I’d really appreciate any views on the following schools, and how others might rank them for Year 7, if choosing between them.
For context, my DS is academically bright (CAT average 141), works hard, is sociable, and generally well-rounded. He’s decent at sport (not elite), enjoys creative subjects, and is a polite, grounded boy. We live in SW London.
The schools we’re considering are Hampton, Dulwich College, and Alleyn’s.
In terms of logistics, the school bus would be approx 45 minutes to Dulwich and Alleyn’s, and around 1 hr 20 to Hampton. He’d move to public transport from Year 8 onwards in theory. We have no strong preference for all-boys vs co-ed.
All three schools are clearly excellent, which makes this a hard decision, and I’m trying to arrive at some sort of ranking.
Hampton is my DS’s favourite, and we’re very impressed by the academics and sport, but the distance does concern me and probably pushes it down the list slightly.
Dulwich is a beautiful school and seems to be on a strong upward trajectory under the new Head. Results look solid and improving, and it feels like a place where my DS would do very well and be happy.
Alleyn’s appears academically the strongest overall and the co-ed environment is appealing. While it doesn’t quite have the same feel for us as Dulwich, my DS has recently been interviewed for an academic scholarship there, which obviously adds another dimension.
I’d love to hear from anyone with experience of these schools, or thoughts on how they compare — particularly in terms of academic stretch, pastoral care, and day-to-day life for a bright but fairly balanced child.
Thanks very much in advance and i hope other parents will find peoples views useful.