is back on track and the current head is working hard.

Yes, the years 2020-22 were all massively inflated nationally so the real year to compare to is 2019 and prior. Years 2020 and 2021 did not sit the A level exams. I do think things are back on track.

That's wonderful to hear about all the music opportunities. Dd never enjoyed music exams but she loves to perform and will get involved in anything she can- this is one of the main reasons we are willing to pay for 6th form as the ensembles, choirs and concerts available where she is are not that great. By coincidence she had a long chat with a sister of a friend who is at LEH in Y12 so she has had some of her specific questions answered. Does anyone know the music lessons cost please per term? I have made a spreadsheet of costs which currently has a gap for instrumental lessons- I think the info I have from school tells me everything else re fees so I am not sure why that is missing. I had missed out lunches but now I see they are additional. How long are the instrumental lessons? Do 6th formers have their lessons in frees or do they have to leave academic classes on rotation?

Thanks for all your thoughts re exams this has been a very helpful thread already

@DorotheaDiamond yes I suspected there would be many flutes already. We will give the scholarship a go. She will certainly come across as very motivated and she will contribute to the department if she goes there even though not planning to do A level music.

I think lessons are £65 per hour, music scholars get half an hour free per week plus money off fees, plus they get a scholars concert. If she joins make sure she joins the main choir too if she can …

Music lessons are not in academic lesson time for years 11-13. They can be scheduled before or after school as well, so it's very flexible. Instrumental lessons are 30 minutes long but you can have one hour or longer if the student wants it, especially if they are of a high grade. There is a flute group as well as the symphony orchestra and smaller ensembles. There is no requirement to do A level music if you are a music scholar.

Thanks so much I really appreciate your replies. Really pleased there's no requirement or expectation scholars to do A level music so no reason for her not to try for it anyway.

@DorotheaDiamond you don't happen to know if that's inc VAT or not do you? I understand that's to do with whether the music teachers are self employed or not.

Forgot to add her main love is art so any info on the art dept would be great.

I've not been stressing about the art of I'm honest as it seems to take care of itself even in the under resourced dept with a rota of cover teachers where she is now. I suppose I ought to check if there are any add on costs for art materials? Her state school does charge for sketch books and certain materials.

She is also considering Art History, English and Philosophy

also Be aware that you have to pay to watch the music/drama - we have I think
6? concerts plus the school musical this year, £10 ish per ticket…

and budget for a 5% rise in fees for second year…if it doesn’t happen then great…but I’d probably expect it (probably true everywhere). Oh and exam entry fees are billed separately too..

@DorotheaDiamond yes I've budgeted 10% rise for second year. It's looking doable 🤞

My niece is at LEH and my brother definitely thinks there’s a culture of not trying too hard. He’s exasperated with the amount of time my niece and her friends spend hanging around at Westfield to be honest! But that’s just a small sample I suppose. I do know quite a few families myself and they seem like nice girls on the whole.

On the wealth thing, that’s not an issue at all at LEH. It’s not the sort of school that very wealthy people are attracted to. They’re all at Epsom/Wellington/Harrodian. The parents are invariably middle-class professionals, with very high aspirations. Many Asian families for whom top-flight GCSEs are non-negotiable.