State boarding schools in Herts/Surrey

[bloomfieldtj]

Hi there. I'm new to Mumsnet.

We are currently living overseas and my daughter starts secondary school next year. She has expressed a desire to board back in the UK. We are looking mainly at the state boarding option because of the cost implications.

When back home for the summer, we looked at 3 state boarding schools, St George's in Harpenden, Hockerill Anglo-European College in Bishops Stortford and Royal Alexandra & Albert School in Reigate. We liked them all in different ways but would welcome any opinions on these schools from those that may know them.

St George's seemed very friendly, not overly pushy, with good results, but am told most boarders go home at the weekend. Hockerill has excellent results, good activites for boarders, but seems a bit of an academic hothouse(?). Royal Alexandra had fantastic facilities, great activites for boarders, but the end results aren't as good as the other two and I heard it take a large proportion of childen in care (?).

Would welcome any views anybody might have on any of the above schools.

Many thanks!

RAAS has changed since the current head arrived a few years ago and you may well find that the reputation for taking troubled kids and SEN from out of area is out of date. It is now one of the better performing secondaries in the area and has had a lot of investment in facilities. At least one mnetter has had a child there recently so if you do a search (above right) you may find her threads about it.

I don't really know any of the schools by reputation but I suggest that you have a quick look at this which gives some basic statistics. Hockerill and RAAS have quite a high percentage of boarders, 31% and 46% respectively, but St Geo's is a low 10% and you say that most of those go home at the weekends anyway.
If she is going to be a full boarder you want somewhere where boarding is the norm, not the exception.

Have you looked at Gordons in Woking?

I'm certainly not aware of a large amount of children in care/troubled children attending RAAS. DD is now in her 4th year there as a boarder and loves it. We were living abroad and took the decision to send her back to the UK before her GCSEs and it was the best decision we could have made. We looked at several other schools (and indeed had a child in a different one) but are very happy with RAAS and she has done extremely well since she has been there. There are a lot of full time boarders that stay weekends too which is an important thing to consider if your child will be there most weekends. DS was at another boarding schools where most students went home at the weekends and the only students who stayed tended to be the Chinese. As a result, he learnt mandarin chinese but it is something to consider.

Many thanks for all your replies. Makes interesting reading!

Grovel - yes, we did look at Gordons in Woking and didn't like it! They were rather unwelcoming and snooty towards us, more or less telling us that they were such a popular school our chance of gaining a place there was remote. Aside from that, we also felt it was a bit too far for DD's grandparents (her guardians) to collect her for exeat w/ends etc.

I also think the RAAS reputation is out of date. Its recently started up a sixth form facility which is a positive thing too.

Migratingcoconuts that is very true about the 6th form. However, it appears that a lot of the current year 11 are thinking of going elsewhere for A levels but think this may be down to the fact that they have school on Saturday mornings and a lot of them are wanting to get Saturday jobs.

That's a shame. yes, I imagine it will take a while, also, for the sixth form to establish itself given that you have the pull of reigate college offering a more 'adult' learning experience.

I would expect things to even out in a few years and students might start seeing the advantage of staying with teachers they know.

Rumour has it (unconfirmed via a teacher but never in writing) they were going to offer current year 11 student's 75% discount off fees if they stayed on in 6th form

Interesting . If they are local kids then the 6th form college has recently altered its entrance criteria so that those from schools with no 6th form get priority. Therefore RAAS students could lose that if there is an alternative 6th form place and perhaps not find it so easy to switch. Presumably they'd also take outsiders in at that point too. It will take time to build up numbers and a strong range of subjects at AS and A level.

Lizs the range of subjects offered is VERY limited compared with some of the other colleges we have been looking at. That could possibly be another reason many current RAAS students are looking elsewhere. We have been on a few other college open evenings and there were a lot of RAAS students there. I'm sure the change in 'day/flexi' fees that was brought in recently has had an effect on this too

My daughter goes to Hockerill - we live overseas, so she is a full time
boarder.

Boarding house is great, house mistress is fantastic and really takes care of 'her girls'. Plenty on offer to do at the weekends.
Academically the school is focused on languages and music. Good work ethos, but don't see the teachers as overly pushy.

Plus is very close to Stansted airport, which is really handy!
Do let me know if you want more info......

Marmotta - would love to hear more about your daughter's experience of Hockerill and full boarding.

Really liked the school, seems very popular, and looks after boarders. My only doubt (which may or may not be justified) is that there seems to be a very heavy emphasis on academic success, and I wonder whether DD would cope with it. Indeed, at interview she was asked "this is a very good school, what benefit would you bring to our school?" I thought that was a rather adult question for a 10 year old, but maybe I'm just niave! I hope to get an indication soon as to whether she's been accepted or not.

At the moment, she's a very young 10, getting her to do homework is a nightmare and all she wants to do is get in from school and play. I'm dreading the whole homework thing in Year 7 if she weren't to board, so welcome the prep element of a boarding school in any case!

I read somewhere that Hockerill has its own "equestrian society" Any ideas what that's about?, and does your daughter enjoy the activities on offer at the weekends at Hockerill?

Many thanks indeed.

Ds1 goes to RAAS. We have found everyone to go above and beyond in their care towards our son. The facilities are wonderful, though I feel they should hurry up and get the tennis courts sorted out!

Don't understand the 6th form issue though. This is their second year. First year the pupils numbers were 35ish and they went mainly to St Bedes', this year there are over 100, they are taught at RAAS and the school was over subscribed. Numbers for next year I thought were higher.

MOSagain The Alevel choices at RAAS were no different to those at Gordons for example. The pupils even got the school to add economics as there was such a demand for it. If there is to be a 75% discount on fees it better be for the yr13s next year then as well! Somehow I very much doubt it is even being considered. Nice thought though.

We live overseas too and we are applying to Hockerill and RAAS for our year 9 ds. Late application bcos of security issues here. Can anyone give me information on the Hockerill/ RAAS interviews and chances of getting a place?

Bloomfieldtj did you make a decsion on which school and why?

Thanks

How do state boarding schools work, are there costs involved for British students with parents overseas?

domestic A State boarding school is a State school (obvs!) so the tuition fees are the same as any other State school i.e. £nil. You only pay for the cost of boarding.
A private boarding school will cost about £25-30,000 pa including tuition fees. A SBS will cost about £10,000 pa

Chica have pm'd you.

also interested in a 6th form boarding place at RAAS for september - any info on likelihood of getting in at this stage? anyone with kids in current sixth form?